Britain BC: Life in Britain and Ireland Before the Romans, 2003, 488 p., nbr. ill. -

This is not a textbook, nor is it a stale, over-referenced synthesis of prehistoric Britain; it is Francis Pryor's version of how he sees the pre-Roman history of Britain unfolding. Full of personal experiences and anecdotes, as well as information gleaned from fellow archaeologists and years of industrious research, it is a well-written narrative which is easy to read and understand. Throughout, the reader visits some of the major and minor prehistoric sites of Britain and Ireland, such as Stonehenge, Boxgrove, Star Carr and Maiden Castle, accompanied by Pryor's lucid descriptions and informed commentary. Above all it is an honest account of archaeology and archaeologists, of what the facts are, how archaeologists interpret them, which bits are rock solid and which are mere educated shots in the dark. The book ends with an answer to a question raised at the start of the book about what, if any, contribution pre-Roman cultures have made to shaping the national identities of the British Isles. The answer? Our resilience and our belief in individual freedom.