With such a title, I thought this would be a useful companion to L. Allason-Jones (ed.), Artefacts in Roman Britain – Their Purpose and Use (2011) and something groups such as the Roman Finds Group or Finds Liaison Officers would see as a useful reference. The title of the book, however, is misleading. The author, himself, explains that the chapters are a series of interlinking essays rather than being a comprehensive study of Romano-British small finds (8) and the book seems to have evolved more in line with his archaeological career and interests. This is not to say it was not an interesting and thought-provoking read.

The book is divided into eight chapters, with ch. 1, entitled ‘A World of Goods’, dealing with the use and function of objects and looking at regional patterns for consumption. The second chapter, ‘A World of Gods’, compares finds from a temple complex with seasonal and cyclical offerings made in a more rural setting. Subsequent chapters deal with different aspects of Roman Britain but have titles leaving the reader unclear what the contents of each might be. Chapters have such titles as ‘The Comfort of Strangers’ (ch. 3), about sickness and the analysis of medical or anatomical ex votos; ‘Discovered Under Other Skies’ (ch. 4), examining the re-use of prehistoric material; ‘Cities of Ideas’ (ch. 5), about literacy and the visual arts in urban centres; ‘An Empire in Pieces’ (ch. 6), about the significance of fragmented objects and modern and Roman representations of the body; ‘The Self and Others’ (ch. 7), discussing the lack of evidence and possible marginalisation of women, black Africans, the disabled and the elderly in Roman Britain — particularly topical themes for today's reader. He returns to the topic of consumerism in the final chapter, ‘Narratives of the Past’, stating that he had ‘quite deliberately not created a single overarching narrative of daily life’ (169). The book perhaps needs an explanatory subtitle as this is hardly Roman Britain through its objects but merely an insight into certain aspects.

In ch. 5, the author examines the spread of written and visual literacy in Roman Britain and cites an undergraduate survey of seal boxes from London which surmised that the Bucklersbury area was an administrative/military area (105–6), rather than it being an area of the Walbrook stream used for both dumping rubbish and votive deposits. Further work on samian inkwells, seemingly occurring mainly on military sites or in administrative complexes in large urban centres, was also recommended but a survey of samian inkwells from London has concluded that there is a strong emphasis on their use where trade and industry were conducted in Roman London (for the Bucklersbury area see R. Merrifield and J. Hall and for samian inkwells see G. Monteil, both in Londinum & Beyond, CBA Reseach Report 156, (2008), 126–7 and 182–3 respectively).

Ch. 7, ‘The Self and Others’, bemoans the scarcity of sculptures and portraits of individuals in Roman Britain. It acknowledges the work done on cosmetic grinders and toilet implements with regard to social identity and how DNA and isotope analyses are increasing our knowledge of cultural migration and hence of those living in Roman Britain. More could have been included as forensic determination of the skeletal information can produce visual reconstructions in the same way that contemporary depictions may or may not have been true likenesses, a point raised later when looking at ageing and imperial depictions.

Although numerous colour plates are included, some are omitted that would have aided the understanding of the written descriptions while others, of modern objects and paintings, seem unnecessary. However, this may be due to the author's complaint in the introduction about museums overcharging for images — a necessary evil for hard-strapped local councils and trusts, and perhaps made more difficult by a limited budget from the publisher for images, relying on the author to source and provide them.

There are full referencing notes and a detailed bibliography. In several instances Ferris recommends and makes good use of information collected from the Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS). Elsewhere, however, he mentions the UKDFD website database (152) without any explanation as to that particular terminology, leading one to ask for whom the book is intended.