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100pagesaday's review against another edition
5.0
Not much is known about the first humans on the Earth. What we do know is what we can extract from burial sites, artwork, dwellings, and artifacts that have been left behind. These artefacts combined with geologic and climatic knowledge begin to paint a picture of what life was like for the people of the Paleolithic and Neolithic eras. Mixed Harvest is a collection of short stories of the people from these eras. Moving forward through time from the Paleolithic to the formation of cities, the author combines knowledge of what we have found from our past and storytelling to bring these people to life. Each fictionalized story is prefaced and followed up by archeological evidence that led to the story.
The stories in Mixed Harvest tell of love, conflict, religion, growing up, birth and death; all things that we are familiar with. The people in the stories were dealing with all of this in a rapidly changing world, not too different from the one we are living in today. There is knowledge to be gained from their past mistakes and past triumphs. The writing evokes a familiarity without breaking what we know of human communication at the time. Feelings are conveyed without speech, using broad concepts to show emotion without words. Mixed Harvest is an insightful and unique style of storytelling that helps connect us to our past.
This book was received for free in return for an honest review.
The stories in Mixed Harvest tell of love, conflict, religion, growing up, birth and death; all things that we are familiar with. The people in the stories were dealing with all of this in a rapidly changing world, not too different from the one we are living in today. There is knowledge to be gained from their past mistakes and past triumphs. The writing evokes a familiarity without breaking what we know of human communication at the time. Feelings are conveyed without speech, using broad concepts to show emotion without words. Mixed Harvest is an insightful and unique style of storytelling that helps connect us to our past.
This book was received for free in return for an honest review.
selkis's review against another edition
4.0
Mixed Harvest: Stories from the Human Past by Rob Swigart is a lovely book, which explores the transition of humankind from being hunter-gatherers to agricultural societies. It’s hard to place it in a genre: is it non–fiction? Historical fiction? Historical non-fiction?
It is a short story collection with stories that tell how human beings slowly evolved, changed and learned about their world. Every story adds new elements to the overarching theme, from religion to art, tribes to city-states.
I enjoyed the archaeological facts that start and end every chapter as well as the charming stories. I can definitely recommend Mixed Harvest to anybody interested in prehistory and human development.
Thanks to Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
You can find all my reviews on my blog: https://bookandlanguageaddict.com/
It is a short story collection with stories that tell how human beings slowly evolved, changed and learned about their world. Every story adds new elements to the overarching theme, from religion to art, tribes to city-states.
I enjoyed the archaeological facts that start and end every chapter as well as the charming stories. I can definitely recommend Mixed Harvest to anybody interested in prehistory and human development.
Thanks to Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
You can find all my reviews on my blog: https://bookandlanguageaddict.com/
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