A compelling portrait of a people thought lost to time…a remarkable account of humanity's quest to rediscover its ancient origins, using modern methods to illuminate the world as it was before the advent of written history. For Ms. Spinney, this distant and obscure past holds lessons for the future, as the preservation and purity of language is increasingly a contemporary concern.

Michael Patrick Brady, Wall Street Journal

Beguiling and revelatory…Spinney is a stylish and erudite writer; it's the rare science book that quotes Keats, Seamus Heaney, and Ismail Kadare. She also has a keen sense of the romance of her subject.

Laura Miller, Slate

An impressive piece of work . . . Rewarding.

Dennis Duncan, Washington Post

Ancient Greek and Latin can't hold a candle to Proto-Indo-European as far as scope of influence is concerned. The latest from journalist Spinney aims to show just how great the impact of this little-remembered language still is.

John H. Maher, The Millions

The great leap in genetic analysis of late has meant that the story of how one language left the steppes of Ukraine and became the earth's dominant language family has become clearer and more exciting than ever before. Hooray for a book where the author's curiosity, diligence, and literary craft gets it all down in what will stand as the go-to source for a generation.

John McWhorter, author of THE LANGUAGE HOAX

In this thought-provoking book Laura Spinney shows how recent advances in genetics and archaeological discoveries have thrown new light on the history of the Indo-European languages that a great part of the world now speaks … A lively and fascinating account of how these languages split from their root, developed in different ways, mingled with each other, crossed tracks, flourished and died. I loved it!

David Bellos, author of IS THAT A FISH IN YOUR EAR?