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skydude's review
4.5
I sat down and read a book on genetics in one sitting. If that doesn’t tell you how fascinating the topic is, I don’t know how to pitch this to you.
xavierbonilla's review
5.0
This book was absolutely fantastic! We have many misunderstandings and unknown facts about how first peoples got to the Americas. Raff mixes genetics, history, and some archaeology to look at new data and consider some strong alternatives. A wonderful aspect of this book is Raff’s respect and inclusivity with current native tribes to conduct research. Highly accessible and extremely important, this is a brilliant book!
janicecm's review
informative
slow-paced
3.5
I really enjoyed most of the content of the book, and found it interesting. I found there was too much explanation of the methods of the science, but that is personal opinion and not the reason for my rating.
I found the writing frustrating. There were too many references to what had already been covered or would be covered. I also found some of the sentences confusing, as what the sentence meant wasn’t exactly what was written. There was inconsistency in translation also - sometimes non-English words were explained in a footnote, other times I needed to look them up.
I found the writing frustrating. There were too many references to what had already been covered or would be covered. I also found some of the sentences confusing, as what the sentence meant wasn’t exactly what was written. There was inconsistency in translation also - sometimes non-English words were explained in a footnote, other times I needed to look them up.
andrea_author's review
5.0
Conventional wisdom says the first humans to enter the Americas were the Clovis people, crossing the Beringia corridor 13,000-14,000 years ago. Yet tantalizing archeological evidence suggests the first migration may have been earlier, via a water route along the coast about 20,000 years ago, while ice sheets prevented an incursion over land. Since the land that made up the coast at the time is now under water, finding indisputable proof is difficult.
That's where genetics comes in. In this fascinating and accessible book, anthropological geneticist and science communicator Jennifer Raff provides proof through genetics that eludes archeologists. She also explores how Native Americans have defined their own origins, and how a long history of exploitation and distrust impedes scientific research. Ultimately, the message is one of hope and discovery.
Written for a lay audience, this book covers the subject extensively, from a variety of perspectives, in a way that's clear, sensitive, and understandable. Highly recommended for anyone with an interest in the subject.
Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.
That's where genetics comes in. In this fascinating and accessible book, anthropological geneticist and science communicator Jennifer Raff provides proof through genetics that eludes archeologists. She also explores how Native Americans have defined their own origins, and how a long history of exploitation and distrust impedes scientific research. Ultimately, the message is one of hope and discovery.
Written for a lay audience, this book covers the subject extensively, from a variety of perspectives, in a way that's clear, sensitive, and understandable. Highly recommended for anyone with an interest in the subject.
Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.