" This is a wonderful book--the most attractive, readable, sensible, and most comprehensive exploration of Stonehenge available. Happily, it rises above the arcane astronomical theories so fashionable in recent years, emphasizing what can be truly seen on the ground, not on what some claim to see in the sky. It is a haunting, graceful tribute to prehistoric genius, Neolithic administrative expertise, premeditated geometric design, and careful peg and cord surveying. For 15 centuries, the actual experience of creating and recreating Stonehenge was probably equal to the glory of the final product itself. Johnson (Oxford) finds his evidence in both the existing monument and in early British sketches, particularly the meticulous 1740 work of John Wood. In April 2008, for the first time in four decades, a tiny archaeological excavation was permitted at Stonehenge. Its full results have not yet been published, but they will be minor adjustments. Johnson's present synthesis will stand the test of time. The book is a tribute to him and to the high standards of Thames & Hudson, and should be profitable, delightful reading for everyone.