Customer Reviews

Counting the Dead: The Epidemiology of Skeletal Populations

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"Counting the Dead" by Tony Waldron is a book that will appeal to paleodemographers, paleopathologists, and skeletal biologists in general, providing useful and basic formulae and information. However, this volume fails to take into account a recent argument that has shaken the discipline - the "osteological paradox" (see Wood et al 1992, and Boquet-Appel and Masset 1982). What Waldron thinks about these arguments is unknown, since he doesn't even mention it in passing. The omission is glaring. The real negative about this book, however, is the price. When the publisher advertises it as "compact," they aren't kidding. At only a quarter of an inch thick, and around 100 pages, this tiny paperback book is most definitely not worth the amazingly high price of $51.00. Why John Wiley & Sons would price it out of the reach of so many students and faculty is puzzling. Do yourselves a favor - if you're interested in this book, check it out of your local university library first, and decide if it's worth it to you. It wasn't to me.

The price is a little steep for the skinny size of this book, but the content is great, and I wish I had bought one at the AMNH bookstore when I saw it last year. Waldron gives decent summaries of paleopathology method and analysis of skeletal populations at an introductory level, and gives good follow up sources. Overall, I think this is one of the best basic paleopath books out there.