Cathy C. (cathyskye) - , reviewed on 12/2/2023 + 2307 more book reviews

Most readers know Douglas Preston as one-half of the writing team responsible (along with Lincoln Child) for the Pendergast novels, but he has also been an editor at the American Museum of Natural History and has written about archaeology and paleontology for the New Yorker, National Geographic and Smithsonian. His journalistic explorations have taken him around the world.

The Lost Tomb is a collection of true stories about buried treasure, murder, lost tombs, and strange crimes. Several of the stories previously appeared in other publications and have been updated for this book. What became crystal clear as I read is the important part non-fiction has always played in Preston's fiction.

This book is a gold mine for enthusiasts of archaeology and paleontology. I felt as though I were with the team that discovered a vast Egyptian tomb Pharaoh Ramses II built for his fifty-two sons. (No, that number isn't a typo.) I became acquainted with the personalities of many famous archaeologists, anthropologists, and paleontologists. However, what I learned about archaeology in the Southwestern United States made the biggest impression on me. There is a lot of fascinating information in these pages

If you're interested in the subjects of archaeology, anthropology, or paleontology, The Lost Tomb is an excellent way to spend a few hours.

(Review copy courtesy of the publisher and Net Galley)

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