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Around 100,000 years ago humans dispersed out of Africa and into Eurasia. The archaeology of these early colonizing peoples is well documented in Europe, but the record in Asia has too often been underappreciated. However, in recent decades there has been a concerted effort to fill the gaps in our knowledge about the prehistory of Asia. Dennell (emer., Exeter Univ.), one of the preeminent scholars of Asian prehistory, provides an authoritative review of the archaeological evidence. He also offers insights into the remarkable history of human tenacity and ingenuity in adapting to diverse new habitats, from the Arctic tundra to the rain forests of Southeast Asia. Following three introductory chapters, the bulk of the book is dedicated to a region-by-region overview of the archaeological record. In part 1 (southern dispersal), the starting point is the Arabian Peninsula, where humans first appeared outside of Africa. The narrative then follows a southward track through South Asia, Southeast Asia, and into Australia. Part 2 moves northwards through the Levant, Central Asia, and East Asia, and finally into the Arctic and the Americas. The regional accounts are thoroughly researched, up-to-date, and well supported by extensive references. This tour de force is a must-have, especially for anyone interested in the prehistory of Eurasia.Summing Up: Highly recommended. Lower- and upper-division undergraduates. Graduate students, faculty, and professionals. General readers.

Since the first discovery of Neanderthal remains and their dehumanizing characterization as brutish, slow-witted, stoop-shouldered, bent-kneed, club-wielding cavemen, these ancient people have been repeatedly portrayed and reimagined. In pondering the changing perceptions of Neanderthals, archaeologist and popular science writer Wragg Sykes opens a window onto the day-to-day existence of these enigmatic people. Each bone or cultural artefact unearthed from its long tenure beneath ancient sediments has a unique story to tell. Each technological advance in archaeology advances the understanding of those stories. Through the lens of 21st-century technology and current standards of excavation, Wragg Sykes provides a fresh synthesis and critical analysis of Neanderthal life. In doing so, she explores how researchers are narrowing the perceived gap between Neanderthals and ourselves, pushing them from the moribund stereotype of "dullard losers on a withered branch of the family tree." Not unexpectedly, some material is speculative, even highly imaginative (yet still informed by the current state of knowledge). Viewpoints extrapolated from knowledge of modern hunter-gatherer societies are a likely source of ongoing controversy. Kindred is an informative and authoritative book that will appeal to budding Neanderthal investigators and all interested in learning more about the applications of modern analysis and recent interpretations of archaeological/paleontological finds.Summing Up: Highly recommended. Upper-division undergraduates. Graduate students. General readers.

Johnson (Georgetown Univ.) is a female planetary scientist who has been a member of the science teams for several recent spacecraft missions to Mars. In this book, she not only shares the rich history of Mars science, providing plenty of stories about the important people in that history, notably Carl Sagan, but also unfolds her own biography. While Johnson focuses mostly on the successes and insights from the study of Mars as pursued in recent decades, she also devotes space to personal recollections about being mentored and inspired by one of the few senior female planetary scientists involved in these missions. She openly shares details about meeting her spouse and having her children while studying Mars, providing important background for readers who wish to learn and teach about the human side of doing science, and not just the science itself. Science is done by scientists--an idea this reviewer has stressed in his courses for years, often in order to call attention to important work that may not have received the attention it deserved. Books like this one make exemplary sources for teaching about the people behind the science.Summing Up: Highly recommended. All readers.