"...possibly the single most important contribution published in recent years concerned with the antecedents to writing."
—Libraries and Culture
"Schmandt-Besserat's discovery and its ramifications . . . are crucial to understanding the development of civilization.... This is a thought-provoking book, beautifully produced, and what it tells us is of great importance."
—Times Literary Supplement
"What shines here is the human mind, spinning a tight web of inference from abundant evidence."
—Scientific American
