Ancient Maya cities draw travelers from all over the world to Mexico’s Yucatán peninsula. But while tales of the “Maya collapse” give an air of mystery to the ruins, modern Maya still live in communities across the Yucatán, where they strive to maintain their culture and way of life despite centuries of political, social, and environmental disruption. Photographer Macduff Everton has spent more than four decades living and working among the Maya. His 1991 book on the modern Maya provided a superb photo-essay and ethnographic record of the Maya during a time of critical change and globalization. In this book, he masterfully updates his portrait of the modern Maya, while investigating the effects of NAFTA, tourism, the evangelical movement, world trade and maquiladoras, racism, sexism, and drugs on Maya communities. Combining splendid photography of ancient Maya sites and modern Maya communities with an illuminating narrative, Everton takes us into the homes and lives of farmers and chicle gatherers, ranch hands and henequen workers, as well as the Mayan-speaking urbanites who work at the resorts on the Riviera Maya. His long acquaintance with the Maya allows him to tell dramatic stories of how individuals and families have seen a way of life that was centered around the milpa (farm) and the cultivation of tropical forest products transformed by the effects of globalization and the necessity to labor for wages. At the same time, Everton also reveals the amazing adaptability of the Maya, who hold onto the essence of their culture despite all the destructive pressures from the outside world.

The Modern Maya: Incidents of Travel and Friendship in Yucatán (The William and Bettye Nowlin Series in Art, History, and Culture of the Western Hemisphere)

Arts & Photography

Everton, Macduff

Individual Artists

University of Texas Press

The Code of Kings: The Language of Seven Sacred Maya Temples and Tombs

A journey to the seven most prominent Mayan ruins is accompanied by an explanation of Maya history and culture

The CODE OF KINGS: THE LANGUAGE OF SEVEN SACRED MAYA TEMPLES AND TOMBS

Schele, Linda

Scribner

This unique and extraordinary guide to seven major sites of Maya civilization highlights the pioneering work of two great scholars of ancient America. For readers at every level -- from the casual tourist to the serious student -- The Code of Kings relies on Linda Schele and Peter Mathews's revolutionary work in the decipherment of the hieroglyphs that cover the surfaces of Maya ruins to give us a far clearer picture of Maya culture than we have ever had. Richly illustrated with line art and the incomparable photography of Justin Kerr and Macduff Everton, The Code of Kings is a landmark contribution to our understanding of the Maya and a phenomenal guided tour of seven of the most awesome and magical spots on Earth.

History

Mathews, Peter

Americas

The Modern Maya: A Culture in Transition

The modern Maya: A culture in transition

University of New Mexico Press

Runner-up, International Photography Awards, Lucie Foundation, 2012 In this spectacular collection of panoramic images, award-winning photographer Macduff Everton proves why Chile’s Last Hope Province, in the extreme southern corner of Patagonia, is a landscape that kindles the dreams of world travelers. Patagonia, La Última Esperanza is a collaboration with writer and artist Mary Heebner, whose meditative prose reflects the poetry of place. Just as her observations seek to unearth and understand the spirit of the region, her paintings, watercolors, and drawings evocatively counterpoint Everton’s photographs of iconic mountains and glacier-lined fjords. Together they provide a unique perspective on this vast, still mysterious territory and the lives of the people who have made a home here at the tip of the South American continent. While visitors rush to the landmark peaks of UNESCO-designated Torres del Paine National Park or the wonders of Bernardo O’Higgins National Park, they too often miss equally gorgeous and accessible but less frequented areas. Everton and Heebner explore much more, from the shimmering ice fields and glassy lakes to the island mazes and expansive grasslands where you’re more likely to see condors than another person. They find the beauty and meaning in the fishermen’s harbors, the cowboys’ ranch labors, and the creations of visionary architects, whose stunning constructions mesh concern for the environment with the grandeur of the setting.
Patagonia, La Última Esperanza indelibly captures a place of unending superlatives—the most breathtaking mountain ranges, the most storied valleys, the most inspiring destination for readers and travelers alike.

Patagonia, La Última Esperanza

Photography & Video

Tixcacalcupul Press

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Everton, Macduff. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Everton, Macduff