David Frye is a professional historian whose insights have been featured in interviews by major media outlets such as the Science Channel, CNBC, National Geographic, and BBC Radio. He is a specialist in late ancient history, holding a PhD from Duke University and participating in international archaeological excavations. His extensive writing appears across a wide range of publications, from academic journals to popular websites and magazines like McSweeney's and Time.
From ancient times to the present, mankind has built barriers: against the elements, against predatory animals, against other humans. These edifices of mud, brick, and stone circle the globe. Frye examines the history of walls, and reveals the startling ways that barriers have affected our psyches. He questions: Did walls make civilization possible? And can we live without them?