Amazon.com
David Goldberg's Genetic Algorithms in Search, Optimization and Machine Learning is by far the bestselling introduction to genetic algorithms. Goldberg is one of the preeminent researchers in the field--he has published over 100 research articles on genetic algorithms and is a student of John Holland, the father of genetic algorithms--and his deep understanding of the material shines through. The book contains a complete listing of a simple genetic algorithm in Pascal, which C programmers can easily understand. The book covers all of the important topics in the field, including crossover, mutation, classifier systems, and fitness scaling, giving a novice with a computer science background enough information to implement a genetic algorithm and describe genetic algorithms to a friend. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (19)

Great start to your journey in Genetic Algorithms.
This is a great book to begin your journey on Genetic Algorithms (GA). The author is a pioneering authority on the subject and has explained the basics of a GA in a very gentle and easy to understand manner. The book has a great variety of specific but diverse examples, which may not be useful at first glance, but gives an insight to where all the technique has been applied!

However, some aspects of the book perhaps need an edition, like the more recent advances in GA operators, specifics of chromosomal representation schemes, non-linear optimization functions, etc. I have read several, well written books on the subject, but this one has a very distinct and sometimes interesting style of writing! The best would be to quickly read this one to get a fairly good understanding of the basics and then take up a recent book that addresses other aspects like Mitchell's book, for example.

Having said that, I think the book is a great and inspiring start to using genetic algorithms.

Genetic Algorithms in Search, Optimization, and Machine Learning by David E. Goldberg
Excellent book for Graduate students and instructors. Highly recommend!

Not the only paradigm for evolutionary computation
This book gives a good introduction to genetic algorithms for a general undergraduate audience. However, it is important to note that it does not cover Evolutionary Strategies, an approach to evolutionary computing that I have found quite usefulsince it is specifically designed for Euclidean space optimization problems where many if not most interesting optimization problems are formulated in (take for example the problem of determining the weights of a neural network that minimizes the network's overall classification error). Nor does it cover evolutionary programming (not to be confused with genetic programming). So after reading this book, I recommend (for the mathematically adventurous) Thomas Back's "Evolutionary Algorithms in Theory and Practice: Evolution Strategies, Evolutionary Programming, Genetic Algorithms"
ISBN: 0195099710

Happy reading and enjoy the fascinating world of evolutionary computation!

Read a review article instead!
I agree with another reviewer who said the book was unnecessarily long.Genetic Algorithms are a great programming tool, and there are some tips and tricks that can help your programs converge faster and more accurately, but this book had a lot of redundant information.

If you are interested in using GA for solution-finding, I doubt you'll find much useful in this book beyond the first chapter or so.Many of the examples later in the book were so specific that I couldn't see how they could be usefully generalized.Really optimizing a GA approach for a specific problem domain takes a fair amount of tuning, and this book won't help much with that.

I think time spent surfing siteseer or other publication sites would be better spent than reading this book.

Needs updating
OK, I agree with the previous reviewers: it's the classical textbook for GAs. But it definitely needs updating, as it's a 15-year old book and much has been done in the area. Niching methods, for example, are just outlined. I'd recommend Melanie Mitchell's book instead of this one. ... Read more

Book Description
Principles of Population Genetics, Third Edition, provides a balanced presentation of theory and observation for students at the undergraduate and graduate levels. In response to suggestions from students and instructors, the book has been trimmed more than 100 pages and rewritten with the goal to optimize its use as a teaching aid. It introduces the principles of genetics and statistics that are relevant to population studies, and examines the forces affecting genetic variation from the molecular to the organismic level. Integrated throughout the book are descriptions of molecular methods used to study variation in natural populations, as well as explanations of the relevant estimation theory using actual data. Chapter 1 presents the fundamental genetic and statistical concepts in population genetics. Chapter 2 reviews the types and prevalence of genetic variation in natural populations. This is followed in Chapter 3 by a detailed examination of the implications of random mating for one locus and multiple loci. Chapter 4 examines population subdivision and its consequences for the distribution of genetic variation among subpopulations, including the hierarchical F statistics used in estimating these effects. Chapters 5 through 7 deal with mutation, migration, natural selection in all its varieties, and the consequences of random genetic drift. Molecular population genetics, including coalescent theory, is the subject of Chapter 8. Quantitative genetics is covered in Chapter 9, from the standpoint of genetic variance and covariance components as well as with respect to molecular markers used to detect quantitative trait loci (QTLs). Applications of principles discussed in the text are illustrated by numerous examples of worked problems, using actual data. Each chapter end, in addition to a complete summary, offers several problems for solution, to reinforce and further develop the concepts. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Principles of Population Genetics
It is a classical text, but it lack of a chapter on Conservation Genetics

A must-own.
A new revision of a work I already thought perfect. Adds population genetic approaches using new molecular techniques. Superb. ... Read more

Book Description
For 35 years, Thompson and Thompson Genetics in Medicine has been a favorite genetics textbook for medical students. This long-awaited sixth edition, now in a revised re-print, continues to provide a readable and understandable review of the basic principles of medical genetics, including recent advances in molecular genetics and the clinical applications of this new knowledge for the diagnosis and management of genetic disorders. Now brought completely up to date, this edition has been extensively revised and includes new information on developmental defects, genetics of complex diseases, genetics of cancer, molecular and biochemical basis of genetics, and the human genome project. It also features an all-new set of 29 clinical cases with color photographs to assist students in relating basic genetics to clinical genetic disease. These cases will also help instructors integrate clinical material into their courses.The revised re-print brings this book up to date with all new findings in medical genetics and some additional case studies. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Great for giving clinical relevance for genetic disorders
I didn't use T and T very often in my first year genetics class for medical school.That's probably b/c the expectations in the class weren't very high and we didn't need to reference a textbook often.

But now that I am studying for USMLE boards Step I, I am happy that I have this book.The middle of the book offers thirty-three clinical case studies, which hit most of the big time genetic diseases.I enjoy reading the clinical vignette for each case.Furthermore, T and T does a good job at summarizing etiology, pathogenesis, clinical presentation, and management for each of these 33 diseases.

So if you need a genetics book for a class, and you know you'll be studying for boards in the future, this might be a good book for your needs.

If you had one general genetics book, this would be it.
Thompson and Thompson is in my opinion, the best book of its kind out there. Many general texts have popped up in the last five or ten years that try to cover medical genetics broadly (a large topic of course) but T&Tis the best. A more recent edition would be nice. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Must have.
I'm taking genetics this semester and it's gotta be one of the hardest classes I've ever taken. The professor assigns us a lot of the problems out of the book, and I don't understand how to approach them all. The solutions manual shows some really good ways to approach genetics problems and has really helped me. I recommend it, though get it used from someone else if you can to save a few bucks. If you do the reading and work the problems and check your answers with the solutions manual, you'll understand genetics a lot better.

Intro to Genetics solutions manual
A good buy--it really goes into detail with hard problems and is quite helpful to have!

Genetic Analysis Solutions Manual review
The solutions manual is excellent.The Interactive CD that comes with it is one of the best I have ever used.I wish that more interactive genetics was contained on the CD or even possibly a tutorial of the information contained within the Genetics book.

A Great Safety Net for Understanding
This study guide works through each end-of-chapter question step by step and really helps to solve many complex problems associated with genetic analysis.Also the interactive CD Rom that accompanies the solutions manual is great for visusalizing complex processes.

Genetics = Cake?
It's not like I really really wanted my textbook (nobody wants to study that desperately). Thanks guys! Now I can start procrastinating without worrying about not having the book as backup the night before the test! Haha.

Actually, the structure of this textbook is very well organized. The example problems are thorough and the explanations are equally well-thought-out. Combined with a reasonable lecture/prof, I think the text material is very simple and appropriate- just enough pictures and diagrams to get you by at 3AM after a few eye-burning games of DDR or whatever. ... Read more

Book Description
THE definitive genetics lab manual for over 50 years, this user-friendly volume stresses classical genetics, but includes some of the recent advances related to molecular and human genetics as well. Drosophila and Maize Experiments in Genetics: Monohybrid Crosses; Dihybrid Crosses. Cell Reproduction: Mitosis. Meiosis in Animals: Oogenesis and Spermatogenesis. Meiosis in Angiosperms: Microsporogenesis and Megasporogenesis. Polytene Chromosomes from Drosophila Salivary Glands. Sex Chromosomes and Gene Transmission. The Sex Check: A Study of Sex Chromatin in Human Cells. Human Chromosomes. Linkage and Crossing Over. Genetics of Ascospore Color in Sordaria: An Investigation of Linkage and Crossing Over Using Tetrad Analysis. Open-Ended Experiments Using Drosophila: Locating a Mutant Gene in Its Chromosome. Isolation of DNA. Restriction Endonuclease Digestion and Gel Electrophoresis of DNA. Amplification of DNA Polymorphisms by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and DNA Fingerprinting. Transformation of Escherichia coli. Gene Action: Synthesis of ... b-Galactosidase in Escherichia coli. Chromatographic Characterization of Drosophila melanogaster Mutants. Bacterial Mutagenesis. Gene Recombination in Phage. Polygenic Inheritance: Fingerprint Ridge Count. Population Genetics: The Hardy-Weinberg Principle; The Effects of Selection and Genetic Drift. Applied Human Genetics. For anyone interested in hands-on genetics work. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Great educational tool for beginners
This slim volume is packed with various laboratory protocols for beginning level geneticists. Protocols in general consist of non-commercial products. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

1st_time_genetic_student
This book is extremely difficult for people who are first being introduced to genetics to understand. Since it is being used in beginning genetics courses, this is disturbing. Perhaps if you already have an understanding of the basic concepts of genetics this would be a more useful book.
New terms are not always adequately defined. Often is seems as if the authors prefer to use confusing English games to explain concepts rather than explain information in a straightforward manner. An example would be page 7 when they are trying to explain the difference between "discontinuous" and "continuous" phenotypic variations. Rather that introduce one concept and explain it and then introduce the second concept, they introduce both concepts and then name both of them in a manner such that it is not clear which concept is which without rereading the paragraph several times.
Also, one wonders how current the information provided in this book is. The introduction to chapter 9 refers to an ongoing betting pool concerning the total number of protein-coding genes in the human genome. It tells that the prize for guessing correctly will be awarded in 2003 and talks about the contest in the present and future tense as if it is ongoing and the winner has yet to be announced. It even refers readers to a website to see the contest rules. This is 2007!!! The contest is OVER! The website it refers to is no longer a valid URL! If this little piece of information is so out of date, what else in the book is out of date (and possibly incorrect).
I wish I could say the website associated with the book is useful. Sadly, it does nothing to redeem the book. The animations are somewhat useful. It offers some additional problems, but not near enough. The tutorials it offers for using the NCBI database are often out of date.
The only redeeming factors this book has is that the introductions often talk about interesting problems in genetics. These are followed up with more information about the problem at the end of the chapter. Also, the problem sets with each chapter are good. However, there is not always enough information in the reading to be able to figure out the problem. Fortunately, there is a solutions manual available for this book that is very useful.
Since this book is most likely a required textbook, most people who are buying it do not have a choice. However, it would be nice to see schools pick a book that better explained genetic concepts than this one does. Genetics is a fascinating subject, but the difficulty of reading this book does nothing to encourage the student to pursue further studies in genetics.

Another winner for Anthony Griffiths.
Anthony Griffiths is the principle author of both 'An Introduction to Genetic Analysis' and 'Modern Genetic Analysis.'The former book is in its sixth edition, while the later is in it's second.I highly recommend both textbooks as the best teaching texts I have ever come across.Personally however, I prefer using 'Modern Genetic Analysis' because it is easier to understand, and less frustrating and confusing for students.The 'Introduction to Genetic Analysis'textbook is larger, more annotated, and has more difficult problems.The 'Modern Genetic Analysis' textbook provides a better basic framework on which to build an understanding of genetics, without going into too many unnecessary details that (in my opinion) only confuse students new to the subject.

The second edition of 'Modern Genetic Analysis' is very similar to the first edition, and only about ten percent of the material (at most) has been changed.Most of the problem sets are the same, but have been renumbered.This is actually a teaching advantage because it gives students the option of buying used copies of the first edition rather than new copies of the second.

One major improvement in the second edition, however, is the addition of internet-based genetics tutorials.Students are directed to the various public genome databases on the internet, used by real researchers, and are given practice assignments to do.They are shown how to conduct gene and protein homology searches, how to find open reading frames, and how to access other forms of information from the various public domain databases on the internet.Since internet databases have now become one of the most important tools available to geneticists these tutorials are a welcome addition to this textbook.I highly recommend it.

Greg Doheny (Vancouver, Canada)

An incredible job
In the last few years several very good textbooks and monographs in genetics have appeared, due mainly to the success of various genome projects and also to the rise of bioinformatics as a new discipline in biology, computer science, and mathematics. Most of these textbooks have appeared in many prior editions, and comparing these older editions with the newest ones, one can indeed see a remarkable difference in enthusiasm in the authors. They are clearly very excited about the developments in molecular biology and genetics that have taken place and the confidence among biologists that the fundamental understanding of life is finally within reach. Readers can share their excitement by the study of these books, and doing so one cannot help but be marveled by the incredible ingenuity of the scientific methods used to unravel the processes of life.

Of all these excellent books, I find this one to be the best, and my judgment of the book's quality is from the standpoint of someone who is very involved in the algorithms behind bioinformatics and mathematical biology and is attempting to gain, as quickly as possible, the necessary background in genetics. My review therefore will be primarily addressed to those mathematicians or even physicists who plan on moving into bioinformatics.

To relative newcomers to genetics such as myself, the learning of molecular biology and genetics can involve a huge amount of memory work. To the more mathematically-inclined reader, the memorization of facts can be most unpalatable. The learning of the material in this book will also involve such extreme exercises in memory, but there are a few strategies that the authors employ that, even though they were directed at a general readership, actually serve to make the learning much easier for the mathematician or mathematical biologist. These are the use of concept maps and the assigning of "challenging problems" at the end of most chapters in the book. These serve effectively to make the reader think through and interconnect the many concepts, which for the mathematician who is used to the economy of thought that mathematics brings, is an absolute necessity for the learning experience. Also, the authors are well aware of the need for students to learn how to analyze data and interact with online databases, so a lot of the material in the book is written to address this need.

Even from merely an aesthetic point of view the book is exceptional, as the soft colors used in the illustrations are very beautiful, and actually serve to make the learning of the material very pleasureful. And in addition, the reader can access the book's Website and follow the many animations that were put together for the book. And here again, the playing of these animations increase the speed in which one can learn the subject.

The authors also ask the readers to consider the impact that biotechnology and genetic engineering will have in the upcoming decades. One of the most dramatic, and I think the most important paragraphs in the book is the one in which the authors state that "the public cannot relay on reports published in the general media for the kind of critical evaluation needed to make informed personal and political decisions. Nor can it be left to experts, who have their own biases and agendas. There is no substitute for acquiring the kind of basic knowledge of genetics that is essential to all informed decisions." Their goal is provide the background that will allow the reader to differentiate between bad and good claims about genetics, and to think critically about both the negative and positive aspects of genetic research and genetic engineering.

I believe the use of genetic engineering and biotechnology in all biological systems, both human and non-human, holds the best hope for the future of life on earth. This book has given an excellent introduction to the biology and genetics behind these technologies. The excitement and optimism expressed in the book will no doubt encourage many individuals to further their studies in genetics and enter the new biological professions of the 21st century. ... Read more

Book Description
This landmark volume provides the single most comprehensive andauthoritative textbook on bacterial molecular genetics. Perfect foradvanced undergraduate adn graduate-level courses, the text presents thelatest research on the subject in a clearly written and well-illustratedstyle. It provides descriptive background information, detailedexperimental methods, examples of genetic analyses, and advanced materialrelevant to current applications of molecular genetics. While providing adeep understanding of bacterial molecular genetics, the material isintegrated with biochemical, genomic, and structural information tobroaden understanding. The approach centers on the most-studied bacteria,Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis. In addition, examples from otherbacteria with medical, ecological, or biotechnological significance arecovered throughout the text. The material in each chapter has beensubstantially revised and rewritten and reflects exciting developments inthe field of bacterial molecular geneticsand its relationship to otherfields, including genetics, biotechnology, adn bioengineering. MolecularGenetics of Bacteria, 3rd Edition is organized like the two previouseditions. Each chapter contains a summary of main points, descritpions ofsignificant experiments, a set of discussion questions and a problemset(with answers to both at the back of tghe book), and a list ofsuggested readings-all updated to reflect the most recent advances in thefield. Additionally, text boxes present intriguing information on eachtopic without interrupting the continuity of the text. This new editionwill be invaluable to anyone working in the fields of microbiology,genetics, biochemistry, bioengineering, medicine, molecular biology, andbiotechnology. It is also esstenial reading for scientists in all fieldssof biology, many whom depend upon the concepts ansd techniques covered inthis book. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Great Book
This is a great current reference book!The information is presented in a logical easy to read style.Good for beginning and advanced students.

Not a good choice for the visual learner
If you are a "visual learner," then this is NOT, I repeat, NOT, the book for you- I cannot emphasise this enough!

The text is very well written, however, the font used is rather small, and there are only FOUR colors used throughout the entire book.

The text is done entirely in light brown, black, grey and white.

Students like me -strongly visual learners- will be miserable; everyone else will like the book.

Fantastic introduction to the subject
This is one of few college textbooks I've used that has actually HELPED me learn the course material.The book takes you from the basics (DNA structure and replication, etc.) all the way through some very complex concepts while never missing a beat.It's surprisingly readable and student-user-friendly whether you're a beginner or a certifiable gene jockey. My only complaint is the quality of the figures; some of them are very small and thus hard to read, and as one reviewer commented, they are sort of simplistic to the point of not being very thorough.Having full-color illustrations would be a big plus.

Overall, this book definitely surpasses other bacterial genetics books I've seen as far as readability and organization goes.It delivers what it promises!

Very useful and informative
This book is great in developing the concepts and explaining in an easy but at the same time techinical way just what is involved in bacterial genetics.Teaching from the historical perspective you really get a sense of what these researchers were faced with and just how valuable their breakthoughs were.It doesn't try to be "hip" like so many other undergraduate textbooks out there, and for that they get full credit.The figures are a little simplistic though.

Excellent Book
This is an excellent and in-depth presentation of the molecular genetics of prokaryotes.Explanations are crystal clear throughout, and the diagrams are very well done.(Typographical errors are everywhere, but fortunately they are easy to spot and none of them are misleading.)The text can seem long at times, but the extra effort spent reading is repaid in terms of clarity.The authors are careful to insure everything is explained well.The book also covers several areas of prokaryotic biology besides molecular genetics, such as cell division, antibiotics, transport of molecules across the cell membrane, two-component signaling pathways, bacteriophages, and many others.

This is undoubtedly the best introduction to prokaryotic biology out there.Highly recommended. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Much needed study guide
this book is a big help in my genetics course. using the study manual makes study time a lot shorter. ... Read more

Book Description
Genetic algorithms have been used in science and engineering as adaptive algorithms for solving practical problems and as computational models of natural evolutionary systems. This brief, accessible introduction describes some of the most interesting research in the field and also enables readers to implement and experiment with genetic algorithms on their own. It focuses in depth on a small set of important and interesting topics--particularly in machine learning, scientific modeling, and artificial life--and reviews a broad span of research, including the work of Mitchell and her colleagues. The descriptions of applications and modeling projects stretch beyond the strict boundaries of computer science to include dynamical systems theory, game theory, molecular biology, ecology, evolutionary biology, and population genetics. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (16)

Good Theoretical GA Textbook
This book primarily deals with the theoretical side of genetic algorithms. If you are looking for practical knowledge of how to implement a GA you should look elsewhere. For all intents and purposes this is a textbook. It's heavy on theory and proofs, but doesn't always explain everything in depth (that's what class time is for). There are problems at the end of each chapter that can be assigned to students.

There are case studies of many academic projects that seem to drone on forever and aren't really that useful in helping you learn how to write your own GA. Chapter 1 gives an overview and provides all of the appropriate terminology. Chapter 5 gives an high-level overview of how to implement a GA. Those are the 2 must-read chapters, all of the others can be used as torture for CS students.

To recap, if you're teaching a class in artificial intelligence this book is good. If you're trying to figure out how to implement a GA to solve a practical problem not so good. That evens out to 3 stars for my rating. I recommend searching the web, there are a few good sites on GA programming.

Not for beginners
I have an engineering degree, and I found this to be a little tough to follow for two reasons:

1.Not enough step by step prodecure especially at the beginning.Mitchell is too quick to start with the math formulas.It turns out that Genetic Algorithms are fairly straight forward and easy to follow, but you have to read this book twice before you "get it" because Mitchell clouds the discussion with proofs and mathematical representations of systems.It is tough to follow.

2.Mitchell does a poor job of selecting meaningful examples to illustrate the points.A nice simple set of examples where the average person easily picture the system would have been delightful.Instead this author chooses to illustrate the Genetic Algorithms through uncommon neural networks amoung other exotic applications. I found myself struggling to understand both the example (I didn't know a thing about neural networks!) and the genetic algorithm.

When buying an Introduction type book, I expected it to be more 'down to earth'.this book is for advanced minds!

An introduction and much more
First it must be said that the book is not an introduction that the non-scientist will easily understand. Some knowledge of computer programming is assumed. It acknowledges this in the last paragraph of the preface. Many of the notations in the book are unfamiliar to business or financial readers. There is no mathematics beyond algebra so the aforementioned prerequisites are the main hills to climb.

Mitchell's book is an overview of genetic algorithm analysis techniques as of 1996. The author gives a history of pre-computer evolutionary strategies and a summary of John Holland's pioneering work. A description of the basic terminology is presented and examples of problems solved using a GA (such as the prisoner's dilemma). The second chapter discusses evolving programs in Lisp and cellular automata. Also included in this chapter is a discussion of predicting dynamical systems. This was the section that has the most interest for me. Also interesting was the summary in this chapter about putting GAs into a neural network so that the ANNs could evolve.

The fifth chapter discusses when to employ a GA for maximum success. I appreciate the clearly thought out discussion of when to choose a GA for a problem. Sometimes authors of these types of books mimic the man with a hammer that thinks everything looks like a nail.

A Great Introduction to Genetic Algorithms
This is a great place to start to learn about genetic algorithms.The writing is clear and not bogged down by jargon.The book is not overly technical; it is written for the layman and has a casual conversational style that is a pleasure to read.

About half of the book is devoted to presenting examples of studies that have used genetic algorithms.These examples are interesting in themselves and also serve to illustrate the variety of genetic approaches that are available.The book also presents conflicting points of view of experts about which algorithms work best and why.This is helpful in combatting the impression that a beginner sometimes gets that everything is simple and all the answers are known.

Good introduction for such a short book
Although short, this book gives a good introduction to genetic algorithms for those who are first entering the field and are looking for insight into the underlying mechanisms behind them. It was first published in 1995, and considerable work has been done in genetic algorithms since then, but it could still serve as an adequate introduction. Emphasizing the scientific and machine learning applications of genetic algorithms instead of applications to optimization and engineering, the book could serve well in an actual course on adaptive algorithms. The author includes excellent problem sets at the end of each chapter, these being divided up into "thought exercises" and "computer exercises", and in the latter she includes some challenge problems for the ambitious reader.

Chapter 1 is an overview of the main properties of genetic algorithms, along with a brief discussion of their history. The role of fitness landscapes and fitness functions is clearly outlined, and the author defines genetic algorithms as methods for searching fitness landscapes for highly fit strings. An elementary example of a genetic algorithm is given, and the author compares genetic algorithms with more traditional search methods. The author emphasizes the unique features of genetic algorithms that distinguish them from other search algorithms, namely the roles of parallel population-based search with stochastic selection of individuals, and crossover and mutation. A list of applications is given, and two explicit examples of applications are given that deal with the Prisoner's Dilemna and sorting networks. The author also gives a brief discussion as to how genetic algorithms work from a more mathematical standpoint, emphasizing the role of Holland schemas. The reader more prepared in mathematics can consult the references for more in-depth discussion.

The next chapter stresses the role of genetic algorithms in problem solving, beginning with a discussion of genetic programming. Automatic programming has long been a goal of computer scientists, and the author discusses the role of genetic programming in this area, particularly the work of John Koza on evolving LISP programs. In addition, she discusses the current work on evolving cellular automata and its role in automatic programming. The latter discussion is more detailed, this resulting from the author's personal involvement in artificial life research. Those interested in time series prediction tools will appreciate the discussion on the use of genetic algorithms to predict the behavior of dynamical systems, with an example given on predicting the behavior of the (chaotic) Mackey-Glass dynamical system. The author also gives applications of genetic algorithms in predicting protein structure, an area of application that has exploded in recent years, due to the importance of the proteome projects. The area of neural networks has also been influenced by genetic algorithms, and the author discusses how they have replaced the familiar back-propagation algorithm as a method to find the optimal weights.

Chapter 3 is more in line with what the author intended in the book, namely a discussion of the relevance of genetic algorithms to study the mechanisms behind natural selection. She discusses the "Baldwin effect", which gives a connection between what an organism has learned (a small time-scale process) to the evolutionary history of the Earth (a long time-scale process). A simple model of the Baldwin effect is given using a genetic algorithm, along with a discussion of the Ackley-Littman evolutionary reinforcement learning model, which involves the use of neural networks, and which is another computational demonstration of the Baldwin effect. In addition, the author discusses models for sexual selection and ecosystems based on genetic algorithms. These are the "artificial life" models that the author has been involved in, and she gives a very understandable overview of their properties.

Chapter 4 should suit the curiosity of the mathematician or computer scientist who wants to understand the theoretical justification behind the use of genetic algorithms. Again employing the Holland notion of schemas and adaptation as a "tension between exploration and exploitation", the author formulates a mathematical model, called the Two-Armed Bandit Problem, of how genetic algorithms are used to study the tradeoffs in this tension. The level of mathematics used here is very elementary with the emphasis placed on the intuition behind this model, with only a sketch of the model's solution given. To address the role of crossover in genetic algorithms, the author discusses in detail a class of fitness landscapes, called "Royal Road functions" that she and others have developed. The performance of the genetic algorithm employed is then compared against the three different hill-climbing methods. Formal mathematical models of genetic algorithms are also discussed, one of which involves dynamical systems, another using Markov chains,and one using the tools of statistical mechanics. The latter is very interesting from a physics standpoint but is only briefly sketched. The interested physicist reader can consult the references given by the author for further details.

Practical use of genetic algorithms demands an understanding of how to implement them, and the author does so in the last chapter of the book. She outlines some ideas on just when genetic algorithms should be used, and this is useful since a newcomer to the field may be tempted to view a genetic algorithm as merely a fancy Monte Carlo simulation. The most difficult part of using a genetic algorithm is how to encode the population, and the author discusses various ways to do this. She also details various "exotic" approaches to improving the performance of genetic algorithms, such as the "messy" genetic algorithms. One must also choose a selection method when employing genetic algorithms, and the author shows how to do this using various techniques, such as roulette wheel and stochastic universal sampling. In addition, genetic operators must also be chosen in implementing genetic algorithms, and the author emphasizes crossover and mutation for this purpose. Lastly, the values of the parameters of the genetic algorithm, such as population size, crossover rate, and mutation rate must be chosen. The author discusses various approaches to this. Although brief, she does give a large set of references for further reading. ... Read more

Book Description
Conservation and the Genetics of Populations gives a comprehensive overview of the essential background, concepts, and tools needed to understand how genetic information can be used to develop conservation plans for species threatened with extinction.

• Provides a thorough understanding of the genetic basis of biological problems in conservation.
  
• Uses a balance of data and theory, and basic and applied research, with examples taken from both the animal and plant kingdoms.
  
• An associated website contains example data sets and software programs to illustrate population genetic processes and methods of data analysis.
  
• Discussion questions and problems are included at the end of each chapter to aid understanding.
  
• Features Guest Boxes written by leading people in the field including James F. Crow, Nancy FitzSimmons, Robert C. Lacy, Michael W. Nachman, Michael E. Soule, Andrea Taylor, Loren H. Rieseberg, R.C. Vrijenhoek, Lisette Waits, Robin S. Waples and Andrew Young.

please go to: www.blackwellpublishing.com/allendorf. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Great buy
This book gives a detailed and advanced approach to population genetics in a conservation context, with the essencial mathematical formulation and explanations. The examples are clear, and well chosen. For me it was a great buy.

Conservation and the Genetics of Populations
This is a good book for class preparation!! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Book Description is wrong
I am very very very upset having searched on Amazon and bought the book "Concepts of Genetics" thinking when i saw it advertised by the name and correct authors it was the textbook i wanted. Why did the person selling it did not put "Concepts of Genetics", Student Handbook and Solutions Manual.The person i bought it from is mterwill, mterwill@umich.edu
I think this was deceiving indeed and now I am stuck with a book i do not want. Amazon should do something about those deceptive advertising and wrong name of books. Concepts of genetics could mean a number of books by the same authors. They needed to emphasize it was a Student handbook and solutions manual when they advertised it. I am so upset. I need the text like yesterday because my course already started and this is just a set back. ... Read more

Book Description
In response to many requests, the Third Edition of A Primer of Population Genetics has been dramatically shortened and streamlined for greater accessibility. Designed primarily for undergraduates, it will also serve for graduate students and professionals in biology and other sciences who desire a concise but comprehensive overview of the field with a primary focus on the integration of experimental results with theory. The abundance of experimental data generated by the use of molecular methods to study genetic polymorphisms sparked a transformation in the field of population genetics. Present in virtually all organisms, molecular polymorphisms allow populations to be studied without regard to species or habitat, and without the need for controlled crosses, mutant genes, or for any prior genetic studies. Thus a familiarity with population genetics has become essential for any biologist whose work is at the population level. These fields include evolution, ecology, systematics, plant breeding, animal breeding, conservation and wildlife management, human genetics, and anthropology. Population genetics seeks to understand the causes of genetic differences within and among species, and molecular biology provides a rich repertoire of techniques for identifying these differences.

The book is organized as a user's guide to population genetics.

Chapter 1 starts with the basic concepts of molecular genetics and examines the principal methods by which DNA (or proteins) can be manipulated to reveal genetic polymorphisms in any population. Chapter 1 also includes the principles of population genetics underlying the organization of genetic variation in populations, with special emphasis on random mating, linkage equilibrium and disequilibrium, and inbreeding.

Chapter 2 examines the evolutionary processes that can change allele frequencies, including mutation, migration and population admixture, natural selection of various types, and random genetic drift. This chapter also includes an elementary explanation of the diffusion equations as used in population genetics.

Chapter 3 is the core of molecular population genetics. It includes the analysis of nucleotide polymorphism and diversity based on coalescents, patterns of change in nucleotide and amino acid sequences with special emphasis on codon usage bias and amino acid polymorphisms, inferences based on comparisons of levels of polymorphism and divergence, molecular phylogenetics, and the population dynamics of transposable elements.

Chapter 4 focuses on complex traits whose expression is influenced by multiple genes and environmental factors. It examines genetic effects on the components of phenotypic variation and the correlations between relatives, the evolution of quantitative traits in natural populations, and comes full circle with the use of molecular polymorphisms and candidate genes in the identification of quantitative trait loci underlying complex inheritance.

As for mathematical rigor, while there are some equations, the emphasis is on explanation rather than derivation. Only elementary algebra is necessary to follow most of the material, but a familiarity with basic calculus is helpful for understanding diffusion equations, Poisson random fields, and complex threshold traits. Mathematical symbols are used consistently throughout the book, and when results from the theoretical literature are quoted, the original symbols have been changed as necessary to maintain consistency.

Modern population genetics makes liberal use of acronyms-these are all defined in the text, and their interrelations and implications are discussed. For ease of reference there is a glossary of acronyms and other common abbreviations used in population genetics. The text also includes numerous practical examples showing how the theoretical concepts are applied to actual data, as well as chapter-end problems. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Good for general information
I studied population genetics as a graduate student, and decided to get this book, literally as a "primer" to the field of population genetics. I refer to it every now and then, and would recommend it for those who want to get a general and very broad overview of population genetics. As I read a lot of primary literature, I think it would have been more helpful if the book cited more references, or active research in the field. Overall, though, a very nice concise book on population genetics. It definitely serves as a primer, rather than an overall tell-all, or comprehensive tale of the field. ... Read more

Book Description
The Handbook for Statistical Genetics is widely regarded as the reference work in the field. However, the field has developed considerably over the past three years. In particular the modeling of genetic networks has advanced considerably via the evolution of microarray analysis. As a consequence the 3rd edition of the handbook contains a much expanded section on Network Modeling, including 5 new chapters covering metabolic networks, graphical modeling and inference and simulation of pedigrees and genealogies. Other chapters new to the 3rd edition include Human Population Genetics, Genome-wide Association Studies, Family-based Association Studies, Pharmacogenetics, Epigenetics, Ethic and Insurance.
As with the second Edition, the Handbook includes a glossary of terms, acronyms and abbreviations, and features extensive cross-referencing between the chapters, tying the different areas together. With heavy use of up-to-date examples, real-life case studies and references to web-based resources, this continues to be must-have reference in a vital area of research.

Edited by the leading international authorities in the field.

David Balding - Department of Epidemiology & Public Health, Imperial College
An advisor for our Probability & Statistics series, Professor Balding is also a previous Wiley author, having written Weight-of-Evidence for Forensic DNA Profiles, as well as having edited the two previous editions of HSG. With over 20 years teaching experience, he’s also had dozens of articles published in numerous international journals.

Martin Bishop – Head of the Bioinformatics Division at the HGMP Resource Centre
As well as the first two editions of HSG, Dr Bishop has edited a number of introductory books on the application of informatics to molecular biology and genetics. He is the Associate Editor of the journal Bioinformatics and Managing Editor of Briefings in Bioinformatics.

Chris Cannings – Division of Genomic Medicine, University of Sheffield
With over 40 years teaching in the area, Professor Cannings has published over 100 papers and is on the editorial board of many related journals. Co-editor of the two previous editions of HSG, he also authored a book on this topic. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Good overview of topics on quantitative aspects of genetics
The book is a collection of chapters written by experts in their respective fields. It contains both basic topics of genetics like chromosome maps and protein analysis as well as recent developments in evolutionary genetics like coalescence and phylogenetics. The topics on genetic epidemiology like linkage and association cover the main ideas, but the mathematical subtlities are not adequately explained in some of the cases. Since the target audience of this book are statistical geneticists, it would have been more beneficial if more quantitative insights were given. The chapters by Bruce Weir, Nicholas Schork and Ranajit Chakraborty provide some interesting practical applications of statistical genetics. With lots of controversies going around, it is apt to include the chapter on the ethical issues regarding the use of statistics in genetics. ... Read more

Book Description
This well-organized and clearly written text has a unique focus on methods of identifying the joint effects of genes and environment on disease patterns.It follows the natural sequence of research, taking readers through the study designs and statistical analysis techniques for determining whether a trait runs in families, testing hypotheses about whether a familial tendency is due to genetic or environmental factors or both, estimating the parameters of a genetic model, localizing and ultimately isolating the responsible genes, and finally characterizing their effects in the population.Examples from the literature on the genetic epidemiology of breast and colorectal cancer, among other diseases, illustrate this process.Although the book is oriented primarily towards graduate students in epidemiology, biostatistics and human genetics, it will also serve as a comprehensive reference work for researchers.Introductory chapters on molecular biology, Mendelian genetics, epidemiology, statistics, and population genetics will help make the book accessible to those coming from one of these fields without a background in the others.It strikes a good balance between epidemiologic study designs and statistical methods of data analysis. ... Read more

Book Description
The advances made possible by the development of molecular techniques have in recent years revolutionized quantitative genetics and its relevance for population genetics. Population Genetics and Microevolutionary Theory takes a modern approach to population genetics, incorporating modern molecular biology, species-level evolutionary biology, and a thorough acknowledgment of quantitative genetics as the theoretical basis for population genetics.

• Logically organized into three main sections on population structure and history, genotype-phenotype interactions, and selection/adaptation
• Extensive use of real examples to illustrate concepts
• Written in a clear and accessible manner and devoid of complex mathematical equations
• Includes the author's introduction to background material as well as a conclusion for a handy overview of the field and its modern applications
• Each chapter ends with a set of review questions and answers
• Offers helpful general references and Internet links

Customer Reviews (2)

New textbook in population genetics offers unique perspectives

This latest textbook in population genetics flies above and beyond any other textbook I've read in the field because of its clarity and depth of coverage.

Templeton offers new and unique insights in several key topics in population genetics, and he gives plenty of caveats throughout where important population genetics concepts have been misunderstood. For example, his coverage of inbreeding cofficients is exceptional, and he rightly points out how different inbreeding coefficients are wrongly used in the literature. His approach throughout is multi-dimentional, encompassing the interaction between different evolutionary forces and always stressing the prime importance of population history. A very thorough discussion on the use of linkage disequilibrium in medical genetics is also included.

Does this book have any weak points? It's hard to point out any, such was my overall highly positive impression from reading the book.

Templeton's scholarship is vast and deep, as is his publication record. The unique perspectives offered by this book certainly puts it among the best science books I own.

A New Text Reflecting the Latest Developments
Population genetics is concerned with the origin, amount, and distribution of genetic variation present in populations of organisms and the fate of this variation through space and time. As such it is dealing with the mechanisms by which evolution occurs within populations and species, the ultimate basis for all evolutionary change.

It is not a new science, but like the rest of biology has seen significant change occurring as problems of species extinction and environmental degradation became important to students of conservation biology, and as the analytical methods developed for population genetics have been found to be useful in many areas of genomics.

This book provides a basic foundation in population genetics for advanced undergraduates and graduate students. While the book is not primarily mathematical in its approach, the student should have at least a beginning understanding of calculus.

Dr. Templeton is the Charles Rebstock Professor of Biology at Washington University in St. Louis with joint appointments in Genetics and Biomedical Engineering. ... Read more

Book Description
Completely updated and revised, the third edition of this acclaimed booksuccessfully encompasses the fundamentals of genetics and genomicorganization, integrating key molecular, theoretical, and medical aspects. Including nearly 200 didactically well-constructed and illustrated colorplates, the book employs a unique visual approach that makes the complexsubject matter very accessible. Medical students will find this book aninvaluable pocket-sized overview of the field, and it will also serve as a useful reference book to physicians and other health-care professionals. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Helpful resource
This book is a very good desk reference of genetic terminology.There are useful illustrations and references after each section, and wonderful "quick reference" tables in the back of the book.

great genetics review book
The book is a concise, up to date review of medical genetics. Those of us that love to see a picture along with an explanation will enjoy this book. Certainly, you won't get everything from it ... I personally used it for review. There are several more extensive books out there for your reading and learning pleasure, like Thompson & Thompson. Nonetheless, for a quick overview, or a brush up of info, this book is just great.

Excellent and concise medical genetics book
This is a great book for both beginners and experts in the field of medical genetics. It is well illustrated that makes it very easy to understand one of the advanced and rapid growing field of medicine.
Nithiwat

an excellent companion for biomedical sudents
As a Ph.D student in biochemistry, I found this book to be a very useful and comprehensive review. Also, I found it to be an excellent source for people who prefer reading diagrams and figures over long and boring texts.Over all, I recommend it for any one involved in biomedical studies or research. Other excellent books from the same publisher include color atlas of biochemistry and color atlas of physiology. ... Read more

Book Description
Covering the latest developments, this advanced textbook is the first to focus on introducing the relevant statistical methods applied in this field. Written by the prize-winning scientist Andreas Ziegler, President of the German Region of the International Biometric Society, and Inke König, who contributes more than five years of teaching experience, this is ideal for epidemiologists, geneticists, statistics specialists, biomathematicians, and graduate students.
After providing a concise introduction to genetic fundamentals, the authors explain both linkage analysis and association analysis in detail. The textbook features more than 100 problems and solutions.
With a foreword by Robert C. Elston, Director, Division of Genetic and Molecular Epidemiology at the Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio. ... Read more

Book Description
The Genetic Strand is the story of a writer's investigation, using DNA science, into the tale of his family's origins. National Book Award winner Edward Ball has turned his probing gaze on the microcosm of the human genome, and not just any human genome -- that of his slave-holding ancestors. What is the legacy of such a family history, and can DNA say something about it?

In 2000, after a decade in New York City, Ball bought a house in Charleston, South Carolina, home to his father's family for generations, and furnished it with heirloom pieces from his relatives. In one old desk he was startled to discover a secret drawer, sealed perhaps since the Civil War, in which someone had hidden a trove of family hair, with each lock of hair labeled and dated. The strange find propelled him to investigate: what might DNA science reveal about the people -- Ball's family members, long dead -- to whom the hair had belonged? Did the hair come from white relatives, as family tradition insisted? How can genetic tests explain personal identity?

Part crime-scene investigation, part genealogical romp, The Genetic Strand is a personal odyssey into DNA and family history. The story takes the reader into forensics labs where technicians screen remains, using genetics breakthroughs like DNA fingerprinting, and into rooms where fathers nervously await paternity test results. It also summons the writer¹s entertaining and idiosyncratic family, such as Ball¹s antebellum predecessor, Aunt Betsy, who published nutty books on good Southern society; Kate Fuller, the enigmatic ancestor who may have introduced African genes into the Ball family pool; and the author¹s first cousin Catherine, very much alive, who donates a cheek swab from a mouth more attuned to sweet iced tea than DNA sampling.

Writing gracefully but pacing his story like an old-fashioned whodunit, Edward Ball tracks genes shared across generations, adding suspense and personal meaning to what the scientists and Nobel laureates tell us. A beguiling DNA tale, The Genetic Strand reaches toward a new form of writing‹the genetic memoir.

... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Interesting use of the technology
I found this an intriguing book.DNA technology has become almost synonymous with crime detection and paternity suits for most people, but the author, Edward Ball, chose to do a study of his ancestors, using samples of their hair kept as mementoes during the 19th Century and stored away in the secret drawer of an old desk since their collection.Each specimen was labeled with date and individual name, and the author was also possessed of considerable historical information regarding their lives, which fleshed out the family story to a great degree.My aunt Dorothy, who does the family genealogy for the Drakes, Chesters, and other branches of our family, has compiled a long list of names, birthdates, marriage dates, etc, but it contains so little that is relevant to the lives of those listed, that it has little to offer a reader who wants to connect with the past.Here the author tells a tale of a family who owned large plantations, married endogamously by habit, preference and necessity, suffering occasional insanity as a result, and lived through the trials of the Civil War and its aftermath.What a tale.It reads like a novel with expert commentary.

The author, though not himself a scientist, did an excellent job of describing the process of DNA extraction, analysis, and interpretation for the lay reader, using the technological jargon sparingly and explaining it well when it was used.Because the information he obtained pertained primarily to his own questions regarding family members, it was a more intimate look at the science and what it can and cannot do.What he discovered was pretty much what might have been expected from what he was told by others and by documents, but the sense that he made of the past was more than worth the effort.The story is very readable and well told.

Part science, part history, all fascinating...
I have followed the fates of the extended Ball family and their slave descendents in Slaves in the Family and The Sweet Hell Inside by Edward Ball.Ball now gives us a more scientific emphasis in his new book, The Genetic Strand.The Genetic Strand is part science, part history and all fascinating.

The Ball family was prominent in Charleston, SC and once owned dozens of plantations on the Ashley and Cooper Rivers.The original Charleston Balls were very prolific and their family tree is both impressive and complicated.The idea for The Genetic Strand came about quite by accident.Ball purchased a group of original furnishings from Limerick Plantation, one of the many Ball plantations.One of the items was a secretary-style desk.Hidden inside a secret drawer, the author discovered a hair collection--the samples carefully snipped and wrapped in paper with names and dates.All the hair was from the 1800s and all but two were from Ball family members."The hidden drawer didn't strike me as a jewelry box as much as it did a natural history cabinet:its contents were like fossils, or teeth, little extras Louis and Mary Leakey might have kept on the mantel."

Soon after the discovery of the hair sample, Ball's mother passed away--giving the hair new meaning."The hair consisted of bits of relatives making it attractive as surrogate intimacy."Ball decides to take his hair samples and have them tested for both DNA and toxic residues.He also had his own DNA tested, as well as the DNA of two cousins, so that he could make comparisons.He was hoping to "enhance family stories" and prove his origins.Was it possible that there were some skeletons in the Ball family closet?This part of The Genetic Strand reads like a mystery.

The other part of The Genetic Strand deals with molecular biology and DNA.Ball tries to gives us a primer on DNA, including how it was identified, how it is tested, how it is transmitted, and how testing is used (forensics, paternity, criminologists, etc.).He also interviews some of the pioneers in DNA research.This is a fascinating topic--even if I didn't always understand all the details.Ball's experience with DNA testing shows that it still isn't an exact science.Also, while much has been discovered about DNA, there is still much to be learned.Several Ball relatives suffered from schizophrenia."Probably there were madness genes rattling at the bottom of the family tin, but the instruments didn't reach deep enough to find them."

My only complaint about The Genetic Strand is very minor: the children of first cousins are second cousins, not first cousins once removed.Normally I wouldn't read a book that is found in the biology section of a bookstore.But in the Genetic Strand, Edward Ball combines biology with the story he does best, and that is his historic Charleston ancestors.

Author errors weaken book
Ball begins with an interesting idea - using a collection of old family hair to enrich his knowledge of his family's past.Unfortunately, the book is poorly organized and adds confusion rather than clarity to a newcomer's understanding of genealogy.Ball makes several errors which indicate that he really doesn't understand what he is doing.The editor should have spotted these errors, but somehow chose to ignore them, suggesting that the book was poorly researched and edited.

When Ball finds a collection of family hair in an old family desk, he wonders what the hair can tell him about the past. He explains that a DNA analysis of human hair is limited to the mitochondiral DNA, which he correctly notes is passed from mother to child.The mtDNA can only tell about a person's ancestors along the female line - child to mother to mother's mother, and so on. Ball seems to understand this, until a final suggestion he makes (p.104) in explaining what appears at that time to be a Native American ancestor in his family tree.He asks, "Could a Huguenot woman have become pregnant from a rape, and, afterward, decided to keep the girl?Twenty years later, this hypothetical daughter would have been marriageable, and with her mother's help, she might have found a way to navigate society.She might have been the strand of Indian DNA smuggled into the white stream." Since mtDNA is inherited only from the mother, this would not be possible.This hypothetical half-Native American girl would have had mtDNA from her white mother.DNA from her Native American father would only be found in her cellular DNA.

In another section of the book, Ball offers a few examples of studies of the Y-chromosome and human behavior, where researchers look at topics such as how often those who have the same British surname also carry a distinctive genetic marker on the Y-chromosome. Ball also mentions a similar study where the Y-chromosomes of self-identified members of the Jewish priestly lineage (Cohan)are examined for a distinctive genetic marker.In explaining this, Ball confuses the priestly lineage with the profession of the rabbi.He says that "...paternal descent from a rabbi has always been the method by which male Jews enter the clergy,"(p. 174).The priestly lineage has nothing to do with whether or not someone can become a rabbi. Some rabbis have ancestors who are rabbis, but this is roughly similar to a doctor's son becoming a doctor.When someone wants to become a rabbi he (or sometimes she) embarks on a program of study followed by ordination.The Jewish priesthood was chiefly of importance in ancient times, when worship was centralized on the Temple in Jerusalem.Membership in the priestly lineage is conferred by descent from a male who is himself in that lineage.Because there are a few limited situations in Jewish religious life where a Cohan (member of the priestly lineage) is needed,those who identify as members of this lineage usually pass on the knowledge to their children. It is surprising that Ball is so naive that he thinks that all rabbis are members of the priestly lineage, and even more surprising that his editors allowed such an error to remain in the book.

Sadly, Ball takes an interesting idea, and writes a poorly organized book with a number of misleading and confusing errors.

Using DNA For A Fresh Look At The Past
Edward Ball comes from a large Southern family with a long history in Charleston, South Carolina.Using packets of hair his ancestors collected from their children and other relatives and then cached in an old desk, he attempted to learn more about his genetic background by having the DNA extracted and analyzed.He used a variety of labs in both North America and Europe, and finished with some answers and a few new puzzles.

One of the deep, dark, secrets of American genealogy is the amount of admixture to be found in most people.There is no such thing as a "pure" Indo-European, Sub-Saharan African, or Native American, though many still maintain that they are racially homogeneous.On the other hand, many who have done a little reading and a little experimenting with DNA research themselves tend to make the assumption that the science is so crystal clear that all the answers are right there, ready to be cheek swabbed and analyzed.Ball does a good job of demonstrating that both assumptions are false.His research indicated possible Native American and Sub-Saharan African ancestry mixed in with his "Nordic" Ball genes, then later indicated that such ancestry might not exist after all. The hair samples sometimes yielded much information, but often remained frustratingly silent.In chronicling his research into his family's past history Ball also gives a good overview of the science behind DNA research, making sense of highly technical terms and jargon so that general readers can get a better sense of what actually takes place in DNA analysis.

As a genealogist with a Southern family background very similar to Ball's, I enjoyed reading his stories about his ancestors and his quest to learn more about their racial makeup.One of my great-grandmothers made a collection of hair from herself and her husband and oldest son which I now possess, so I was interested in readingBall's history of this nineteenth century custom and how he made use of it.I have also had my own DNA analyzed and learned some intriguing things about my own ancestry.In my case, a family legend that a great-great-great-grandmother had been a full-blooded Cherokee Indian was disproved when my mitochondrial DNA, which I inherited from her, proved to be of European origin.

Ball has done a good job of making a highly technical science understandable and, more importantly, of demonstrating that that science is still in its infancy and capable of error and uncertainties.His book should be read by anyone considering having DNA research done or by anyone interested in this new and fascinating area.

two books in one
This book consists of the authors descriptions of his cousin's lives interspersed with DNA experiences with various labs.It is only discussing mtDNA because the author is testing old hair samples and the author states that hair ONLY contains mtDNA.

I wanted to learn about the labs and the organization of this book made that very difficult ... Read more