I have also read A PASSION FOR THE PAST and I second George Miller's 
reaction. It is a wonderfully written book and full of very 
interesting information on both the author's life and career in 
historical archaeology. It does end on a sad note in that most of 
what Ivor Noel Hume tried to build at Colonial Williamsburg has been 
abandoned. I guess this is the fate of most public oriented research 
centers in the US. They all seem to be abandoning the research side 
of the picture. Almost all museums (public, private, and university) 
are going through this negative transition.

Get the book and read it - you will not be able to put it down until 
you have completed it.

Bob Schuyler


At 09:20 PM 10/10/2010, you wrote:
>          I am glad to see that there will be a book signing event at Period
>Designs for Ivor No=EBl Hume=92s autobiography *A Passion for the Past: The
>Odyssey of a Transatlantic Archaeologist*.  I just finished reading the boo=
>k
>two weeks ago and found it to be very entertaining and informative.  Better
>than half of the book deals with No=EBl=92s growing up in England and his
>transition into archaeology beginning by mud larking on the Themes, being
>taken under Adrian Oswald=92s wing at London=92s City Museum and involvemen=
>t in
>salvage archaeology of bombed out sights in London.
>
>
>
>No=EBl=92s description of the transition to Colonial Williamsburg in 1957 w=
>as
>very interesting.  One of the good battles that he fought was to get the
>architects to quit diagonally trenching lots to find building remains and t=
>o
>begin to excavate in contextual units and dealing with archaeological
>assemblages.  Along the way, he produced his books such as *A Guide to
>Artifacts of Colonial America* that must be one of the most cited reference=
>s
>by historical archaeologists.  The end of No=EBl=92s autobiography lists 16
>books written by No=EBl dealing with archaeology and the past.  I highly
>recommend the book for its insights into the development of historical
>archaeology at Colonial Williamsburg.
>
>
>
>Peace,
>
>George L. Miller
>
>
>2010/10/8 somerwell <[log in to unmask]>
>
> > Nationally-known historical archaeologist and author Ivor No=EBl Hume of
> > Williamsburg will be on hand Sunday October 17 at Period Designs in Yorkt=
>own
> > to meet and greet and to autograph his recently published autobiography=
>=97=93A
> > Passion for the Past.=94
> >
> >  Published in September by the University of Virginia Press, =93A Passion=
>  for
> > the Past=97The Odyssey of a Transatlantic Archaeologist,=94 tells the rem=
>arkable
> > story of this self-made professional. About the author and book, one
> > reviewer said, =93A fisherman, thespian, mud lark, painter, playwright,
> > producer, publicist/promoter, novelist, essayist, organizer, lecturer, an=
>d
> > dry humorist in addition to having been among the founders of historical
> > archaeology in the United States, No=EBl-Hume here shares his insights
> > concerning archaeology and archaeologists, social classes, ethnic awarene=
>ss,
> > and much more.=94
> >
> > The book signing will take at Period Designs on October 17, 2010; 1 - 3
> > p.m.  Please spread the word among our colleagues.
> >
> > For those that can not make it, I will take orders for signed, personaliz=
>ed
> > copies for $35.00 includes mailing.
> >
> > Please let me know if there is interest--but please respond OFF LIST!
> >
> > Period Designs
> > 401 Main Street
> > PO Box 401
> > Yorktown, VA 23690
> >