Bodies from the Ice: Melting Glaciers and the Recovery of the Past
Starred Review. Grade 5–8—Deem's lucid account explores mummified remains recovered from several glacial locations and time periods. The many discoveries presented include the famous 5300-year-old Alpine Iceman Ötzi, the mummified Incan children of the Andes Mountains, and the identification of George Mallory's body on Mount Everest. The background and methodology of glaciology are examined, as are relevant issues in climate change and archaeology; historical photographs of glaciers are compared to modern photographs of the same, much-receded ice. Full-color photographs, reproductions, and maps are clearly captioned; grand images of glaciated mountain peaks span entire pages, and detailed pictures of recovered objects, including the mummies themselves, the Iceman's ax, and surviving fabric fragments are presented. To nitpick one point, Deem states that scientists "don't understand" why the Ice Age glaciers retreated, instead of mentioning the Milankovitch cycles as a consensus explanation. Nonetheless, this volume provides updated information, including new insights into the causes of the Iceman Ötzi's death. With its extensive bibliography, suggested Web sites, and a listing of glaciers to visit,Bodiesis a fantastic resource. Deem superbly weaves diverse geographical settings, time periods, and climate issues into a readable work that reveals the increasing interdisciplinary dimensions of the sciences.—Jeff Meyer, Slater Public Library, IACopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.