I have this book, though I have not read it yet.

My first impression is that the author is very naive, and hasn't done the groundwork to prepare such a book.

The title itself is off-putting, since he doesn't understand the meaning of "trade bead"—and casts it as being inclusive of 10,000 years of history, and encompasses native-made products; which is ridiculously wrong.

I am trying to remain open, and to be pleasantly surprised. Until I read it, I fear it is going to largely be a lot of mythology, garbled and mistaken "information," with nice photos. Like many books that are presented around the topic of beads.