While this is really a marvelous book, there is something that I need to address right from the start, and that's this: some might find the title a bit misleading. While appearing as a basic introductory textbook on the subject of archaeology, there is really very little in this book on the practical field skills needed by an aspiring archaeologist. If you're looking for how-to information such as how to properly survey a site or conduct an excavation, this isn't the volume for you.

If I were to sum up what this book specializes in it would be this: Hayden takes the evidence produced from archaeology and cultural anthropology and creates an eminently readable and yet richly detailed presentation of the basic concepts (different from skills) derived from archaeology and seeks to create an understanding of human cultural evolution based on those concepts and the archaeological record.

Hayden starts with hunter-gatherer cultures and then moves on the development of chiefdoms and then the development of what could be called "civilization" or "states." Nearly 200 pages of the book are devoted to these different kinds of social organization with a solid amount of information that details their specific traits and the transitions involved. The beginnings of social stratification, the development of monumental architecture, the significance of elaborate burial practices, and so much more are detailed wonderfully.

In essence, this book provides a great explanation for how we got from hunter-gatherer cultures to here, with a lot of detail on what transpired in between. And while much of our knowledge in these areas is necessarily speculative, Hayden provides strong arguments and a wealth of details to support his contentions.

I found this book to be a very enjoyable read, much more engaging than many textbooks on the subject. Of course, I'm very interested in these topics and have already read extensively on them so that certainly helps. While this is a book that can be studied closely (and deserves to be) it is also a book that can be browsed by the intelligent and curious for pleasure. But if you have zero background in these issues a more gentle start could be more appropriate.

Other reviewers have noted Hayden's bias towards cultural materialism, and I agree with the points they've raised. Instead of re-hashing their points I'll just direct you to their reviews. This issue is important and of course the reader would benefit from other interpretations. Hayden is pushing one view-point, but it's not concealed and he makes a very good case for it.

The only part of the book that becomes a let-down is the last chapters where Hayden discusses the current state of global culture with a lot of ominous talk about global nuclear warfare. Considering the book was published in 1992, it's likely that most of the thinking and writing in this volume occurred in the 1980s where this seemed a more pressing concern. It's here where I think Hayden really isn't at his best, as it seems as if he's doing a little over-reaching. To adequately address what he attempts to address, one needs a strong understanding in international politics, economics, military history and strategy, and so forth, and then applying it as a kind of "futurism." Considering how wrong futurists seem to consistently get things, Hayden's missteps are completely forgivable and only occupy a small portion of the end of the book.

If you're seriously interested in the evolution of human cultures and societies and you want to start at the beginning and be guided by an expert who is also a great story-teller, this is a wonderful book.