In North America, unlike Britain or Europe, archaeology is considered a subfield of cultural anthropology as opposed to a discipline in its own right; the resulting theoretical tension and their historical close connections may have inhibited archaeological investigations. In this tome, Sullivan (anthropology, U. of Cincinnati, Ohio) edits essays from practicing North American archaeologists to analyze problems with the current disciplinary arrangement and to recommend changes in practice and pedagogy that may result in a truly archaeological study of the cultural past. Essay topics include an archaeological view of the archaeological record, making geological and archaeological data more meaningful for understanding the archaeological record, archaeological science in America and Britain, non-anthropological approaches to understanding lithic artifact and assemblage variability, exploring the historical foundations and interpretive potential of provenience, and theory, method, and the archaeological study of occupation surfaces and activities. This strong title firmly suggests a way forward for archaeology in North America, and should be required reading for every practicing archaeologist and anthropologist in the continent. Annotation ©2008 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)