the invention of prehistory: empire, violence, and our obsession with human origins

＂[A]n incisive and captivating reassessment of prehistory . . . In lucid prose, Geroulanos unspools an enthralling and detailed history of the development of modern natural science. It’s a must-read.＂ --Publishers Weekly, starred review

＂An astute, powerfully rendered history of humanity.＂ --Kirkus Reviews, starred review

An eminent historian tells the story of how we came to obsess over the origins of humanity--and how, for three centuries, ideas of prehistory have been used to justify devastating violence against others.