In 1994 Bryan Sykes examined the frozen remains of the Ice Man, found buried in glacial ice in northern Italy. From the DNA he was able to extract, he successfully linked the 5000 year old Ice Man to Europeans living today. This historic discovery set in motion years of research, testing, deliberation, setbacks, and surprises in the field of genetics, as Sykes and his team trudged forward in the (then) relatively new field of DNA testing. This amazing book tells the story of us all - how we are linked through our maternal genes to 7 pre-historic women, the mothers of the world. In fascinating and easily-understood detail, Sykes explains what DNA is and how it works in our bodies; how mitochondrial DNA, passed down to us from our mothers, can be used to extract the gene sequences that connect us uniquely to people with similar sequences; how these gene sequences can be used to support or to dispel archaeological debates; and how genetics has come to rival and to compliment the archaeological finds of both the past and the present.

Sykes does not present his evidence in a condescending or absolute manner - he freely admits that his discoveries are based upon what has been researched SO FAR, and that in the future, more research may shed a different light on our genetic ancestries. But it is pretty fascinating to read about how he proved that the Polynesians originated in Asia and not America - a long-debated point in archaeology and history; how he discovered that the pre-historic remains found in Cheddar Gorge, Great Britain, can be traced to a butler living on that same property today; how the study of thousands of European DNA sequences proved that farmers did not overtake and wipe out the hunter-gatherers, as was previously thought, but that these same hunter-gatherers eventually adopted the farming methods, over the years turning more and more to agriculture; how, among the thousands of DNA samples examined, not one (so far) has matched that of a Neanderthal, suggesting that these peoples were not our ancestors but a race of humans that died out; and how, after DNA from the executed Russian Imperial family was extracted and examined, Sykes discovered that he is genetically linked to Tsar Nicholas II.

This book is full of enthralling tidbits that capture the imagination. I never thought science could be so fun or so easily understood. There is so much information packed into these pages that reading them can get a little overwhelming, but a short break from the book will cure any stalling brain, and then it's right back to reading this intriguing information. And, seriously, where was this book when I was in high school "learning" all this stuff? It probably would have been a lot easier... ( )

The author, Sykes, a geneticist also involved in identifying the remains of the Romanovs, creates an intriguing story of DNA that helps solve the questions about the origin of humans. Through his research he finds that nearly all modern Europeans are descended from one of seven “clan mothers,” or the seven daughters of Eve. Once you get past the pages about DNA and the research, and get to the stories of these seven women, the book is quite fascinating.

Having had my mDNA tested, I needed an easy to understand explanation. This book filled the bill. Understandable and light reading, I couldn't put it down. ( )

interesting. Makes me want to send my dna in to see whose tribe I belong to. ( )

TBR