Johnson, who previously delved into the worlds of librarians and obituary writers, explains in the opening pages that Lives is not about radiocarbon dating or arcane scientific theory. She's writing about "people who study people and the things they left behind" - archaeologists who endure stingy funding, ruthless competition, long hours and often intolerable working conditions, all in hopes of documenting a past long gone before developers or the passage of time destroy a site forever. Johnson climbs into field trenches around the world, sweating and shoveling beside these unsung heroes. Through her, we come to appreciate their tenacity and drive, as well as how much we need them.
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