Book Reviews

‘Dinner with King Tut: How Rogue Archaeologists Are Re-creating the Sights, Sounds, Smells, and Tastes of Lost Civilizations’

Archaeology isn’t boring, but it sure can seem that way from the outside (Indiana Jones excepted, of course). Tiny brushes and trowels and patient, years-long digs to unearth the detritus of ancient humans doesn’t make for the most exciting of fields. But what if there were more to uncover than just pot sherds? What if one could actually experience a bit of our ancestors’ lives?

Some archaeologists have taken to recreating the items they so carefully uncover and actually using them to discover what ancient life might have actually felt like, smelled like, even sounded like. Building boats without modern tools; cooking with actual ancient ingredients and methods; forging weapons and testing them on unsuspecting watermelon. Sam Kean tags along with a wide array of researchers and historical enthusiasts in a quest to experience history as it really was.

Engaging, often hilarious, and surprisingly deep, this is a great addition to any history buff’s shelf. The thread of humanity and its ingenuity is genuinely lovely and awe-inspiring at the same time. This is not your average history book; it’s a travelogue of time. — Review by Julie Goodrich

‘Salt Bones’

Mothers and daughters. Nightmares and reality. Humans and the earth. The relationships between these pairs are never easy. Fraught and intense and often dangerous, they make for excellent stories — the kind that unsettle and linger long after they’re over. I’m reminded of another complicated duo — author and reader. Lucky for us, Jennifer Givhan is an incredibly talented writer.

On the edge of the Salton Sea, a haunting myth might be stalking the young women of El Valle, but Malamar Veracruz will not allow it to rip her family apart, not again. Years after her own sister is numbered amongst the missing girls of the town, Mal begins to experience visions of a legendary horse-headed woman who may or may not be tied to the mystery. Determined to end the terror, Mal and her daughters must face secrets and lies and reckon with life-changing truths to understand what’s happening to the town— and to themselves.

Gorgeously written and full of twists and gasp-out-loud moments, this tale was absolutely riveting and heartbreakingly sad. Above all, this is a story about the bonds and boundaries that will always bind us in so many ways. — Review by Julie Goodrich