First described by Plato before the birth of Christ, the seductive appeal of lost Atlantis has been the preserve of thriller-writers – but is it possible the fabled city really existed?  If so, what happened to it and what are its secrets? Here is a page-turning quest and investigation for the truth. Through impeccable research and intelligent speculation, Gavin Menzies, the New York Times bestselling author of 1421, uncovers the truth behind the mysterious “lost” city of Atlantis – making the startling claim that the “Atlanteans” discovered America 4,000 years ago and ruled a vast Mediterranean empire that was violently destroyed in 1,500 BC. Illustrated with colour photographs.