Lives in Ruins: Archaeologists and the Seductive Lure of Human Rubble

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.