The rise of the multi-billion dollar ancestry testing industry points to one immutable truth about us as human beings: we want to know where we come from and who our ancestors were. John H. Relethford and Deborah A. Bolnick explore this topic and many more in this second edition of Reflections of Our Past.Where did modern humans come from and how important are the biological differences among us? Are we descended from Neandertals? How should we understand the connections between genetic ancestry, race, and identity? Were Native Americans the first settlers of the Americas? Can we see even in the Irish of today evidence of Viking invasions of a millennium ago? Through engaging examination of issues such as these, and using non-technical language, Reflections of Our Pastshows how anthropologists use genetic information to suggest answers to fundamental questions about human history. By looking at genetic variation in the world today and in the past, we can reconstruct the recent and remote events and processes that have created the variation we see, providing a fascinating reflection of our genetic past.
By clicking ‘Sign Up,’ I acknowledge that I have read and agree to Hachette Book Group’s Privacy Policy and Terms of Use
Praise
Reflections of Our Past is an engaging and
accessible work about the genetic history of humankind expressed without the
confusing jargon so often found in the literature in this field.—Gerrell Drawhorn, CSU-Sacramento
For anyone
curious about the science behind the DNA ancestry tests whose commercials
inundate our TV sets, this book is a must read.—Justin Garcia, Millersville University of Pennsylvania
[A]
readable, relevant accurate book by two top-notch, trustworthy researchers on
an important and often misunderstood topic.—Sheela Athreya, Texas A&M
"An important
contribution to the literature on human origins."—Booklist
"I've
never read a better popular exposition of science than this. John Relethford, a
major contributor to research in this field, writes with exceptional clarity
and authority. Anyone seeking to understand how human history might be
resurrected from present patterns of genetic variability will find this book
immensely satisfying."—Ken Korey, Dartmouth
