The amazing journey of ancient words… new revelations await.

An ancient language transformed our world. This is its story.

Star. Stjarna. Stare. Thousands of miles away, people look up at the night sky and use the same word to describe what they see. Hearing these English, Icelandic, and Iranian words, you can hear the echoes of one of the most extraordinary journeys in human history. All three of these languages – and hundreds more – share a common ancient ancestor.

Five thousand years ago, in a mysterious explosion, this proto-language spread out, forming new worlds to the east and west. Today, nearly half of humanity speaks an Indo-European language. How did this happen?

In "Proto," recognized journalist Laura Spinney seeks the answers. With her, we travel along the steppe, crossing the Caucasus, the Silk Roads, and the Indian Kush. We follow the steps of nomads and monks, Amazonian warriors and lion kings – the ancient peoples who scattered these languages everywhere. In the present, Spinney meets linguists, archaeologists, and geneticists who are striving to reclaim this lost world. What they have discovered offers vital lessons for the modern age, as people and their languages move again.

"Proto" is a revelatory portrait of global history in its own words.

Pages: 352, Dimensions: 15.9x15.9cm