"""As she did in her previous books about librarians and obituary writers, Johnson finds that the line between inspirationally nutty and actually crazy is measured in the joy of the work."" -- Entertainment Weekly ""An engrossing examination of how archaeologists re-create much of human history, piece by painstaking piece."" -- Kirkus Reviews (starred review) ""A lively love letter to archaeologists...Many archaeologists credit Indiana Jones with sparking their passion, and Johnson may well inspire a new generation to take up this calling."" -- Publishers Weekly (starred review) ""World travel, drinking, lust in the dust-our lives are all in ruins, indeed, and Johnson reveals why we wouldn't want it any other way."" -- Sarah Parcak, National Geographic Society Fellow and author of Satellite Remote Sensing for Archaeology ""The great pleasure with which I read this book took me back to when I was eight years old and wanted to be an archaeologist. Marilyn Johnson does a wonderful job uncovering the delight in this tough, important, and exhilarating profession."" -- Ian Frazier, author of Great Plains, Travels in Siberia, and Humor Me: An Anthology of Funny Contemporary Writing ""Johnson's contribution to this genre is unmatched...wonderful and engaging work peels back the superficial glamour surrounding archaeology and archaeologists...Without glitz, the author has created a very enjoyable work that will be appreciated by experts in the field and casual readers alike."" -- Library Journal (starred review) ""Lives in Ruins is...delectable."" -- Salon ""Johnson writes in a charming and thoughtful manner, weaving in her personal observations, insightful quotes from her subjects and a wide-eyed fascination with her subjects."" -- Seattle Times ""Johnson writes entertainingly, employing many quirky tidbits gleaned from the likably eccentric intellects she meets."" -- New York Times Book Review"