Table of Contents Contemporary Issues in California Archaeology Terry L Jones (Editor); Jennifer E Perry (Editor) 396 pp. / 6.00 x 9.00 / Mar, 2012 Hardback (978-1-61132-091-6) Paperback (978-1-61132-092-3) eBook (978-1-61132-463-1) Learn about eBooks Hardback ($94.00) Paperback ($39.95) eBook ($39.95)    Related Interest   - Archaeology Recent archaeological research on California includes a greater diversity of models and approaches to the region’s past, as older literature on the subject struggles to stay relevant. This "Jones and Perry present an overview of archaeology in the state of California. Given its size and location, including extensive coastline and high mountains, the state has long been known for its exceptional cultural diversity. Dealing with this has put California archaeology in the forefront of the development of Americanist archaeology in general. Not surprisingly, there are more registered professional archaeologists in California than in any state of the US. Stemming from a symposium held at the 76th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology, the volume presents 19 articles, plus introduction and conclusions, which cover different facets of the state's rich archaeological background and history of fieldwork. Most importantly, each topical article includes an extensive and current bibliography, most important for professional readers. For college and university libraries with undergraduate and graduate programs in archaeology; general readers will find it interesting, though stiff going. Summing Up: Recommended. All academic levels/libraries" - CHOICE comprehensive volume offers an in-depth look at the most recent theoretical and empirical developments in the field including key controversies relevant to the Golden State: coastal colonization, impacts of comets and drought cycles, systems of power, Polynesian contacts, and the role of indigenous peoples in the research process, among others. With a specific emphasis on those aspects of California’s past that resonate with the state’s modern cultural identity, the editors and contributors—all leading figures in California archaeology—seek a new understanding of the myth and mystique of the Golden State.