Over 3,000 years ago a cataclysmic volcanic eruption in the Eastern Mediterranean destroyed an entire continent, opening Europe to an unparalleled invasion of people from the East. But who were the natives of this long-lost continent? After 30 years of exhaustive research, Alan Butler presents his compelling history of the real and largely forgotten genius of the Minoan civilization. This is the fascinating story of a huge culture, dating back as far as 4,000 BC that was the real progenitor of Western civilization. The book includes an accessible and captivating account of the fable of Atlantis and the truth behind Homer’s compulsive story. The modern world looks back at Ancient Greece for the birth of philosophy, for the origins of science and even for the foundations of its excursion into democracy. But long before the city-states of Greece flirted with geometry, astronomy and inclusive politics, there was a far more innovative and pioneering culture—the Minoans, who were the real progenitors of Western civilization. THE DAWN OF GENIUS explores the brilliance of Minoan culture—from the enigma of the Phaistos Disc to accounts of the destruction of Atlantis, a worldwide catastrophe that took place around 1600 BC. This book celebrates the culture that was shattered in an instant, a disaster that drove the world into a dark age from which it has taken over 3,000 years to emerge. Chapters include: An Island in the Sun; The Hill of Knossos; The Colorful Culture; The Great Traders; The Seeds of Tragedy; The Mysterious Disc; Measure for Measure; Kings in Gold Masks; The Legacy and the Phenomena; Mind versus Machine; The Forgotten Ones; more. Imported from Britain. Published at $16.95, our price only $14.95.

THE DAWN OF GENIUS: The Minoan Civilization and the Truth About Atlantis By Alan Butler. 238 pages. 5x9 Paperback. Illustrated. References. Index.