Dolnick, Edward

Dolnick presents a fast-paced intellectual adventure for general readers that surveys the invention of writing and the processes of deciphering and decoding. Highly recommended for anyone who relishes challenging puzzles.

An enlightening and quick read that delves into the details of a topic that readers might think they know all about. Those interested in the early modern period and the history of science in Europe will particularly appreciate this title.

Energetic writing and interesting research convey the state of America before, during, and after the social liberation caused by the sudden explosion of capitalistic wealth. The text clearly communicates the emotional highs and lows felt by the "forty-niners," as opposed to more academic political histories such as Leonard L. Richards's The California Gold Rush and the Coming of the Civil War. Warmly recommended for both general and academic readers with interests in California and Western history.

Those interested in the history of science or even just in exploring how the times in which someone lives shape his thought processes should find this volume fascinating.