Dr. Hannah Green—heroine of Praetzellis's textbook-as-novel Death by Theory—has really gotten herself into trouble this time. The spunky archaeologist has been asked to manage the contract archaeology project at a historic site in New Zealand when the regular archaeological staff of University of Invercargill abruptly dies off. On the scene, Hannah discovers she needs to teach her team about research design, survey methods, archival research, professional ethics, curation, and especially field safety, if they are to complete the contract before young Mr. Wallace levels the site in favor of a golf course. With a cast of characters that includes Missy-Jojo-the-Dog-Faced-Girl as lab supervisor, erotic romance writer and field volunteer Elena Solara, the ghost of socialite Bunny Wallace, and shovelbum Rusty Spittle, Praetzellis' brief textbook-as-novel introduces students to the hows and whys of field methodology in an entertaining but informative way. Ideal for your introductory archaeology classes and probably the only textbook you'll enjoy reading yourself.

"In Adrian Praetzellis' book Dug to Death...he describes in deeply affecting fashion some of the myriad things that go horribly awry on an archaeological dig...If you want to be an archaeologist, if you really want to know what being an archaeologist is all about, go on a field school. And take this book with you." - Archaeology.About.Com

"Praetzellis has succeeded in doing what many other archaeological writers have attempted and fallen short. In Dug to Death, he has found a way to present archaeology that is education and truly entertaining at the same time. By presenting serious archaeological concepts and issues in methodology in a fictional format, Praetzellis has developed what may be the most effective way to talk about archaeology to audiences not very familiar with how archaeology really works. . . Dug to Death is a fun introduction to the nitty-gritty details of archaeology, presenting a tongue-in-cheek interpretation of the discipline while still managing to communicate what archaeologists do, why they do it that way, and why archaeology itself is important." - Industrial Archeology

"The author provides clear and elementary definitions and introduces key points of ethical interest, accomplishing his purpose with a clear style and logical organization." - CHOICE, May 2004