PREHISTORY The Making of the Human Mind

In this dense work, Colin Renfrew summarizes the history of archaeology and current progress in the field. An archaeologist himself, he takes listeners through a litany of early theories and discoveries up to the present, paying particular attention to the significant shifts of thought caused by the development of radiocarbon dating. In the second part of the book he shows how permanent residence in one place was a prerequisite for the emergence of material culture. The book is scholarly, so listeners may want to take it slowly, digesting each chapter before consuming the next. Robert Mackenzie is a capable reader, with a clear, steady voice that is authoritative without being sleep-inducing. Overall, the work comes across like a good college lecture—without the worry of a test. R.C.G. © AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine [Published: JULY 2009]