In Search of Ice Age Americans

by Kenneth Tankersley, Douglas Preston (Foreword)

This behind-the-scenes look at the search, discovery, and examination of Ice Age sites and artifacts reveals the real stories behind America's most important archaeological discoveries--and the teenagers, cowboys, and farmers who made them.

Genres: Nonfiction, Science

256 pages, Hardcover

First published August 23, 2002

Reviews

[Iset · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is becoming a familiar litany, being my fourth non-fiction on the first American peoples in a row. The first half of the book is taken up with the account of early archaeology in American, resulting in the Clovis First model. At this point, the book then gains a certain novel-like quality as the author recounts in anecdotes some of his own work with other prominent archaeologists. Finally, the book touches on the possibility of pre-Clovis peoples, but it must be said that it mentions this very briefly, along with linguistic and genetic evidence, and does not discuss it in nearly the same depth as Adovasio or Meltzer. Neither does this book include notes and references, and it is all in all rather short. I think this might be the book I would offer to an adolescent just starting out or hoping to start a course in the subject. Otherwise, if you’re already an experienced hobbyist or indeed an academic in the field, I’d recommend something a bit more in depth, with technical detail and references.

[Sonny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating book discussing how people may have first travelled from Asia and Europe to North America and the archeological methods used to piece together the theories put forward.

[John Branney · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very entertaining book on one of my favorite subjects, the First Americans. When it comes to books about the First Americans, there are usually two kinds of books; straight research books and archaeological site reports. This book is not like either of these. This book is filled with stories about the players involved in the search and artifacts found of the First Americans. It is easy and entertaining to read. The author holds the readers' interest by telling the every day stories about a variety of subjects centering around the First Americans. My favorite story was about the fake Clovis Cache that some scoundrels tried to sell to Forest Fenn, Mr. Big Bucks - Clovis Cache owner himself. The story involved such people as Greg Perino, Woody Blackwell, Fenn, and the senior author of this book.

This book lies somewhere between archaeology textbook and novel, which makes some pretty entertaining reading. Two thumbs up.

[Daniel Laflin · Rating 4 out of 5]

An Interesting book on the early Americans, Clovis and The new DNA evidence of Besides Groupings that indicate several different waves from the Asian Link the "X" rare group that matchs West, not East Asian, plus Europe and Middle east DNA which indicates some much earlier came over via a Possiable Iberian up along the Ice edge In Atlantic over to Americias around 20,000-30,000 years back before the "modern" Wave of 10-12,000 years ago from East Asia and Siberia

A very interesting read and DNA is going to Show more in future of If Europeans were "johnny come latelys" or simply a New Wave 30,000 years later to Americas as Books last chapters hints at.

[Trisha · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great work which reconstructs the lives of the earliest people on the North American continent after the Ice Age. Tankersley discusses the first people to occupy the continent, when they came and how, and where they diverged and spread. His contentions rest on a tremendous amount of fieldwork, searching out ancient living places in caves and deserts, landlocked and near water. He also presents tools found, which can lead to information about how the people who made them lived. Enjoyed this thoroughly!

[Dave Schey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kenneth takes the reader along as he explores and studies several Clovis habitation or kill sites in the Americas. This is not a technical book but is a narrative and mostly reads like a travelogue. Lot of nice color photos of beautiful Clovis points.

[Sue Oerter · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book and learning more about archeology sites in America.