Elizabeth Mann describes the rise of the Incas from a small clan of mountain-dwellers to the rulers of a 2500-mile empire with over 10 million subjects. She details the construction of the magnificent stone city, Machu Picchu and explains its religious and political significance. Finally, she depicts the invasion led by Pizarro and aided by the spread of smallpox that defeated the once-mighty empire. Dramatic paintings complement the captivating history.