Originally titled "Fossils: The Key to the Past", this work is in its 4th edition, published in 2009, and I encourage anyone who is going to read it to try to get this latest version. Fortey points out in his preface that "new chapters have been introduced to take in some of the recent discoveries about mankind's history, and to nod briefly towards the new science of molecular palaeontology". There are about 250 illustrations, mostly color photographs, reproduced in a glossy, slightly oversized book of 251 pages. About a third of the book is taken up with discussion of the families of fossils which have been found, and there are chapters on geological ages, the origin of life, extinction and evolution, fossil DNA, uses of fossils (in industry and as decoration), and, briefly, thoughts on making a collection. Superb. ( )