Book Review
Reviews and reflections on books related to history, heritage, archaeology, preservation, public memory, and cultural practice.
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A Compelling Gaze into “the Belly Button of the Ancient World”
A review of Michael Scott’s history of Delphi, focusing on the site’s remarkable political, religious, and archaeological longevity. The book succeeds by making a dense history legible through narrative, strong illustrations, and a substantial treatment of…
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No Greater Valor and the Role of Faith in a Pivotal WWII Battle
A review of No Greater Valor, examining the role of faith, folklore, primary sources, and personal conviction in narratives about the siege of Bastogne during the Battle of the Bulge.
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The Southern Foodie’s Guide to the Pig
A review of The Southern Foodie’s Guide to the Pig, using barbecue, whole-hog cooking, recipes, and restaurant profiles as an entry point into Southern foodways, memory, family, and regional identity.
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Herculaneum: Past and Future
A review of Andrew Wallace-Hadrill’s Herculaneum: Past and Future, examining how archaeology, conservation, architecture, geology, material culture, and site management combine to reveal the ancient city as both a preserved place and an ongoing preservation challenge.
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“St. Francis” by Robert West
A review of Robert West’s concise biography of St. Francis of Assisi, focused on the tension between Francis’s radical simplicity and the complicated religious, political, and institutional world around him.