I've often heard about the Linear B mystery and its final decipherment, but never in so much detail. That was fun. Now, when will there be something similar for the Iberian language...
I love John Chadwick's original The Decipherment of Linear B. It's my favorite book of all time for its nostalgic value. A taut detective story about science and discovery, following the evidence with great integrity even when it challenges your own assumptions and established dogma, how intelligence and insight can transfer domains (Ventris was an architect by training), the value of open scientific collaboration - and the knowledge rewards we can earn when we aspire to these values.
Later books did a much better job shining a light on Ventris' collaborators, in particular the scientifically far more rigorous Alice Kober (e.g. The Riddle of the Labyrinth), but I will never forget reading Chadwick with 14, or thereabouts, and feeling profoundly affected. A formative read, even if the actual state of science on Linear B is quite a bit more complicated!
