Rarely is a book published that is more than of passing interest. This is one of the rare ones in that it is the first systematic comparative study of archaeological data relative to the historic period in North America. Additionally it is a book with vision; it looks beyond the data and comparative material presented to the advancement of archaeological science. It is much more, however, than a polemic-laden thesis. It is solidly based in the use of empirical material, and it is modest in that while looking beyond the materials and specific arguments presented it does not attempt to go beyond the current state of the field; instead it is concerned with building a sound research foundation for envisioned progress in science.