Overview
In our unique genomes, every one of us carries the story of our species--births, deaths, disease, war, famine, migration, and a lot of sex. But those stories have always been locked away--until now. Who are our ancestors? Where did they come from? Geneticists have suddenly become historians, and the hard evidence in our DNA has blown the lid off what we thought we knew. Acclaimed science writer Adam Rutherford explains exactly how genomics is completely rewriting the human story--from 100,000 years ago to the present.
Reviews
A National Bestseller A National Geographic Best Book of 2017 An Amazon Best Book of 2017 2017 Foreword INDIES Gold Winner Winner of the 2018 Thomas Bonner Book Prize A family portrait for all humanity . . . This enjoyable book has a great deal to say about our genetic code--or, more precisely, about how our knowledge of genetics is misused and misconstrued. . . . [Rutherford] proves an enthusiastic guide and a good storyteller. --The Wall Street Journal An effervescent work, brimming with tales and confounding ideas carried in the 'epic poem in our cells.' --Guardian Rutherford raises significant questions and explains complex topics well, engaging readers with humor and smooth prose. --Publishers Weekly, starred review A sweeping new view of the human evolution story, using the latest science of DNA as the central guide . . . . Recommended. --Scientific American Rutherford unpeels the science with elegance. --Nature A shining example of science writing at its best . . . will change the way you think about human evolution. --Newsday Adam Rutherford's book is well-written, stimulating, and entertaining. What's more important, he consistently gets it right. --Richard Dawkins One of my big obsessions as a reporter is our expanding understanding of our genetic history, thanks to incredible advances like sequencing Neanderthal genomes. Rutherford, a British geneticist and journalist, presents a great survey of this fast-moving field. -- Carl Zimmer Genetics is opening up the past as never before--Adam Rutherford puts the genes in genealogy brilliantly. --Matt Ridley Adam Rutherford's A Brief History of Everyone Who Ever Lived is the book we need. --PZ Myers [Rutherford's] head-on, humane approach to such charged and misunderstood topics as intelligence and race make this an indispensable contribution to the popular science genre. --Apple's iBooks Best Book of September 2017 Provides a good survey of the science of genomics and how it's changing the story of human evolution. --Forbes An enthusiastic history of mankind in which DNA plays a far greater role than the traditional 'bones and stones' approach, followed by a hopeful if cautionary account of what the recent revolution in genomics foretells . . . Often quirky but thoughtful--solid popular science. --Kirkus A Brief History of Everyone Who Ever Lived is equal parts informative, engaging, and frequently surprising--a must-read for fans of big-picture popular science. --Jennifer Ouellette, author of Me, Myself, and Why: Searching for the Science of Self Rutherford manages to reveal fresh (and controversial) assessments of human history and dispel long-held beliefs with clarity, enthusiasm and humor. --Shelf Awareness A rollercoaster tour of human history and evolution . . . Rutherford is a bold, confident storyteller. --Genome Magisterial, informative, and delightful. --Peter Frankopan Rutherford is a gifted storyteller; he interweaves layperson's genetics with the personal histories of scientists, explorers, and historical figures to create an extraordinarily readable book. --Choice
"[Rutherford's] head-on, humane approach to such charged and misunderstood topics as intelligence and race make this an indispensable contribution to the popular science genre.-- ""Apple's iBooks Best Book of September 2017"" A shining example of science writing at its best . . . will change the way you think about human evolution.-- ""Newsday"" A sweeping new view of the human evolution story, using the latest science of DNA as the central guide . . . . Recommended.-- ""Scientific American"" Adam Rutherford's book is well-written, stimulating, and entertaining. What's more important, he consistently gets it right.--Richard Dawkins An effervescent work, brimming with tales and confounding ideas carried in the 'epic poem in our cells.'-- ""Guardian"" An enthusiastic history of mankind in which DNA plays a far greater role than the traditional 'bones and stones' approach, followed by a hopeful if cautionary account of what the recent revolution in genomics foretells . . . Often quirky but thoughtful--so-- ""Kirkus"" Genetics is opening up the past as never before--Adam Rutherford puts the genes in genealogy brilliantly.-- ""Matt Ridley"" One of my big obsessions as a reporter is our expanding understanding of our genetic history, thanks to incredible advances like sequencing Neanderthal genomes. Rutherford, a British geneticist and journalist, presents a great survey of this fast-moving field.--Carl Zimmer Provides a good survey of the science of genomics and how it's changing the story of human evolution.-- ""Forbes"" Rutherford manages to reveal fresh (and controversial) assessments of human history and dispel long-held beliefs with clarity, enthusiasm and humor.-- ""Shelf Awareness"" Rutherford raises significant questions and explains complex topics well, engaging readers with humor and smooth prose.-- ""Publishers Weekly, starred review"" Rutherford unpeels the science with elegance.-- ""Nature"" A Brief History of Everyone Who Ever Lived is equal parts informative, engaging, and frequently surprising--a must-read for fans of big-picture popular science.--Jennifer Ouellette, author of Me, Myself, and Why: Searching for the Science of Self A National Bestseller A National Geographic Best Book of 2017 An Amazon Best Book of 2017 2017 Foreword INDIES Gold Winner Winner of the 2018 Thomas Bonner Book Prize A New York Public Library Book of the Day ""A family portrait for all humanity . . . This enjoyable book has a great deal to say about our genetic code--or, more precisely, about how our knowledge of genetics is misused and misconstrued. . . . [Rutherford] proves an enthusiastic guide and a good storyteller.-- ""The Wall Street Journal"" Adam Rutherford's A Brief History of Everyone Who Ever Lived is the book we need.--PZ Myers"
A National Bestseller A National Geographic Best Book of 2017 An Amazon Best Book of 2017 2017 Foreword INDIES Gold Winner Winner of the 2018 Thomas Bonner Book Prize A family portrait for all humanity . . . This enjoyable book has a great deal to say about our genetic code--or, more precisely, about how our knowledge of genetics is misused and misconstrued. . . . [Rutherford] proves an enthusiastic guide and a good storyteller. --The Wall Street Journal An effervescent work, brimming with tales and confounding ideas carried in the 'epic poem in our cells.' --Guardian Rutherford raises significant questions and explains complex topics well, engaging readers with humor and smooth prose. --Publishers Weekly, starred review A sweeping new view of the human evolution story, using the latest science of DNA as the central guide . . . . Recommended. --Scientific American Rutherford unpeels the science with elegance. --Nature A shining example of science writing at its best . . . will change the way you think about human evolution. --Newsday Adam Rutherford's book is well-written, stimulating, and entertaining. What's more important, he consistently gets it right. --Richard Dawkins One of my big obsessions as a reporter is our expanding understanding of our genetic history, thanks to incredible advances like sequencing Neanderthal genomes. Rutherford, a British geneticist and journalist, presents a great survey of this fast-moving field. -- Carl Zimmer Genetics is opening up the past as never before--Adam Rutherford puts the genes in genealogy brilliantly. --Matt Ridley Adam Rutherford's A Brief History of Everyone Who Ever Lived is the book we need. --PZ Myers [Rutherford's] head-on, humane approach to such charged and misunderstood topics as intelligence and race make this an indispensable contribution to the popular science genre. --Apple's iBooks Best Book of September 2017 Provides a good survey of the science of genomics and how it's changing the story of human evolution. --Forbes An enthusiastic history of mankind in which DNA plays a far greater role than the traditional 'bones and stones' approach, followed by a hopeful if cautionary account of what the recent revolution in genomics foretells . . . Often quirky but thoughtful--solid popular science. --Kirkus Reviews A Brief History of Everyone Who Ever Lived is equal parts informative, engaging, and frequently surprising--a must-read for fans of big-picture popular science. --Jennifer Ouellette, author of Me, Myself, and Why: Searching for the Science of Self Rutherford manages to reveal fresh (and controversial) assessments of human history and dispel long-held beliefs with clarity, enthusiasm and humor. --Shelf Awareness A rollercoaster tour of human history and evolution . . . Rutherford is a bold, confident storyteller. --Genome Magisterial, informative, and delightful. --Peter Frankopan Rutherford is a gifted storyteller; he interweaves layperson's genetics with the personal histories of scientists, explorers, and historical figures to create an extraordinarily readable book. --Choice
2017 Foreword INDIES Gold Winner A family portrait for all humanity . . . This enjoyable book has a great deal to say about our genetic code--or, more precisely, about how our knowledge of genetics is misused and misconstrued. . . . [Rutherford] proves an enthusiastic guide and a good storyteller. --The Wall Street Journal An effervescent work, brimming with tales and confounding ideas carried in the 'epic poem in our cells.' --Guardian Rutherford raises significant questions and explains complex topics well, engaging readers with humor and smooth prose. --Publishers Weekly, starred review A sweeping new view of the human evolution story, using the latest science of DNA as the central guide . . . . Recommended. --Scientific American Rutherford unpeels the science with elegance. --Nature A shining example of science writing at its best . . . will change the way you think about human evolution. --Newsday Adam Rutherford's book is well-written, stimulating, and entertaining. What's more important, he consistently gets it right. --Richard Dawkins One of my big obsessions as a reporter is our expanding understanding of our genetic history, thanks to incredible advances like sequencing Neanderthal genomes. Rutherford, a British geneticist and journalist, presents a great survey of this fast-moving field. -- Carl Zimmer Genetics is opening up the past as never before--Adam Rutherford puts the genes in genealogy brilliantly. --Matt Ridley Adam Rutherford's A Brief History of Everyone Who Ever Lived is the book we need. --PZ Myers [Rutherford's] head-on, humane approach to such charged and misunderstood topics as intelligence and race make this an indispensable contribution to the popular science genre. --Apple's iBooks Best Book of September 2017 Provides a good survey of the science of genomics and how it's changing the story of human evolution. --Forbes An enthusiastic history of mankind in which DNA plays a far greater role than the traditional 'bones and stones' approach, followed by a hopeful if cautionary account of what the recent revolution in genomics foretells . . . Often quirky but thoughtful--solid popular science. --Kirkus A Brief History of Everyone Who Ever Lived is equal parts informative, engaging, and frequently surprising--a must-read for fans of big-picture popular science. --Jennifer Ouellette, author of Me, Myself, and Why: Searching for the Science of Self Rutherford manages to reveal fresh (and controversial) assessments of human history and dispel long-held beliefs with clarity, enthusiasm and humor. --Shelf Awareness A rollercoaster tour of human history and evolution . . . Rutherford is a bold, confident storyteller. --Genome Magisterial, informative, and delightful. --Peter Frankopan Rutherford is a gifted storyteller; he interweaves layperson's genetics with the personal histories of scientists, explorers, and historical figures to create an extraordinarily readable book. --Choice
A family portrait for all humanity . . . This enjoyable book has a great deal to say about our genetic code--or, more precisely, about how our knowledge of genetics is misused and misconstrued. . . . [Rutherford] proves an enthusiastic guide and a good storyteller. --The Wall Street Journal An effervescent work, brimming with tales and confounding ideas carried in the 'epic poem in our cells.' --Guardian Rutherford raises significant questions and explains complex topics well, engaging readers with humor and smooth prose. --Publishers Weekly, starred review A sweeping new view of the human evolution story, using the latest science of DNA as the central guide . . . . Recommended. --Scientific American Adam Rutherford's 'A Brief History of Everyone Who Ever Lived' is the book we need. --PZ Myers Challenging the simplistic thinking bolstered by the media, Rutherford adds both nuance and the thrill of excitement to viewing our species through a wider, stronger lens that can now see deep into our past. --Amazon Book Review, Best Book of 2017 [Rutherford's] head-on, humane approach to such charged and misunderstood topics as intelligence and race make this an indispensable contribution to the popular science genre. --Apple's iBooks Best Book of September 2017 Provides a good survey of the science of genomics and how it's changing the story of human evolution. --Forbes An enthusiastic history of mankind in which DNA plays a far greater role than the traditional 'bones and stones' approach, followed by a hopeful if cautionary account of what the recent revolution in genomics foretells . . . Often quirky but thoughtful--solid popular science. --Kirkus By turns amusing and provocative, this book, which may bruise the egos of a few genealogists, will appeal to both popular and technical science readers. --Library Journal Ambitious, wide-ranging, and deeply researched, Rutherford's book sets out to describe the history of the human species--from our origins as a slight, sly, naked, apelike creature somewhere in Africa to our gradual spread across the globe and our dominion over the planet. --from the foreword by Siddhartha Mukherjee You couldn't ask for a better guide to the complex, often bewildering world of genetics than Adam Rutherford, who guides the reader with a deft hand through an ambitious tour of human history--seen through the lens of cutting-edge genomics research. A Brief History of Everyone Who Ever Lived is equal parts informative, engaging, and frequently surprising--a must-read for fans of big-picture popular science. --Jennifer Ouellette, author of Me, Myself, and Why: Searching for the Science of Self Rutherford manages to reveal fresh (and controversial) assessments of human history and dispel long-held beliefs with clarity, enthusiasm and humor. --Shelf Awareness for Readers Praise for the UK edition: Adam Rutherford's book is well-written, stimulating, and entertaining. What's more important, he consistently gets it right. --Richard Dawkins Genetics is opening up the past as never before--Adam Rutherford puts the genes in genealogy brilliantly. --Matt Ridley Magisterial, informative, and delightful. --Peter Frankopan A revelatory and important exploration into the ties that bind us--all seven billion of us--together. I really was enthralled. --Sunjeev Sahota, author of The Year of the Runaways Fifteen years ago, the first sequence and analysis of the human genome was published. A monumental surge in genetics followed. Science writer and broadcaster Adam Rutherford rides that tide and traces its effects, first focusing on how genetics has enriched, and in some cases upset, our understanding of human evolution, then examining the revelations of recent findings, such as deep flaws in the concept of race. . . . Rutherford unpeels the science with elegance. --Nature Science books can sometimes be rather stuffy or prissy--but no one can accuse Adam Rutherford of this. In his exploration of 'the stories in our genes' that word stories is foremost--and Rutherford proves himself time and again to be an accomplished storyteller. . . . I love the many meanders that Rutherford takes along the way, whether it's the horrendously inbred family tree of the Hapsburgs resulting in the sad case of Charles II, or the unique genetic laboratory provided by the small and relatively isolated population of Iceland. Rutherford is at his best when exploring an apparently trivial but genuinely interesting topic like variations in earwax type. This is dependent on a single gene and his exploration of its distribution across the world is delightful . . . A magnificent achievement, a big, friendly bear of a book that pummels the reader with delightful stories and no doubt would buy you a drink if it could. --Brian Clegg, PopScienceBooks Rutherford's follow-up to his highly regarded first book Creation is an effervescent work, brimming with tales and confounding ideas carried in the 'epic poem in our cells.' The myriad storylines will leave you swooning. . . . Rutherford, a trained geneticist, is an enthusiastic guide. He is especially illuminating on the nebulous concept of race, how it both does and doesn't exist . . . Rutherford has proved himself a commendable historian--one who is determined to illuminate the commonality of Homo sapiens. --Colin Grant, Guardian
A family portrait for all humanity . . . This enjoyable book has a great deal to say about our genetic code--or, more precisely, about how our knowledge of genetics is misused and misconstrued. . . . [Rutherford] proves an enthusiastic guide and a good storyteller. --The Wall Street Journal An effervescent work, brimming with tales and confounding ideas carried in the 'epic poem in our cells.' --Guardian Rutherford raises significant questions and explains complex topics well, engaging readers with humor and smooth prose. --Publishers Weekly, starred review A sweeping new view of the human evolution story, using the latest science of DNA as the central guide . . . . Recommended. --Scientific American Adam Rutherford's 'A Brief History of Everyone Who Ever Lived' is the book we need. --PZ Myers Challenging the simplistic thinking bolstered by the media, Rutherford adds both nuance and the thrill of excitement to viewing our species through a wider, stronger lens that can now see deep into our past. --Amazon Book Review, Best Book of 2017 [Rutherford's] head-on, humane approach to such charged and misunderstood topics as intelligence and race make this an indispensable contribution to the popular science genre. --Apple's iBooks Best Book of September 2017 Provides a good survey of the science of genomics and how it's changing the story of human evolution. --Forbes An enthusiastic history of mankind in which DNA plays a far greater role than the traditional 'bones and stones' approach, followed by a hopeful if cautionary account of what the recent revolution in genomics foretells . . . Often quirky but thoughtful--solid popular science. --Kirkus By turns amusing and provocative, this book, which may bruise the egos of a few genealogists, will appeal to both popular and technical science readers. --Library Journal Ambitious, wide-ranging, and deeply researched, Rutherford's book sets out to describe the history of the human species--from our origins as a slight, sly, naked, apelike creature somewhere in Africa to our gradual spread across the globe and our dominion over the planet. --from the foreword by Siddhartha Mukherjee You couldn't ask for a better guide to the complex, often bewildering world of genetics than Adam Rutherford, who guides the reader with a deft hand through an ambitious tour of human history--seen through the lens of cutting-edge genomics research. A Brief History of Everyone Who Ever Lived is equal parts informative, engaging, and frequently surprising--a must-read for fans of big-picture popular science. --Jennifer Ouellette, author of Me, Myself, and Why: Searching for the Science of Self Rutherford manages to reveal fresh (and controversial) assessments of human history and dispel long-held beliefs with clarity, enthusiasm and humor. --Shelf Awareness for ReadersPraise for the UK edition: Adam Rutherford's book is well-written, stimulating, and entertaining. What's more important, he consistently gets it right. --Richard Dawkins Genetics is opening up the past as never before--Adam Rutherford puts the genes in genealogy brilliantly. --Matt Ridley Magisterial, informative, and delightful. --Peter Frankopan A revelatory and important exploration into the ties that bind us--all seven billion of us--together. I really was enthralled. --Sunjeev Sahota, author of The Year of the Runaways Fifteen years ago, the first sequence and analysis of the human genome was published. A monumental surge in genetics followed. Science writer and broadcaster Adam Rutherford rides that tide and traces its effects, first focusing on how genetics has enriched, and in some cases upset, our understanding of human evolution, then examining the revelations of recent findings, such as deep flaws in the concept of race. . . . Rutherford unpeels the science with elegance. --Nature Science books can sometimes be rather stuffy or prissy--but no one can accuse Adam Rutherford of this. In his exploration of 'the stories in our genes' that word stories is foremost--and Rutherford proves himself time and again to be an accomplished storyteller. . . . I love the many meanders that Rutherford takes along the way, whether it's the horrendously inbred family tree of the Hapsburgs resulting in the sad case of Charles II, or the unique genetic laboratory provided by the small and relatively isolated population of Iceland. Rutherford is at his best when exploring an apparently trivial but genuinely interesting topic like variations in earwax type. This is dependent on a single gene and his exploration of its distribution across the world is delightful . . . A magnificent achievement, a big, friendly bear of a book that pummels the reader with delightful stories and no doubt would buy you a drink if it could. --Brian Clegg, PopScienceBooks Rutherford's follow-up to his highly regarded first book Creation is an effervescent work, brimming with tales and confounding ideas carried in the 'epic poem in our cells.' The myriad storylines will leave you swooning. . . . Rutherford, a trained geneticist, is an enthusiastic guide. He is especially illuminating on the nebulous concept of race, how it both does and doesn't exist . . . Rutherford has proved himself a commendable historian--one who is determined to illuminate the commonality of Homo sapiens. --Colin Grant, Guardian
A National Bestseller A National Geographic Best Book of 2017 An Amazon Best Book of 2017 2017 Foreword INDIES Gold Winner Winner of the 2018 Thomas Bonner Book Prize A New York Public Library Book of the Day A family portrait for all humanity . . . This enjoyable book has a great deal to say about our genetic code--or, more precisely, about how our knowledge of genetics is misused and misconstrued. . . . [Rutherford] proves an enthusiastic guide and a good storyteller. --The Wall Street Journal An effervescent work, brimming with tales and confounding ideas carried in the 'epic poem in our cells.' --Guardian Rutherford raises significant questions and explains complex topics well, engaging readers with humor and smooth prose. --Publishers Weekly, starred review A sweeping new view of the human evolution story, using the latest science of DNA as the central guide . . . . Recommended. --Scientific American Rutherford unpeels the science with elegance. --Nature A shining example of science writing at its best . . . will change the way you think about human evolution. --Newsday Adam Rutherford's book is well-written, stimulating, and entertaining. What's more important, he consistently gets it right. --Richard Dawkins One of my big obsessions as a reporter is our expanding understanding of our genetic history, thanks to incredible advances like sequencing Neanderthal genomes. Rutherford, a British geneticist and journalist, presents a great survey of this fast-moving field. --Carl Zimmer Genetics is opening up the past as never before--Adam Rutherford puts the genes in genealogy brilliantly. --Matt Ridley Adam Rutherford's A Brief History of Everyone Who Ever Lived is the book we need. --PZ Myers [Rutherford's] head-on, humane approach to such charged and misunderstood topics as intelligence and race make this an indispensable contribution to the popular science genre. --Apple's iBooks Best Book of September 2017 Provides a good survey of the science of genomics and how it's changing the story of human evolution. --Forbes An enthusiastic history of mankind in which DNA plays a far greater role than the traditional 'bones and stones' approach, followed by a hopeful if cautionary account of what the recent revolution in genomics foretells . . . Often quirky but thoughtful--solid popular science. --Kirkus Reviews A Brief History of Everyone Who Ever Lived is equal parts informative, engaging, and frequently surprising--a must-read for fans of big-picture popular science. --Jennifer Ouellette, author of Me, Myself, and Why: Searching for the Science of Self Rutherford manages to reveal fresh (and controversial) assessments of human history and dispel long-held beliefs with clarity, enthusiasm and humor. --Shelf Awareness A rollercoaster tour of human history and evolution . . . Rutherford is a bold, confident storyteller. --Genome Magisterial, informative, and delightful. --Peter Frankopan Rutherford is a gifted storyteller; he interweaves layperson's genetics with the personal histories of scientists, explorers, and historical figures to create an extraordinarily readable book. --Choice
Author Information
Adam Rutherford is a science writer and broadcaster. He studied genetics at University College London, and during his PhD on the developing eye, he was part of a team that identified the first genetic cause of a form of childhood blindness. He has written and presented many award-winning series and programs for the BBC, including the flagship weekly Radio 4 program Inside Science, The Cell for BBC Four, and Playing God (on the rise of synthetic biology) for the leading science series Horizon, as well as writing for the science pages of the Guardian. His first book, Creation, on the origin of life and synthetic biology, was published in 2013 to outstanding reviews and was short-listed for the Wellcome Trust Prize. Siddhartha Mukherjee is the author of The Gene and the Pulitzer Prize-winning The Emperor of All Maladies. He is an assistant professor of medicine at Columbia University and a cancer physician and researcher.
