Cahokia

This examination of the civilization of the Native American "mound-builders" of the Mississippi region is a bit uneven: Sometimes it lacks hard information (much of the archaeological evidence was destroyed or remains buried), and sometimes it gives copious detail about what's known and how it was discovered. The combination makes for a production that can be hard to follow. George Wilson's voice is rather astringent but still expressive and likable, and his precision serves the complex material well. Some scenarios of what Cahokian life might have been like, as well as the gruesome descriptions of mass burials, are intriguing, and Wilson does them justice. Neither book nor reader is flashy, but those interested in the topic will find this brief exposition worthwhile. W.M. (c) AudioFile 2010, Portland, Maine