America Before book cover

America Before by Graham Hancock Summary

America Before
Graham Hancock
4.13 (3569 Reviews)
History
Science
Philosophy
Overview
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Overview of America Before

Graham Hancock's "America Before" shatters archaeological timelines, revealing humans inhabited the Americas 130,000 years ago - not 15,000. Joe Rogan calls it "a treasure" while challenging us: What if an advanced civilization flourished here before recorded history, leaving only whispers?

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Key takeaways

1

What If Everything We Know About Human History Is Wrong?

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Beneath the rolling hills of southern Ohio lies a serpent made of earth-1,348 feet of sinuous curves that can only be fully appreciated from the sky. When you stand beside it, you're just a speck next to this ancient dragon, feeling the weight of something vast and inexplicable. This is Serpent Mound, and it holds secrets that challenge everything we've been taught about who built the Americas and when. For decades, we've been told that sophisticated civilizations only emerged in the Americas a few thousand years ago. But what if an advanced culture existed here tens of thousands of years earlier-one that mastered astronomy, geometry, and technologies we still don't understand? The evidence has been hiding in plain sight, buried under layers of academic dogma and convenient narratives. When Spanish conquistador Francisco de Orellana traveled down the Amazon in 1541, his chronicler described extensive settlements stretching over 20 kilometers-comparable to Manhattan's length. For centuries, this account was dismissed as fantasy. From aircraft, the Amazon reveals massive geometric earthworks-perfect circles, squares, and octagons-scattered across what was once thought to be virgin rainforest. At Cahokia in the Mississippi Valley, Monks Mound rivals the Great Pyramid with its 14-acre footprint. These monuments represent sophisticated astronomical knowledge implemented on a monumental scale, yet they've been systematically ignored or explained away. It's time to dig deeper.

2

Shattering the Timeline: Ancient Arrivals and Genetic Mysteries

3

The Amazon's Engineered Paradise and Sacred Geometry

4

Visions Made Stone: The Shamanic Technology of Consciousness

5

Mississippi's Cosmic Blueprint: Cahokia, Newark, and Ancient Astronomy

6

The Soul's Journey: Ancient Death Sciences and Cosmic Portals

7

The Cataclysm and the Warning We Must Heed

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"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."

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"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."

@Matt, YC alum
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"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."

@Erin, Investment Banking Associate , NYC
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"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."

@djmikemoore
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"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."

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"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."

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"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."

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117

"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."

@Raaaaaachelw
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"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."

@Matt, YC alum
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108

"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."

@Erin, Investment Banking Associate , NYC
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254
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17

"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."

@djmikemoore
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"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."

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"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."

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@Leo, Law Student, UPenn
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"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"

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