Archaeological and historical analysis provides new insight into the ordeal of the ill-fated Dormer Party and demonstrate the vital role that archaeology can play in illuminating and expanding our understanding of historical events.

Covering a large swath of the American West, the Great Basin, centered in Nevada and including parts of California, Utah, and Oregon, is named for the unusual fact that none of its rivers or streams flow into the sea. This fascinating illustrated journey through deep time is the definitive environmental and human history of this beautiful and little traveled region, home to Death Valley, the Great Salt Lake, Lake Tahoe, and the Bonneville Salt Flats. Donald K. Grayson synthesizes what we now know about the past 25,000 years in the Great Basinits climate, lakes, glaciers, plants, animals, and...