For future reference, we do have a book list on the side panel with flaired users recommendations on most subjects. Here's what I and others suggest as good reads on the Maya:

• Ancient Maya: The Rise and Fall of a Rainforest Civilization (2004) by Arthur Demarest: There are many wonderful texts on the Maya but Demarest's work is distinctive in the degree to which it overtly discusses the competing perspectives on the development of Maya society as well as directly grapples with the shortcomings of our knowledge of the ancient Maya. Such an approach is invaluable in the field of Mayan studies, which has undergone many paradigm shifts over the years. Demarest's position is well-balanced and thoughtful and his prose is accessible, making this text a good foundation on which readers can build a greater understanding of the Maya with further reading.

• The Maya, 9th ed. (2015) by Michael D. Coe and Stephen Houston: This is a comprehensive volume on every aspect of Mayan culture, from daily life to royal succession. Coe and Houston are some of the best archaeologists around at writing for a public audience, and the text provides excellent illustrations and further readings. Importantly, the book is frequently updated, so it contains up-to-date discoveries, sites, and photographs.

• A Forest of Kings: The Untold Story of the Ancient Maya (1992) by David Freidel and Linda Schele: This was a landmark book when it was published detailing the history of the Maya world based off the newly translated hieroglyphs. Linda Schele was the epigrapher of the Maya world up until her death and her work, including this one, made landmark strides in the field. This is a must read for those just getting into the Maya region and wanting to know the specifics of their history during the Classic period.

• Maya Cosmos: Three Thousand Years on the Shaman's Path (1993) by David Freidel, Linda Schele, and Joy Parker: After the publication of A Forest of Kings and with the help of Joy Parker, the three authors explore Maya cosmology and religion using the newly translated inscriptions of temples, stela, and vessels from across the Maya world. While recent work has updated what we know of the region this is still a solid piece of work that lays out a foundation of understanding for anyone interested in the Maya.

• The Code of Kings: The Language of Seven Sacred Maya Temples and Tombs (1999) by Linda Schele and Peter Mathews: Schele and Mathews explore seven sites from across the Maya world in depth to get an understanding of the diversity and variety of settlements archaeology and epigraphers have uncovered. With such detailed descriptions of buildings, artwork, and history of these seven settlements it will leave you yearning to go out and research other cities in an attempt to match their level of detail.

• The Memory of Bones: Body, Being, and Experience Among the Classic Maya (2006) by Stephen Houston, David Stuart, and Karl Taube: Three of the greatest epigraphers from the Maya region collaborated on this book to give us an understanding of how the Classic Maya viewed the world around them. Pulling from inscriptions on temples, stela, and vessels the authors paint a picture of how the Maya viewed their body, viewed life and death, and viewed nature. This is a linguistics heavy work and it may deter some who find it daunting, but it is one of the most insightful books you can read to truly understand these people who left such large cities behind.

• The Classic Maya (2008) by Stephen Houston and Takeshi Inomata: Houston and Inomata's work offers an update from Schele's 1999 work with new translations of inscriptions coupled with archaeological finds over the decade. Houston has become one of the top epigraphers of the Maya region and Inomata is a top-notch archaeologist and both have contributed greatly to the field and our understanding of the Maya past.

• Chronicle of the Maya Kings and Queens (2008) by Simon Martin and Nikolai Grube: This work offers an up to date history of the Classic Period Maya based off of inscriptions and archaeological work since the publication of Schele and Freidel's A Forest of Kings. This book is noted for its detail in understanding the relationships between different polities such as Tikal and Teotihuacan or Calakmul's alliance used to defeat Tikal.

• Breaking the Maya Code (3rd ed., 2012) by Michael D. Coe: This is an essential text for anyone interested in ancient languages. It tells the story of the decipherment of Maya hieroglyphs, from the misguided attempts at the turn of the century to eventual successes of the early 1980s. Best of all, its told by a researcher who was part of the action. It's an insiders view on the processes of archaeology and linguistics, not just a summary of the results.