Reflections Of Our Past: How Human History Is Revealed In Our Genes [Hardcover]

John H Relethford (Author), John Relethford (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0813339588 | ISBN-13: 978-0813339580 | Publication Date: May 6, 2003

Where did modern humans come from and how important are the biological differences among us? Are we descended from Neanderthals? How many races of people are there? Were Native Americans the first settlers of the New World? How can we tell if Thomas Jefferson had a child with Sally Hemings? Through an engaging examination of issues such as these, and using non-technical language, Reflections of Our Past shows how anthropologists use genetic information to test theories and define possible answers to fundamental questions in human history. By looking at genetic variation in the world today, we can reconstruct the recent and remote events and processes that created the variation we see, providing a fascinating reflection of our genetic past. Reflections of Our Past is a W. W. Howells Book Prize Winner and Choice Outstanding Academic Title.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In this gem of a book, Relethford, an anthropologist at SUNY Oneonta, examines how members of his field use genetic information to shed light on human origins and prehistory, and he questions some orthodox views along the way. Through intuitive examples and friendly analogies, Relethford shows the lay reader why our closest living relatives are the African apes and how one's method of genetic classification depends on the questions one is trying to answer. Examining how our genetic variations inform us about our origins, he tentatively challenges current views by proposing that not all of our ancestors originated in Africa 150,000 years ago-some came from other continents. Then there is the question of what happened to the ill-fated Neanderthals: Relethford shows that differences between Neanderthal and present human DNA are not as great as we might think, and concludes that perhaps Neanderthals were bred out of existence by mixing with a numerically superior gene pool. The remainder of the book shows how genetic data from living human populations can be used to reconstruct the past. The author touches on the Kennewick Man controversy (the skeleton found in Washington state was dated at 9,600 years old yet appeared European), concluding that he was probably not Caucasian but in fact a precursor to Native Americans. There are also chapters on the origins of the Polynesians, the genetic history of Ireland and ever-interesting case studies of genetic admixture such as the Jewish diaspora and the Thomas Jefferson-Sally Hemings affair.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

In this clarifying presentation, Relethford conveys the vital contribution genetic analysis makes to our understanding of human evolution. Its techniques burst into popular awareness when, 15 years ago, scientists announced they had traced back 200,000 years to discover "Eve," the common ancestor to all humanity or, strictly speaking, a pool of several thousand individuals with the common ancestor. Nice story, but how accurate is it? Relethford delves into the issue to unveil a fundamental debate in paleoanthropology about whether modern humans are descended from the Eve group in Africa, or from multiregional populations. What DNA, drawn from Neanderthal bones and living people, says about this is not clear-cut; however, Relethford's explanation of genetic techniques most certainly is. An important contribution to the literature on human origins. Gilbert Taylor
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 272 pages
• Publisher: Westview Press / Perseus Book Group (May 6, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0813339588
• ISBN-13: 978-0813339580
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.2 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #729,761 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Good Overview for the Layperson, July 21, 2003

By 

Alton R. Jenkins (Cincinnati, OH USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Reflections Of Our Past: How Human History Is Revealed In Our Genes (Hardcover)

The author is to be commended for a very understandable book for the layman on this subject. He expertly describes the methods researchers use in analyzing genetic data without overwhelming the layperson (like myself) with unnecessary details. He includes just enough of the details to make things understandable. I appreciate this.

I also appreciate his caution in drawing conclusions from the data too soon. It seems to me that the author does not say, "This is the way it was." Rather he says, "This hypothesis is supported by the data, but another hypothesis may also be supported by the data if viewed from another perspective. More research is required." I would recommend this book to anyone who is trying to better understand the scientific method.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Such a fine balance, May 26, 2004

By 

Stephen A. Haines (Ottawa, Ontario Canada) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Reflections Of Our Past: How Human History Is Revealed In Our Genes (Hardcover)

Labelling this work as "balanced" is a minimal descriptive. Relethford seeks to explain and reconcile some of the major themes in human evolution. Each topic is introduced with a presentation of "traditional" views. These are lined out fully and each seems to have sufficient support for a conclusive case. Relethford has been busy keeping up with the latest research, and the remainder of each section relates much of that. By the end of each section, it's clear that the old view has been successfully challenged. However, as the author frequently points out, many questions remain open. Little of this book provides final answers. He wants more work done. Much of the book is an appeal for newcomers to the field to find opportunities.

No approach is better suited to gaining an understanding of the path humanity has taken in its spread around the planet. Relethford's style keeps your attention on the topics. He presents the information clearly and succinctly. The flow is good and requires little "back-flipping" to understand what he's trying to accomplish. As a geneticist, his focus is on gene indicators. The fossil record, while providing a firm foundation, is clearly not definitive in his view. It is the genetic record of humanity that has provided the clearest picture of how and when humans came out of Africa to populate the world. Fossils are a guide, but the path is better marked by gene markers. They offer a more complete picture of our wanderings.

"More complete" doesn't do justice to Relethford's approach. He lacks the dogmatic approach of many of his colleagues. The balanced treatment makes this book especially valuable, particularly to one new to the topics. As the book progresses the focus becomes ever tighter. After giving a general description of African origins, he summarises our knowledge of the Neandertals. Co-existent with our species, he considers the questions of species identity, the possibilities of interbreeding with Homo sapiens and extinction. In a related section he considers the onset of agriculture - did it spread from a single point of origin, or emerge in dispersed locations? He also examines the origins and progress of Native Americans and Polynesians. Closing the book with pinpoint examples, he explains the genetic history of islands on the Eire coast and the relationship of Jewish population elements. The historical issues are examined and countervailing ideas set against them.

Relethford provides a fine range of illustrations, including maps and analytical graphs to expand on the text. Some of these require close attention as they simplify some rather complex analytical techniques. The captions, in many cases, are essential - which doesn't detract from the information value. The References are almost entirely academic, making tracing difficult for the general reader for whom this book was produced. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars cool and clear thinking about human genetic diversity, March 18, 2005

By 

Charles E. Nydorf (New York, NY USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Reflections Of Our Past: How Human History Is Revealed In Our Genes (Hardcover)

Ever since Cann, Stoneking and Wilson published their pathbreaking reconstruction of the history of human mitochondrial DNA in 1987, there has been a large amount of research attempting to use geographical patterns of human genetic diversity to throw light on human prehistory. Of all the books written for the layman that review progress in the field, this one is the best. Relethford avoids the triumphalism and groupthink that tends to characterize a lot of writing in this field. He is careful not to confuse the history of particular genes with the history of the populations in which these genes
are found. As he explains it, whatever historical inferences are made from genetic patterns are highly dependent on the investigator's assumptions about demographic history and these assumptions are often made without justification.
The author has himself contributed to much of the research described in the book. His studies of genetic history in Ireland are particular fascinating.He also includes a valuable discussion of the complex relationships between biological descent and ethnic identity; a subject upon which people are frequently confused.
I would recommend this book without reservation to anyone interested in the subject.