Johnson (This Book Is Overdue!) follows archaeologists into the field to discover why they work in a discipline that promises little monetary reward, no job stability, and dangerous working conditions. She interviews archaeologists who specialize in a wide variety of time periods, geographical locations, and areas of their field. She attends conferences, visits sites, and endures the hardships of excavation (including killer bee attacks, sites where no water is available, and contentious natives). She considers what archaeology is and why it is important, while discovering what drives the people who do the work. The narrative is as much about the author's experiences in the field as it is about the scientists she followed. Well read by Hillary Huber, this book will appeal to amateur archaeologists and generalists who want to know what the professionals do. VERDICT Recommended to anyone with an interest in archaeology. ["Well suited to anyone contemplating archaeology as a career, those curious about what the profession is like, lovers of history and science, and readers who enjoy and are grateful for the lure of prehistory and discovery as a mental process," read the starred review of the Harper hc, LJ 11/1/14.]-Joanna M. Burkhardt, Univ. of Rhode Island Lib., Providence (c) Copyright 2015. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Johnson takes a compelling jaunt into the world of archaeology to distinguish the prized artifacts from the debris, highlighting the hard and often thankless work of archaeologists. Reader Huber does a fantastic job of capturing Johnson's witty, conversational prose, which both informs and entertains listeners. She adequately narrates the technical details and information with a balanced mixture of emphasis and pacing, and she embraces the author's quirky asides narrating with the perfect amount of confident sass and exuberance. She comes across as the authentic voice of the text. A Harper hardcover. (Dec.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.