Publication
Penguin Books (2015), Edition: Reprint, 368 pages
Collections
Awards
Stella Prize (Shortlist — 2015)
Description
"How biology, psychology, and history shape us as individuals We are doomed to repeat history if we fail to learn from it, but how are we affected by the forces that are invisible to us? In The Invisible History of the Human Race Christine Kenneally draws on cutting-edge research to reveal how both historical artifacts and DNA tell us where we come from and where we may be going. While some books explore our genetic inheritance and popular television shows celebrate ancestry, this is the first book to explore how everything from DNA to emotions to names and the stories that form our lives are all part of our human legacy. Kenneally shows how trust is inherited in Africa, silence is passed down in Tasmania, and how the history of nations is written in our DNA. From fateful, ancient encounters to modern mass migrations and medical diagnoses, Kenneally explains how the forces that shaped the history of the world ultimately shape each human who inhabits it"--Provided by publisher.… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member Jaylia3
DNA and the riveting meta-history of being human
This fascinating reader-friendly book covers a diverse but related set of topics including ancient human origins, the history of our fascination with genealogy and ancestors, the inexplicable longevity of ideas that arise in a culture almost
The Invisible History of the Human Race is the kind of book that compels me to interrupt otherwise occupied people in the hope that they’ll share my deep interest in the thought-provoking passage I’ve just read and want to discuss it. Here is some of what intrigued me the most:
*The gene whose mutation causes Huntington's disease is ancient enough to be found in slime mold. It’s crucial to slime mold, when it’s disabled the slime mold will sicken, but when a nearly identical human copy of the gene is inserted the slime mold revives.
*Someone can be your direct blood ancestor but contribute nothing to your actual DNA--it’s not as simple as having one-sixteenth of your DNA from each of your great-great-grandparents.
*Ideas tend to stick around way past their expiration date. For instance, the author cites research indicating that in areas where people farmed wheat and began using the plow, which requires a lot of upper body strength, the idea developed that men should be in the field/world and women should stay in the home--it was seen as natural and right. Now hundreds of years later, and even though no one in the area is still farming, that belief persists, having been passed down somehow through generations, and is more prevalent than in communities which didn't use the plow, like in places where rice was farmed instead. The pernicious latent influence of institutions like slavery is also discussed in this chapter.
Christine Kenneally’s other book, First Word, also hooked me completely and I highly recommend it too. It’s similarly broad in scope and would appeal to readers interested in the origins and evolution of human language, the history of language research, and the proto-languages of animals. I first read it years ago and am still thinking about it.
This fascinating reader-friendly book covers a diverse but related set of topics including ancient human origins, the history of our fascination with genealogy and ancestors, the inexplicable longevity of ideas that arise in a culture almost
Show More
incidentally, the latest sometimes surprising finding about the workings of the human genome, and the benefits, risks, and limits of DNA testing for disease likelihood, cultural identity, and prehistoric ancestry.The Invisible History of the Human Race is the kind of book that compels me to interrupt otherwise occupied people in the hope that they’ll share my deep interest in the thought-provoking passage I’ve just read and want to discuss it. Here is some of what intrigued me the most:
*The gene whose mutation causes Huntington's disease is ancient enough to be found in slime mold. It’s crucial to slime mold, when it’s disabled the slime mold will sicken, but when a nearly identical human copy of the gene is inserted the slime mold revives.
*Someone can be your direct blood ancestor but contribute nothing to your actual DNA--it’s not as simple as having one-sixteenth of your DNA from each of your great-great-grandparents.
*Ideas tend to stick around way past their expiration date. For instance, the author cites research indicating that in areas where people farmed wheat and began using the plow, which requires a lot of upper body strength, the idea developed that men should be in the field/world and women should stay in the home--it was seen as natural and right. Now hundreds of years later, and even though no one in the area is still farming, that belief persists, having been passed down somehow through generations, and is more prevalent than in communities which didn't use the plow, like in places where rice was farmed instead. The pernicious latent influence of institutions like slavery is also discussed in this chapter.
Christine Kenneally’s other book, First Word, also hooked me completely and I highly recommend it too. It’s similarly broad in scope and would appeal to readers interested in the origins and evolution of human language, the history of language research, and the proto-languages of animals. I first read it years ago and am still thinking about it.
Show Less
LibraryThing member FKarr
enjoyable mish-mash of genealogy & genetics
LibraryThing member sbalicki
I was intrigued by this book because of the nature of the topic. The book is not one I would read in a classroom but can be used as a resource for a science and race.
LibraryThing member thornton37814
Kenneally, an Australian journalist, has written a good introduction to genetic genealogy. She presents an overview of what can be learned through the study of DNA for genealogical purposes in an engaging manner. She talks about genealogical research in general as well in the course of her book.
Show More
She talked to people such as CeCe Moore, Bennett Greenspan, Robert McLaren, David Allen Lambert, Rhonda McClure, Jay Verkler, Blaine Bettinger, and Ugo Perego in the course of her research -- names that those in the genealogical community will recognize. I was surprised that an Australian was familiar with the Melungeon community, and she seemed to have reached out to the leading historians engaged in that field of research as well. I did feel that the book was a little all over the place instead of completely focused on related objectives. I am, however, willing to forgive the author of my lack of understanding of her overall writing objective as it may encourage more persons to have their DNA tested when they see some of the studies that have been done and their results. Show Less
LibraryThing member mjlivi
A fascinating book that tackles the topic of inheritance and genealogy from a variety of angles. At times it feels slightly disjointed - like it's a series of related essays cobbled together rather than a completely coherent narrative - but every chapter is thought-provoking and fascinating, with a
Show More
good mix of science and human interest. Show Less
LibraryThing member phoebekw
Absolutely fascinating. I was enthralled by this truly exciting book.
LibraryThing member RodMerrill
I found this to be an excellent read. The author does a very good job explaining how external factors such as historical events and population changes contribute to our DNA.
LibraryThing member bereanna
Valuable for its insights into genetic makeup. Like some genes get passed in chunks rather than being evenly divided from parents to child. Ashkenazi Jews now have genetic testing ore marriage so that Tays Sachs doesn't get passed on.
LibraryThing member steve02476
Good book by good writer about how DNA does and doesn't affect who we are. Interesting historical background about the eugenics movement.
Language
Original language
English
ISBN
9780143127925
Physical description
368 p.; 5.5 inches
Pages
368