DNA USA: A Genetic Biography Of America (2011) - Plot & Excerpts
Loved this book, as full of great stories about the author's travels researching the book as much as the data he found. Nothing of great surprise, I suppose, except maybe how "blue-blooded" those north-easterners are, but I think many of us Americans expect some sort of genetic mix in our blood. Tied in greatly with a chemistry book I also recent read, and definitely has me curious about getting my own DNA portrait. Will have to read the Seven Daughters of Eve and some of his other works, sounds fascinating! This is such an interesting book! It's the third book I've read by Bryan Sykes, and by now I'm becoming more familiar with the science of DNA. He makes the case that all human beings are descended from one woman, who was part of a small band that saved mankind something like 170,000 years ago off the bottom coast of South Africa (as the rest of the world was descending into an ice age). Without her and that group, we would probably have been wiped off the planet. He always does something weird in his books: in this case, he spent a lot of time writing a kind-of travelogue about his trip across the US. I just skimmed it. But here's the skinny: I was just trying to learn more about this topic from a different science writer, and this other guy makes Sykes look like a gifted teacher. Sykes always has a train of argument and a lot of fascinating details (did you know that there have been 28 human-like species, not just us and the Neanderthals?), and he puts it all together and tells you what it means. I really like reading his books, and am now waiting to get the last one I haven't read from the library.
What do You think about DNA USA: A Genetic Biography Of America (2011)?
I couldn't finish this book. Not enough genetics, too much dull travelogue.
—decorcan
Overall, I enjoyed it, but it wasn't quite what I expected.
—gabby
I LOVED this book! Very interesting and informative.
—Xenog
