- Paperback: 312 pages
- Publisher: University of Chicago Press; University of Chicago Press Ed edition (8 Oct 2001)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0226258238
- ISBN-13: 978-0226258232
- Product Dimensions: 23.4 x 15.5 x 2 cm
- Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 1,794,593 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Amazon.co.uk Review
In 1991 a dead man was found in a glacier on the Italian side of the Tyrolean Alps. How could he have known, as he settled down for a very long winter's nap, that his discovery would unleash a circus of political, scientific and journalistic shenanigans that would make and break careers and cause international tension? Science writer Brenda Fowler takes a peek at the bizarre odyssey of this incredibly well-preserved frozen corpse in Iceman, covering every step of his transition from Stone Age accident victim to celebrity specimen to museum piece. The cast of characters involved is large and colourful, including archaeologists, small-time politicians, curators, writers and even channellers claiming to speak for "Ötzi", as he came to be known. Initially taken to Austria and studied there, years of political and scientific wrangling brought him back closer to where he was found in northern Italy--though evidence suggests he may have originally come from modern-day Switzerland. Beyond the battles between nationalistic and egotistical players, Iceman contains an absorbing examination of the scientific process at work: hypotheses announced and discarded, the accretion of new evidence, and the ever-narrowing range of explanations for the find. The story is far from over, as research continues even as the question of Ötzi's resting place is settled (temporarily?). With luck, we may soon learn as much about our recent ancestors as we recently learned about ourselves. --Rob Lightner
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Review
"In this well-crafted retrospective, [Fowler] details the intrigue surrounding the man, who was eventually give the name Ozti. She fleshes out what we now know about Ozti's origins and way of life, as well as how he died. . . . Fowler's story also serves as a pointed look at the commercialization of modern science."--"Science News
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fantastic Informative Book,
By A Customer
This review is from: Iceman: Uncovering the Life and Times of a Prehistoric Man Found in an Alpine Glacier (Paperback)
'Iceman' by Brenda Fowler is an excellent informative book. It starts from the very beginning, the discovery of the mysterious corpse in the ice by two tourists hiking on the mountain, and goes through each stage of the discovery, the recovery and the conservation attempts to stop the corpse from thawing. You are introduced to many well respected lecturers and professors who help with the dating and study of the 'Iceman'. It details all the artefacts that were found with him and the debate over how old he actually was. There are excellent black and white photographs included of the 'Iceman', the artefacts, the salvage attempt, and all the people who helped with the study of this fantastic find. It reads like a story book, it is not in textbook form, and there are regular footnotes to help you understand. It goes through absolutely everything in such detail, its as though you were there hearing it for yourself at the time of the discovery! This book is perfect for anyone interested or involved in archaeology, anthropology, or the prehistoric era and the evolution of man The New York Times calls it 'Elegant and Informative'. I have to say I definitely agree!
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta) Amazon.com:
4.2 out of 5 stars (18 customer reviews) 29 of 32 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Iceman: Uncovering the Life and Times of a Prehistoric Man,
By Jacques Talbot - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Iceman: Uncovering the Life and Times of a Prehistoric Man Found in an Alpine Glacier / Brenda Fowler. (Hardcover)
Since Konrad Spindler's book "The Man in the Ice" (1996) has been shown to be more flight of fancy than fact-based reconstruction, those interested in this subject have been awaiting the scientific revelations the Iceman's well-preserved corpse undoubtedly embodies (pun intended). Although I found Fowler's journalistic narrative both well-written and interesting for its behind-the-scenes peek into the events following the sensational discovery of this 5,300-year-old mummy, I found the subtitle misleading, and the book, ultimately, disappointing.Though not an archaeologist by profession, I am deeply interested in the subject and count myself among thousands of well-educated laypeople eager to share in the discoveries of our more formally qualified brethren. Both the promise of the book's subtitle ("Uncovering the Life and Times of a Prehistoric Man...") and its recent publication date had me thinking that Fowler would be presenting the very latest findings and drawing on these to create a vibrant portrait of daily life in Alpine Europe during the Copper Age. Alas, Fowler is first and foremost a journalist, not a prehistorian. This is evident throughout her work, as she insistently focuses on the political maneuvering and interpersonal politics between the various scientists and institutions involved in research on the Iceman, almost to the point of ignoring what we have learned about him and the world in which he lived. The paucity of illustrations is another strike against the book. What few there are, are blurry b/w photos and a handful of line drawings. Any reader hungry for insight into what this man's life might have been like is sure to come away unsatisfied. Still, what Fowler does have to say is of interest, if only for revealing the petty infighting and blunders that have overshadowed what little research has been done on the Iceman. 21 of 24 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Iceman, or how not to do researach,
By Atheen M. Wilson "Atheen" - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Iceman: Uncovering the Life and Times of a Prehistoric Man Found in an Alpine Glacier / Brenda Fowler. (Hardcover)
I originally bought the book hoping to learn something about the enigmatic, prehistoric mummy found by hikers in the Alps during the early 90s. When I started reading the book, I realized that it possessed a very chatty, narrative style not usually characteristic of the professional archaeologist and looked at the vita of the author. Seeing that Ms Fowler was a journalist, I rather clenched my teeth and prepared for a "readable" account of an archaeological discovery by an interested amateur. Much to my surprise, I found it a very skillfully written and researched expose on how not to do scientific research!! The story of Otzi the Iceman is a parable of our times. Science, enshrined in most of our minds as a clinical, abstract, and apolitical method of thinking and problem solving, is in fact a human activity. As such it is encumbered with all of the frailties attendant upon that condition. The Iceman reveals the political, professional, financial and personal pitfalls that a rare and unusual find of this type create for the individuals involved in its discovery, its preservation, its study and its display. The unfortunate man himself was probably never the focus of this much media and public attention in his entire lifetime. Certainly after his discovery none of the lives of those involved with his mortal remains would be the same again. The drama of the discovery is the center of Fowler's work, which questions the degree to which scientists as people can really be as divorced from the realities and pressures of life and as neutral in their perspectives as the discipline in theory demands. It certainly points out that there are differences in quality among various scientists, and that their personal motives can not be entirely ignored in evaluating the work they do. The book also points out the value of open communication between individual researchers and of peer review. It will be interesting to see if the discoverers of the Andean mummy, Jaunita, who are also mentioned in the book, will have learned from the mistakes of their predecessors.
14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Iceman the book also a fantastic find!,
By Heather Lynch - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Iceman: Uncovering the Life and Times of a Prehistoric Man Found in an Alpine Glacier / Brenda Fowler. (Hardcover)
Brenda Fowler's Iceman takes the reader on a beautifully described journey into the Austrian and Italian Alps where hikers unwittingly discover what could be, what SHOULD be, one of the most interesting sociological and scientific finds to date -- the 5300 year old mummified corpse of a man. Fowler is able to shed intriguing if glaring light on the unsavory combination of ego, politics, money and science. She gives readers an intimate portrait of the behind the scenes struggle to find a balance between preserving this historic find and uncovering meaningful information about him. Iceman reads more like a suspense novel than scientific text book and is captivating from page one. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in a great story.
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