The compact edition of Brian Fagan's bestselling People of the Earth offers a brief survey of world archaeology. This comprehensive text gives students a clear overview of the major issues and theoretical debates. For the new edition there are new chapters on the study of world prehistory and the origins of civilization and increased coverage of cultural developments.* New - More coverage of major cultural developments and discoveries. * BENEFIT NEEDED. * New - Increased coverage of theories relating to food production and the rise of civilization. * BENEFIT NEEDED. * New - Chapters on the study of world prehistory, theories of the origins of food production and the origins of civilizations. * BENEFIT NEEDED. * Up-to-date analysis and expanded coverage of Mesoamerican and Andean civilizations. * BENEFIT NEEDED. * Good summaries of the earliest civilizations and their development. * BENEFIT NEEDED. * Gives students a grasp of the major issues and theoretical debates about world prehistory unobtainable elsewhere. * BENEFIT NEEDED. * Allows instructor to discuss theories on major issues and to relate them to actual data summarized in other chapters. * BENEFIT NEEDED. * Unique chapter (1) on the phenomenon of world prehistory and alternative perspectives on the past and time. * BENEFIT NEEDED.