Laura Spinney’s Proto: How One Ancient Language Went Global attempts to chart the story of the Indo-European languages and the people who spoke them. These languages, which include English, Latin, Greek, Russian and Hindi, form a vast family that spread across much of Eurasia and are spoken today by nearly half of the world’s population. The book covers an enormous swathe of human history and draws on archaeology, genetics and linguistics to frame a narrative about this influential linguistic legacy. Spinney, best known for her 2017 book, Pale Rider, on the Spanish Flu, brings a journalist’s eye to the task and a clear desire to make the topic approachable.
The Indo-European story is an important and ambitious one. It is rich, complex and foundational to how we understand much of Eurasian prehistory. Despite its significance, there remains no single, widely accessible work that fully captures this story for a general readership. Spinney’s effort to tackle such a vast subject in an engaging, readable way is therefore welcome. Even if Proto does not provide a definitive account, it succeeds in drawing attention to a topic that deserves far more public awareness and scholarly storytelling.
The book is clearly written and often engaging, a testament to Spinney’s background as a science journalist. Her ability to communicate complex ideas to a general audience is evident throughout. However, when the subject turns more technical, particularly in its treatment of linguistic material, the book stumbles badly. It contains a significant number of factual errors and misrepresentations, especially in areas requiring a sound understanding of historical linguistics and early Indo-European history. These are not minor slips, but recurring inaccuracies that undermine the book’s reliability and make it difficult to recommend as a serious introduction to the subject.
That said, much of Proto will appeal to curious readers. Spinney writes with clarity and momentum and her accounts of Indo-European speakers and their migrations across Eurasia are vivid and accessible. Her enthusiasm for the subject is never in doubt. The influence of her earlier work is particularly noticeable in her treatment of disease and its role in shaping ancient communities. Her discussion of plague and population shifts among early Indo-European groups is well-constructed and clearly presented, showcasing her strength in communicating scientific research.
The book does, however, lean heavily on speculation. While this is perhaps inevitable in a field built on fragmentary evidence, the frequent reliance on conjecture makes it harder to form a clear, grounded picture. The narrative often lingers on what may have been rather than what can be reasonably argued, which can cause the story to lose momentum and, at times, clarity.
Much of Proto’s appeal lies in its anthropological storytelling. Those hoping for deeper insight into historical linguistics may find that this dimension is introduced but not fully developed. The book is more successful in painting broad pictures than in unpacking complex ideas with precision.
Read: Book review: Everything is Tuberculosis, John Green
Still, the ambition behind Proto is admirable. It attempts to weave together diverse threads such as language, migration, myth and science into a single, accessible narrative. For those new to the topic, it may serve as a useful and engaging introduction. Spinney has opened the door to a fascinating chapter of human history, even if the full story remains, for now, yet to be told in all its complexity and rigour.
Proto: How One Ancient Language Went Global, Laura Spinney
Publisher: HarperCollins
ISBN: 9780008626525
Format: Paperback
Page count: 342pp
RRP: $36.99
Publication date: 24 April 2025
