[A]n excellent snap-shot of the state of the art, and a very instructive one.

- Paul Sidwell, Australian National University,

Greenberg's paper is a welcome programmatic introduction to this thinking on Nostratic and Eurasiatic [...] The papers, by Manaster-Ramer et al. Vine and Campbell, represent [...] the best of what current historical linguistics has to offer: philological depth, methodological and theoretical aophistication, and historical sensitivity. Each could be required reading for advanced courses in historical linguistics. [...] Campbell shows a depth and sophistication in his assessment of the Nostratic issue that is a model of scholarly research.

- Philip Baldi, Penn State University in Linguistics Vol 36-2000,

[I]t seemed high time to bring prominent proponents of the theory together with some of their most prominent critics, and to see whether some kind of consensus could be reached, if not on the Nostratic theory itself, then at least on criteria for a proper evaluation of its methods and claims. In doing this, this collection of papers is an innovative and welcome endeavor. [...] For any linguist wishing to find an introduction to the nature and problems of the Nostratic debate, this book, more than any single work, should serve as the point of entry.

- Stefan Georg, University of Leiden in Anthropological Linguistics Vol. 42, no. 3,