An intriguing look at how humans have stayed connected through the ages.
An overview of the means we use to communicate, from hand gestures to augmented reality (AR) glasses.
Citing expert opinion that our need to connect with one another is as vital and innate as our need for food and shelter, Birmingham tallies up the various ways humans have found to keep in touch from deep prehistory on. She omits some topics; fashion, pheromones, architecture, politics, and art are just some of the many modes of communication that go unexamined. Still, her thought-provoking survey covers the major ones—speech and writing—and is broad enough to touch on whistling, yodeling, smoke signals (in China and certain parts of North America), homing pigeons, postal systems, and AI voice software. Central to Birmingham’s topic is the development of languages. Noting that 7,000 or so are in current use, she pays particular attention to artificial ones such as Esperanto and Klingon, discusses new ones including Nicaraguan Sign Language and “Textese,” and notes how the genocide of Indigenous Americans by European settlers caused many tongues to fade or disappear. In color photos and graphic images, a racially and culturally diverse mix of children and adults talk, write, read, and peer at screens. Along with glancing mention of recent developments such as deepfakes and “phubbing,” the author closes with a final, quick plea to put down the phones and rediscover the value of face-to-face conversation.
An intriguing look at how humans have stayed connected through the ages. (glossary, resource list, index) (Nonfiction. 10-13)Pub Date: March 11, 2025
ISBN: 9781459838727
Page Count: 96
Publisher: Orca
Review Posted Online: Feb. 15, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2025
The author of the award-winning Mummies & Their Mysteries (1993) returns to the intriguing subject of mummies. Here she explains how they are formed, how scientists use a variety of sophisticated techniques to learn about peoples and cultures of long ago, and some of the controversies surrounding the study of human remains. As with the previous title, the photographs presented here are striking, from the Inca child who appears on the front cover, to the mummy of Egyptian King Seti I, which appears on the back. Other photographs show some of the first tattoos, details of the Iceman, an Italian child who died of smallpox 400 years ago, the remains of light-haired Caucasian mummies from Xinjiang, China, and the well-preserved bodies of Philip Calvert, governor of Maryland from 1660 to 1661. The science is impressive, as carbon-14 dating, CT scans, DNA profiling, and X-rays are used to solve ancient mysteries. What were the people like? What did they eat? When did they die? What caused their death? What were the diseases they suffered? The author also discusses the controversies as different cultures clash over studying human remains. She mentions the Native American Graves Protection and Reparation Act which gives Native Americans control over native remains buried on government land or held in collections owned or funded by the government, and discusses former Egyptian President Anwar Sadat’s, efforts to house Egyptian mummies in a more dignified way. Though Wilcox discusses respect for the dead, she nonetheless pictures the controversial “Human Body Art” of German artist Gunther von Hagens, and “Sylvester,” a mummy used to greet customers in a shop in Seattle. Also pictured are the remains of an outlaw put on display for 65 years as a moneymaking exhibit for a funeral parlor. The author concludes with a glossary, extensive bibliography including Web sites, and a detailed index. Intriguing science, dramatically presented. (Nonfiction. 9-13)
Pub Date: Aug. 15, 2000
ISBN: 1-57505-428-0
Page Count: 64
Publisher: Carolrhoda
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2000
BOOK REVIEW
An introduction to ancient Egypt and the Pharaohs buried in the Valley of the Kings. The authors begin with how archaeologist Howard Carter found the tomb of King Tut, then move back 3,000 years to the time of Thutmosis I, who built the first tomb in the Valley of the Kings. Finally they describe the building of the tomb of a later Pharaoh, Ramses II. The backward-forward narration is not always easy to follow, and the authors attribute emotions to the Pharaohs without citation. For example, “Thutmosis III was furious [with Hatshepsut]. He was especially annoyed that she planned to be buried in KV 20, the tomb of her father.” Since both these people lived 3,500 years ago, speculation on who was furious or annoyed should be used with extreme caution. And the tangled intrigue of Egyptian royalty is not easily sorted out in so brief a work. Throughout, though, there are spectacular photographs of ancient Egyptian artifacts, monuments, tomb paintings, jewels, and death masks that will appeal to young viewers. The photographs of the exposed mummies of Ramses II, King Tut, and Seti I are compelling. More useful for the hauntingly beautiful photos than the text. (brief bibliography, index) (Nonfiction. 10-12)
Pub Date: March 1, 2001
ISBN: 0-7922-7223-4
Page Count: 64
Publisher: National Geographic
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2001
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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