Despite her dutiful caveat that swashbuckling movie archaeologist Indiana Jones is a fantasy figure, Johnson acknowledges his mythic allure in an occupation still dominated by men: 'The guys all own fedoras and whips,' a female grad student confides. Johnson has a knack for enlivening a potentially dry subject with vivid sketches, punchy quotes and lively scene-setting. 'Lives in Ruins' leaves you with a tantalizing notion: The past is everywhere around us, and the forgotten is always underfoot." Johnson writes entertainingly, employing many quirky tidbits gleaned from the likably eccentric intellects she meets. lively survey of archaeology and the people who practice it. Johnson skillfully captures the vivid and quirky characters drawn to archaeology. Both types of material prove fascinating, and she is a funny and garrulous guide to the terrain. "Johnson's book is simultaneously a crash course in basic archaeology and a sociological study of the various quirky subcultures of professional archaeologists. "Through a combination of perception and wit, Johnson discovers how archaeologists are invaluable witnesses 'to the loss of our cultural memories.'"
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