John Hemming's Epic History of the Conquest of the Incas

Walter Saavedra: The media could not be loaded.  This book is very interesting, but I read it with others at the same time.
Time has passed and I have found that in this book there is a white Page, then I cannot read it.
This book has to be changed.
I cannot write directly to client service. Please I need my request solved.
Walter Saavedra.

United States on Sep 28, 2022

Elizabeth: I have used world of books before and expect nothing but the best in quality and value from them Because that is what they have maintained. The book i bought, Conquest of the Incas was a present and the copy looked brand new. Needless to say the recipient was delighted. Thankyou *****+**

United Kingdom on Mar 29, 2022

JEEVESSO: Essential reading prior to travelling to Peru. Fascinating yet horrific account of the colonial days of Spain.

Canada on Dec 09, 2019

SVETLANA GALPERINA: It was very quick

France on Oct 18, 2019

MikeD: Excellent read. An authoritative text book, written with the flow and feel of a novel. Essential reading for anyone visiting Peru

Spain on Oct 11, 2019

Mithila Painguinkar: VERY GOOD

India on Sep 05, 2018

Ginger H: This very readable book told the incredible story of the Spanish conquest of the Incas, 168 Spaniards with horses who defeated several Inca armies of 40,000 soldiers each. The book never explicitly acknowledges the sad ending, but doesn't shy away from describing Spanish brutality toward the Indians and the Inca, and implicitly admits the hypocrisy of the Spanish/European theory that they were bringing Christianity to the Indians for their salvation. Only the most naive of 21st century people could believe that the Spanish were really concerned about the souls of the Indians, when all they seemed to do was loot Inca treasure and melt it down for their own gain. The only defense which seems at all plausible is the notion that the superior technology of the Spanish (horses, stirrups, steel weaponry and some arquebuses and cannons) simply overwhlemed the Inca armies and leaders, along with their lack of knowledge that Pizarro's little band was just the vanguard for an enormous number of rapacious invaders. The long history of inhumanity exemplified by the Spanish to the Incas didn't start or end with them. The Incas themselves were conquerors, and none too kind to the conquered...

United States on May 02, 2016

Dr. Lee D. Carlson: In the chapter in this book entitled `The Elimination of the Incas' the belief of the Spanish administrator Francisco de Toledo that any remnants of the Inca empire must be eliminated is based on his view that the Incas' right to rule Peru was no more justified that that of the Spaniards. And as the author describes in vivid detail, Toledo goes on to finish off any leftovers of Inca "enclaves" with great zeal and efficiency. Toledo proved himself to be quite adept and instigating mass murder or what is now called genocide, as the study of this chapter readily reveals.

Toledo was of course correct in believing in the equivalence between Spaniards and Incas with respect to their status as rightful rulers of Peru. Neither had such a right, and both groups engaged in behavior towards the native populations of Peru in a manner that appears like they were competing for the status of who is the most evil. Both Incas and Spaniards had an official religion that they represented, with that of the Incas being tied more to natural objects such as the sun, while that of the Spaniards to an institution that had shown itself to be capable of sustained brutality throughout its...

United States on Nov 15, 2014

Doctor B: If a reader wants to dig deeply into this fascinating historic topic, this has to be the book to read. Hemming goes into as much detail as possible, considering the evidence available. For the most part, we must rely on the Spanish perspective of what happened during the Conquest because the Incas had no written language. Thus, the major challenge for Hemming was to provide as objective an accounting of the events as possible. I believe he accomplished this, evidenced, for example, by his clear demonstration that the Spanish conquistadors could not have pulled off their goal without considerable assistance from indigenous groups that did not feel a sense of allegiance to the dominating Incas. I still must find what the best history of the Conquest is in Spanish - having that will give even greater balance to the story.

United States on May 01, 2014

NWG: Wow. If you need to know who went to the bathroom where at what time while so-and-so was standing watch, this is the book for you! The author goes in to exceptional detail, and it is presumably historically acurate [or at least he tells it with such confidence that you beleive it is]

Also, there are lots of footnotes, but they don't lead to the bottom of the page, you have to turn to the back of the book, which can be frustrating at times.

I am fascinated with the Incas and their "disappearance" and was looking forward to a good book on the subject, but after making it about 1/2 way through the book, I had to throw in the towel.

United States on Jan 09, 2007