Genealogy Books - The Seven Daughters of Eve

Spotlight customer reviews:
Customer Rating:

Summary: An entertaining look at human genetic history
Comment: Bryan Sykes, one of the pioneers of using genetics to decipher human history and migrations, gives
us a very readable introduction to the use of genes passed down through females to track human
origins. His research showed that almost everyone living in Europe can trace a genetic connection
to seven women who lived thousands of years ago. His lively writing style turns the search into
something of an adventure that ranges as far beyond Europe as Polynesia. He ends the book with
fictional histories of the seven women. Though those stories often seem somewhat alike, they are
effective in showing how hard life was for our prehistoric ancestors.

Customer Rating:

Summary: Genetics 101: Science Blends into Fiction
Comment: Bryan Sykes in THE SEVEN DAUGHTERS OF EVE tackles the ever interesting question about the origins of
humanity. Where did we of the 20th Century come from? Sykes likes to use decision trees to show how
one generation leads to the next. He acknowledges that since documented geneological records are
notoriously unreliable, to date human evolution through the ages, a more reliable indicator was
needed. In mitochondrial DNA, Sykes has found just such a barometer. Most of the early chapters are
full of college level genetics that indicate that human beings can unerringly trace their lineage
even over many milennia through the use of mitochondrial DNA that is passed only from mother to
daughter. Sykes asserts that the majority of Europeans owe their ancestry to seven clearly
identified females who lived in Europe at various times ranging from 50,000 years to 10,000 years
ago. His evidence is compelling. Sykes strays from hard evidence to fiction, however, as he attempts
to recreate a fanciful 'history' for each woman whom he assigns names like Ursula, Helena, and
Katrine. These stories are nonsense, of course, and detract from his core thesis. Yet, his masterful
explanation of the mechanics of DNA, while occasionally dragging, still point out that the physical
differences between human beings are to be seen as more falsely dramatic than truly individuating.
Sykes suggests that we today who are the descendants of these Eves ought to acknowledge our kinships
rather than squabble over our dissimilarities.

Customer Rating:

Summary: Interesting...
Comment: Name does not say it all and the book has more than that but for marketing reasons it is
understandable that this name is selected. Book is about mitochondrial DNA and its story in humans
or humans story by mitochondrial DNA. It's a fascinating discovery that mtDNA is passed maternally
and it's mutation rate allows scientists to "discover" some facts or verify some of them such as
Neanderthals are dead for long, europeans are mostly descendants of hunter-gatherers not farmers who
was assumed to invade the europe and genetically occupied Europe, or polynesians are descendants of
asians not south americans as anthropologists believed. I did not like the dramatic parts of the
book which told the "unreal" stories of 7 Eves. I am waiting to learn further studies on Y
chromosome.

Customer Rating:

Summary: Exposing our roots
Comment: While some look to the impact of molecular genetics on the future, Sykes uses this science to view
our past in a novel and refreshing way. He takes us on a global tour of various peoples and their
histories in an attempt to trace the roots of human migration and settlement. From his first major
success with isolating DNA from a seven-millennium old corpse found in the Alps, Sykes began
building expertise in tracing mitochondrial DNA mutations. He found enough information to be able
to calculate ancestral age and likely origins of European peoples. In relating his career in this
field, Sykes comes across as a bit ego-centric. The truth is that he is a pioneer - this history of
the work reflects much of himself and his team. This highly personal and readable account reflects
the intensity of his interest in DNA analysis and what it means for us and every science dealing
with prehistoric times.

The idea that 90% of Europe's population - hence much of North America's
roots - can be traced back to seven women living between 17 thousand and 40 thousand years ago is an
eye-opener. Yet Sykes analysis of how DNA in mitochondria [the energy component of all animal
cells] changes over time is logically and clearly presented. Having given up much of its DNA to
that of the cell nucleus, the rate of change of this micro-organism can be readily calculated.
That mitochondria are passed down the generations through mothers alone simplifies tracing into the
past. Sykes restrains the traced path to European populations - with a slight detour into the
Pacific islands - for simplicity's sake. Attempting to trace the whole planet would have kept him
at the research until now and the book would remain unpublished.

Tracking the genetic record led
Sykes into some bizarre [mis]adventures. A broken shoulder in Rarotonga, receiving packets of
hamster poop for analysis, and the discovery that he had a genetic link to the last Czar of Russia.
He clashed with a leading figure in population genetics and one of his own staff. He won both
encounters. More serious dealings are his resolution of the origins of Polynesians - from Asia
instead of South America. In relating this part of his work, he conveys his reluctance to refute
the message imparted by the incredible voyage of the Kon Tiki. He has great respect for Thor
Heyerdahl's thinking and courage. The later science of genetic tracing simply proved it wrong.

While some decry his speculative venture into the lifestyles of the Seven Daughters, the ploy
adds to the feeling of attachment that Sykes wishes to convey. Tracing ancestors used to be the
hobby of genealogists, following church records and family histories. Sykes' conjectures are based
on solid science. At some point grain was domesticated, as were wolves to become the family dog.
Although Sykes is compressing events, he still provides a realistic scenario of events in our
history. There is much to be learned from this book. Perhaps more importantly, it is unlikely to
be successfully challenged by later work. This circumstance will keep this book useful for a long
time. A good read, based on good science, it deserves an honoured place in your library. [stephen
a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]

Customer Rating:

Summary: Book is good but an ego trip
Comment: Let me explain somethings good about the book.It offers good, informative info about the
Neanderthals not being our direct ancestors (but this is the second weakest of it's good points as
the fact that neanderthals aren't anywhere in our direct background was made too well known years
before this book's publication). Book covers the 1917 CzaristRomanov mystery and how genetic
studies solved it (but this is the weakest of it's good points as that's not important or
interesting to even anywhere near mostly all Europeans. Also, the book has a great section about
Jasmine, the fictional Syrian lady who founded the neolithic line of Middle Eastern farmers who
trekked on into Europe. Less successful is the other six stories about the other ladies as all of
their six stories largely resemble each other. Actually to quite a few readers (myself not included)
none of these stories work at all as stone age historical fiction is a difficult concept for many to
grasp. I recommend the seven chapters on the "seven daughters" even though they are not much
genetically informative until near the end of each chapter. But that's the best that can be said!
Like all books on genetics on nationalties and races Sykes's book comes up short on desired facts
which is especially disappointing in his case considering he didn't have the whole human race to
cover just 500 million Europeans and their around 500 million descendants the rest of the world over
or, in othr words, just one sixth of humankind. But the book's main reason for not being twice as
informative as it was on the subject of European DNA is that Mr. Sykes is far too busy relating to
his own life story and the book is a real ego trip of his. In fact one becomes almost hard pressed
to find a page (in the first of the half of the book, before getting to the seven "daughter"
chapters) where Sykes doesn't devote some space to some life experience of his in either conferring
with scientists or conducting genetic experiments. There were ways he could have easily have kept
the info on the experiments and conferences on a more informative level and without blabbing on and
on (and on!) about his own part in them so much. Also, a little more talk (and charts) on how
exactly biologically one nationality of Europeans was related to another European nationality would
have been great too. We don't get to learn,for example, how genetically close the Swedish are to the
Greeks. Some of Luigi Luca Cavalli-Sforza's genetic books are much more informative than this ego
trip.

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