Promotions - Choice's Outstanding Academic Titles 2017 -

Despite his book's title, artist-ethnographer Causey (Columbia College, Chicago) claims it is neither about how to do ethnography nor about how to draw but rather about using art and creativity for "teaching oneself to see better. ..." In fact, he innovatively redefines participant observation as the "seeing-drawing" that can occur when one slows down and visually documents one's observations. The author both expands and simplifies the realm of observing through his ultimate meditative point: slow down and really see. The simple, nonthreatening drawing exercises keyed to each chapter are a unique aspect of the book. They range from new ways to see and draw edges to how to examine surfaces, convey movement, see and draw what is no longer there, and so on. Drawing can create a type of illusion that is not make-believe but rather a simplified, focused rendition of the real. Whereas photography can limit and mislead, such as a quick snapshot, line drawing can be a form of reflective visual thinking, meaningfully converting 3-D to 2-D. Drawing not only focuses one's attention but is also a useful "anchor for memories"--both qualities invaluable to the ethnographic mission. Beautifully written and reasoned, the book showcases methodological creativity and can be inspirational to anyone, even reluctant drawers.Summing Up: Highly recommended. Advanced undergraduates and above.

In an attempt to derive myth from reality, this assortment of pivotal works describing archaeological sites and projects from the iconic western US provides compelling examples of American regionalism. Notable highlights include Bonnie J. Clark's work at the WW II Japanese American internment camp, Amache, in Colorado, to James P. Delgado's site at San Francisco's Gold Rush waterfront. Timothy James Scarlett's controversial Utah Pottery Project is a detailed analysis of bureaucratic stratigraphy that would scare off even the most seasoned archaeologist. This edited collection is a terrific companion to Donald L. Hardesty's Mining Archaeology in the American West (2010) and editor Kelly J. Dixon et al.'s An Archaeology of Desperation: Exploring the Donner Party's Alder Creek Camp (2011). Indeed, Dixon's most recent work concerning Chinese logging operations in Lake Tahoe is a chapter in this book. This reviewer was pleased to review this collection, as it is one of the few books concerning historical archaeology in the West.Summing Up: Highly recommended. Upper-division undergraduates and above.

Ceramics, a complex, ubiquitous material in the archaeological record, occurs globally through time in nearly every culture and includes an array of objects ranging from building materials to utilitarian pottery and ritual figurines. For over a century, archaeologists have employed ceramic analysis to answer questions about subsistence, technological innovation, economics, social organization, and chronology. Hunt, an accomplished scholar and research scientist (Center for Applied Isotope Studies, Univ. of Georgia), is the ideal editor to organize this long-awaited, 36-chapter compendium authored by 49 leading international scholars. Chapters have their own references (c. 1,000 overall) and are structured around an introduction and six themes: research design and data analysis; foundational concepts; ceramic provenance; ceramic manufacture; vessel function; and dating ceramic assemblages. The handbook's goals are to provide theoretical background and practical guidelines (such as cost and destructiveness of analysis) for each technique; detailed case studies illustrate the application and interpretation of analytical data. Speaking from nearly six decades of ceramic studies, this reviewer finds this superbly edited, up-to-date, and comprehensive handbook to be indispensable for scholars working with ceramics, and a mandatory acquisition for research and public libraries.Summing Up: Essential. All levels/libraries.

Simply reading Cline's introduction instantly reminded this reviewer why she majored in archaeology in the first place. This book is a fascinating encyclopedia of all the great archaeological sites across the world, with the added benefit of an update of their most recent developments. Readers will enjoy catching up with famous sites and projects such as King Tut, ancient Rome, and the Nazca Lines. The bibliography is a researcher's dream; in fact, it and the notes section are major works on their own. The most compelling chapters are the ones that discuss the methods behind the discipline. Cline (George Washington Univ.) succinctly answers the question asked of every archaeologist in his chapter "How Do You Know Where to Dig?"--a descriptive and to-the-point review of the field methods and theories behind archaeological work. This book will be a great addition to the library of any professional or wannabe archaeologist, and a thoroughly enjoyable read for any reader, scholar or not.Summing Up: Essential. All general and academic levels/libraries.