Book Description
This is one of the first introductions to the sophisticated statistical methods that play a key role in research on human genetics. Topics include the estimation of allele frequencies, the testing for Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, classical and complex segregation analysis, linkage analysis for Mendelian and complex diseases and quantitative traits, the detection of allelic associations, the estimation of heritability for multifactorial traits and path analysis. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Good book but Don't deserve!
This is a good book on the state-of-art Human Genetics Statistics. However, first, the organization of the topics is not that systematical and is a bit chaotic, especially section on association analysis. The author just simply puts everything together without a clear connection among each part. Sometimes (actually most), the language is confusing. Large paragraphs were used try to clarify an issue, but appear to be the opposite to what one wishes. On the other hand, unfortunately, there are a lot a lot of TYPOs in the book!

My comment is: Don't deserve the price (actually it's going up!!!) and don't deserve a 'Bible' in the field!

Statistics in Human Genetics - Sham P
This is an excellent book covering all major areas of genetic epidemiology.Ideal for postrgraduate studies it is well structured and highly detailed.The only criticism would be is that the sections onassociation studies and segregation analysis are not overly strong, butthen this reflects the states of those fields in comparison to linkageanalysis ... Read more

Amazon.com
Spencer Wells traces human evolution back to our very first ancestor inThe Journey of Man. Along the way, he sums up the explosiveeffect of new techniques in genetics on the field of evolutionarybiology and all available evidence from the fossil record. Wells'sseemingly sexist title is purposeful: he argues that the Y chromosomegives us a unique opportunity to follow our migratory heritage back to asort of Adam, just as earlier work in mitochondrial DNA allowed theidentification of Eve, mother of all Homo sapiens. While his descriptions of the advances made by such luminary scientists as Richard Lewontin and Luigi Luca Cavalli-Sforza can be dry, Wells comes through with sparkling metaphors when it counts, as when he compares genetic drift to a bouillabaisse recipe handed down through a village's generations. Though finding our primal male is an exciting prospect, the real revolution Wells describes is racial. Or rather, nonracial, as he reiterates the scientific truth that ournotions of what makes us different from each other are purely cultural,not based in biology. The case for an "out of Africa" scenario of humanmigration is solid in this book, though Wells makes it clear when he ishypothesizing anything controversial. Readers interested in a fairlytechnical, but not overwhelming, summary of the remarkable conclusionsof 21st-century human evolutionary biology will find The Journey ofMan a perfect primer. --Therese LittletonBook Description
Around 60,000 years ago, a man—genetically identical to us—lived in Africa. Every person alive today is descended from him. How did this real-life Adam wind up as the father of us all? What happened to the descendants of other men who lived at the same time? And why, if modern humans share a single prehistoric ancestor, do we come in so many sizes, shapes, and races?

Examining the hidden secrets of human evolution in our genetic code, Spencer Wells reveals how developments in the revolutionary science of population genetics have made it possible to create a family tree for the whole of humanity. Replete with marvelous anecdotes and remarkable information, from the truth about the real Adam and Eve to the way differing racial types emerged, The Journey of Man is an enthralling, epic tour through the history and development of early humankind. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (55)

Great Companion to the PBS Video!
I came to know about Dr Wells' work through the PBS documentary and I made sure that I got it on video so that I could slowly digest the information in it.I was amazed at the findings that we all have a common ancestor from Africa and as recently as only 60 thousand years ago!As the documentary stated at the end, any notions of racism and bigotry based on race after this discovery is just plain wrong and parochial and the implications is that we have no excuse to try and segregate but instead it makes more sense to integrate and work to a common cause: the betterment of the human race.

Still, as any movie is constrained by time, I was sure that there must have been more to this than was presented and so I decided to get the book as well.I wasn't disappointed; there are loads more information here that added to my understanding from what I learned from the video.Although it is around 200 pages long, I found it to be an easy read for the layman like myself with little technical jargon used that is not fully explained.

Wells has got a talent for simplifying complex ideas for lay understanding.If you liked the PBS documentary and want to understand further then this book is the one to get.

Highly recommended.

really interesting
I really got a lot out of this book--it's a bit of a dry read at times, and some of the genetic science gets a little bit heavy (particularly in the beginning), but I learned a lot from reading. A lot of quotable new ideas in here that I wanted to talk about with friends immediately--the extinction of Neanderthals, the early advent of modern humans in Australia, the difference between human and animal as appreciated by a simple grammatical structure, and the ability to track lineage from placental and Y chromosom DNA being some things that spring immediately to mind. Worth dipping into.

Loved it!
I absolutely loved this book! I think the Genographic Project is amazing. Sadly I wish more people could accept Evolution. It's just hard for some to break away from indoctrination.

I want to know my genetic markers!
Excellent reading and documentary. This subject really fascinate me because it provide important information about the origins of population in the whole world -- and I was interested in knowing more about the origins of the Indians of South America. The author's impressive work, allow us to trace our origins via some genetic markers, from the Y chromosome and the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), and is interesting how, for example, we can establish that Neanderthal could not have mixed with Cromagnons since mtDNA differs a great deal compare to Homosapiens and also because there is no indicative marker in European people about the event in the period of possible mixing between the two "species", so in this way we can discard a likely interbreeding between a male Neanderthal and a female Homosapiens --- though we cannot say that interbreeding was not possible.

The author also makes use of the the history of languages to explain its correlation with our genetic patterns, another very interesting subject to read about (for example, the book "A Short History of Languages"). After reading this book I really would like to know my markers, but at least I have a hint of them.

Absolutely great
The book presents the author's lifetime experience in using genetic indicators to develop the journey of mankind from 60,000 years ago from our ancestral home in Africa, to populate all the continents.He explains all the science and discusses contrary theories, to preserve a sound base of credibility.Numerous interesting contributory themes are also discussed, like the linkage of genetic migrations to the development of language.Overall, it is highly readible and very informative.I would highly recommend it for all those who wish to understand and appreciate our worldwide human family. ... Read more

Amazon.com
In the 19th century, when the idea of eugenics (selective breeding to generate superior members of a species) was invited off the farm and into the parlor, it was a far-fetched notion with little possibility of success driven by clearly racist motivations. But at the end of the 20th century, biotechnological techniques and other agendas are making forms of human eugenics plausible.Rich in anecdote, narrative, and fact. An important book.Book Description

Daniel Kevles traces the study and practice of eugenics--the science of "improving" the human species by exploiting theories of heredity--from its inception in the late nineteenth century to its most recent manifestation within the field of genetic engineering. It is rich in narrative, anecdote, attention to human detail, and stories of competition among scientists who have dominated the field.

Customer Reviews (5)

Interested in U.S. eugenics movement, must have this book!
...This was one of the most widely recommended and referenced books by those who disagree or agree with the eugenics movement in the United States. Those who lambasted the scientific idiots running the eugenics movement as being prejudiced and biased in their science, lauded this book as one of the most complete of all recent books written on this topic. Those who support the motives behind eugenics, fixed upon this particular book and author as the one they needed to tear apart. That gives readers an idea of how accurately Kelves pushed the buttons of those who would practice eugenics, euthanasia, doctor-assisted suicide, and other such controversial practices. Kelves research job is outstanding, and even though the reader can tell the opinion of Kevles from the way he writes, he certainly more than backed up his writing with pertinent references and cross-references.

In fact, I enjoyed reading his references and bibliography, because it was just loaded with information that he chose not to use in the text of his book. I also tend to go searching through his index and references for extra information because of all of the books I've read on eugenics here in the U.S. his is the most valid and inclusive of everything I've seen so far. This is a topic which is very difficult to read, let alone write about, without developing very strong opinions not only of the movement itself, but of the people involved one way or another in this particular stain on American history. See...I cannot even keep my own mouth shut for writing a short review on a book on the topic...I cannot imagine researching it for a period of years and being expected to remain distant and objective about it. Kevles does a relatively good job presenting the facts and not becoming too strident about the questionable scientific practices which flourished in order to 'prove' preconceived ideas and beliefs. The book is extremely readable (especially compared to most textbooks for sociology or ethics), and I can understand why professors would recommend this book to their students rather than reading a dry textbook. I certainly have no plans to get rid of my copy, and I will be lending it out and recommending it to those I teach concerning the disabled and bioethics. ...

Excellent history of Eugenics
Kevles is a very clear and thorough writer.I have read other articles by him as well as this book, and he presents the history of eugenics and its modern possiblities with a readablility that will be clear to anyone, even w/o a sciene background.The book does cover a lot of information, but is enjoyable.If you have an interest in the possibilities regarding the use of genetic knowledge, this book is worth your time.

I had to read it for school.
I had to read it for school... I am a college freshman...in my Sociology class we had to choose a book off of a reading list to report on.

Remembering the mention of Eugenics in High School Biology, andremembering my odd fascination with genetics and hereditiy, I thought I'dgive this book a try.I was fully ready to embark on a difficult and heavybook that discussed scientific matter that went over my head (being a filmstudent, eugenics doesn't come up very often.) Much to my surprise I foundthe book very readable, and I became obsessed with reading it. Everythingabout the whole eugenics scene was so complex and intereting.

I think Icould keep up with it all because of the way the author presented thesubject.It was laid out so that a person (like me) who knew next tonothing about eugenics, could pick up the book and get a history of thepeople and the practices of genetics and the uses of human heredity.Irecommend it to anyone who is somewhat interested in eugenics, but does nothave the background or time to devote life study to it.It satisfied mycuriosities and my book report!:)

A Comprehensive Study of Eugenics
Daniel Kevles's In the Name of Eugenics is a thoughtful, well-written look at the eugenics movement of the early twentieth century.In an extremely readable manner, Kevles has produced a most accessible and informative study of eugenics that will be of interest to people with various amountsof knowledge of the field.Kevles meticulously examines the lives of theeugenicists as well as the many implications of eugenics in Americansociety.This book is invaluable to anyone studying eugenics and is agreat resource.

Biased view of an important subject
The book attempts to point to some of the abuses of eugenics in the past in an attempt to discredit modern scientific views of the inheritance of traits in particular the inheritance of intelligence.The inheritance ofintellectual ability was irrefutably demonstrated by Hernstein and Murrayin their seminal work "The Bell Curve".Ever since thepublication of this work there has been a steady stream of the most banaland unscientific writings attempting to refute its authority andconclusions.Although the "History of Eugenics" was writtenbefore "The Bell Curve" was published it nevertheless enjoys theattention of such notable leftists as Jay Gould who have taken it uponthemselves to mount a relentless campaign to discredit Hernstein andMurray's work.

The words of praise of Kevle's book by Jay Gould whichappear on its back cover is particularly disingenuous since the authorpraises Mr. Gould in the book.But praising those that agree with him andcriticizing and demonizing those that don't is the author's as well as Mr.Gould's style.So there is nothing new here.

Apart from the author'ssmall contribution towards work on the history of eugenics there is reallyvery little to recommend this book to anyone interested in an objectivetreatment of this important subject. ... Read more

Book Description
This is a comprehensive and up-to-date guide to the diagnosis, clinical features and management of inherited disorders conferring cancer susceptibility. This new edition is fully updated with much more molecular, screening and management information. It covers risk analysis and genetic counseling for individuals with a family history of cancer, and also discusses predictive testing and the organization of the cancer genetics service. It aims to provide such details in a practical format for geneticists and clinicians in all disciplines. This book differs from others in the field in that it is a practical handbook for easy reference for a wide clinical audience. There is a large reference list for further details, as well as information about the genes causing mendelian cancer predisposing condition and their mechanism of action. ... Read more

Book Description

There is a growing awareness of the important role that human genetics plays in individual differences in human behavior. Human Genetics for the Social Sciences introduces students of the social and behavioral sciences to the basic biological concepts underscoring the study of genetics. Carey explains basic biological concepts while covering principles of genetics, evolution and evolutionary psychology, and the genetics of individual differences. Selective coverage of research in genetics, focusing on areas of most relevance to the social sciences, enables students to appreciate the role of genetics in everyday human behavior. Recommended for social science courses in Human Development, Personality, Psychology, Individual and Family Studies, Human Development, Education, and Sociology.

Book Description
In a journey across four continents, acclaimed science writer Steve Olson traces the origins of modern humans and the migrations of our ancestors throughout the world over the past 150,000 years. Like Jared Diamond's Guns, Germs and Steel, Mapping Human History is a groundbreaking synthesis of science and history. Drawing on a wide range of sources, including the latest genetic research, linguistic evidence, and archaeological findings, Olson reveals the surprising unity among modern humans and "demonstrates just how naive some of our ideas about our human ancestry have been" (Discover).Olson offers a genealogy of all humanity, explaining, for instance, why everyone can claim Julius Caesar and Confucius as forebears. Olson also provides startling new perspectives on the invention of agriculture, the peopling of the Americas, the origins of language, the history of the Jews, and more. An engaging and lucid account, Mapping Human History will forever change how we think about ourselves and our relations with others. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (46)

Very informative, easy reading
Mapping Human History by Steve Olson is very informative, written very well,Easy to absorbe his information. He uses a lot of references which enables further study.

science versus political correctness
On the science front, this book is very superficial. There are many other ones that are much better and more detailed. About 80% of the book is a political correctness diatribe. If this book represents what passes for scholarship in today's academic environment, our society is in deep trouble.

very good
Some critics below carp about political correctness, but the author makes as good a case as any layman's book I've read. He is merely pointing out that human populations converge before they can evolve any important divergent phenotypes, and that all the phenotypes that separate people, which are commonly defined as "race", are pretty much insignificant. He also describes well how the biology works behind the differences in physiognomy that we perceive between the "races".

Human population on this planet is soaring, and we all have to live together more harmoniously, because there's no room left for malcontents to go off and start their own societies anymore. Just like in the remote past, when glaciers and desertification pushed different populations together and compelled their interaction by necessity, all the nations and ethnicities of the world are again bumping up against each other. The realization that we have a common genetic past, and future, is the first step to achieving more international harmony.

Where did we come from
Mapping Human History discusses how the use of mitochondrial DNA and Y chromosomal DNA can be used to trace the common origins of humans. Steve builds a case for how humans appeared as a distinct group about 150,000 to 200,000 years ago based on genetic variation we see in people today. By using genetics and the study of haplotypes and haplogroups, it believed that one can trace our ancestry back to a common "Mitochondrial Eve" or an "Adam" neither of which may have lived at the same time. He covers the encounters with other species such as Neanterthal, emergence of agriculture and the development of ethnicity.

Steve covers most of the globe in this quest for common origins: Africa, Middle East, Asia, Australia, and Europe and finally the Americas. The evidence tends to support an African origin. I found the discussion of the settlement of the Americas interesting. The ultimate conclusion of all of this is the commonality of the human species. A case is made for the irrelevance of race; this seems to be a prominent theme throughout the book.

One thing that I found interesting was the fact that written language goes back only to about 3400 BCE. This tends to support the Bible chronology of humans being created only about 6000 years ago (you can't have written history that predates humans), but then this would be in conflict with the genetic findings.

I also read the book The Journey of Man by Spencer Wells which also discusses the genetic history of man. Neither book really discussed, to my satisfaction, exactly how one gets from the genetic variations to the time periods for the existence of humans being promulgated. It would be of value to have more input in this regard.

Too politically correct to be correct
Some evidences, but rarely relevant; many deductions, yet mostly illogical; big conclusions, consequently, you know what they can be. This is what Olson's book showed me on and between the lines.

Olson obviously tried to give a final verdict on this otherwise interesting topic `No more arguments and that is it!' I am surprised to realize that this is what he really tried to do. This book has nothing to do with science, because it shows no respect to science and no spirit of science.

Here we see political purposes overrule science and political correctness suffocates science. I will tackle 2 of Olson's main claims.

1) `No significant difference was found in genes belong to different races, thus races do not exist.' Actually the studies on human genes has just started and in its very beginning period. There are too many unknowns to conclude. Let us see a big mistake in our history. When Copernicus and Galileo suggested the Earth be moving around the Sun rather than the other way around, one of their criticisms was that if that was true then we should be able to see the difference on view angles when we observe stars in different seasons. Since no such difference was found, Copernicus and Galileo must be wrong. The argument was as strong and logical as Olson's, but it was completely wrong. No difference on view angles was only because the stars were too far from us and the precision of the observation was too low then. 2 hundred years later, the differences were indeed found and Copernicus and Galileo were proven right. Roman Catholic Inquisition Court used the seemingly credible criticism to incriminate the Copernicus theory supporters; the court even burned Bruno, a fearless supporter of the Copernicus theory, to death in Roman Flower square. 500 hundred years later, not long ago, Roman Catholic apologized for what they did then. Do we need to repeat such mistake today? That no significant difference was found does not mean no significant difference exist. According to the recent study, the difference between human and ape is only 3%. If 3% can make such big difference, what some `insignificant difference' can do?

2) `All the people in the world are descendents of one woman.' This claim is less absurd than the logic from which Olson deducted to his claim. This can only be true if all human were all related. This is the conclusion that Olson tried to prove, but he used it as condition from which he `proved' it as conclusion. Let us see an example. We sometimes see a spam e-mail that asks, with seduction or threaten, you to send, say, 5 people whom you know. Which such original e-mail reached every one on the Earth? If isolation and independency cannot be ruled out, such claim cannot stand. Only from limited results of the gene researches cannot reach such claim. This is why Olson needed to use the conclusion as condition to `prove' the conclusion. According to Olson, the evolution in Africa suddenly popped out one common mother and another common father, thus formed a race, human, then such evolution suddenly stopped.

The hasty with which Olson jumped to his verdict is strikingly obvious. Only with other motivation other than science could explain the behavior. No truth can be revealed if political purposes over rule science conscience. Jumping to the conclusion from such little evidences with such hasty is the recipe to mistake.

Olson also made many contradicting arguments. While he claims no difference between races, he enthusiastically wrote new races were formed from different environment for lions and other animals. I often scratch my head to try to understand where his logic was. He seemed to write with the Bible stories in mind, but in a much faster and in greater scale. When there was a pass of Red Sea, Olson made human pass Red Sea and Berlin Straight. In a very short time, 20,000 years (that is 7,200,000 days), certain human beings out from Africa changed their physique and look. But Olson made sure, even with such a great speed, no more new races formed. ... Read more

Book Description

The twelfth edition of this classic reference work includes:

• More than 2,000 new entries

• A total of more than 9,000 entries

• New features and enhancement of the familiar old features

• Mapping information on more than 4,000 genes of known function

• Information on specific point mutations responsible for more than 700 genetic disorders or neoplasms

Mendelian Inheritance in Man (MIM) is a genetic knowledgebase that serves clinical medicine and biomedical research, including the Human Genome Project. It aims to be comprehensive (not only complete, but also collated, integrated, and interpreted), authoritative (not only accurate but also sound in its interpretations and judgements), and timely (not only up-to-date but also historically dimensioned).

From a review of the eleventh edition, Reproductive Toxicology: "Even the convenience of computer-based forms of MIM cannot eliminate the need for MIM in book form. The preface provides a wonderful synopsis of human genetics. The information contained in this text serves as a concise review for those with a genetics background."

From a review of the tenth edition, New England Journal of Medicine: "[Victor McKusick] has been for all these years the shepherd of the development of the field [of clinical genetics]. Perhaps his most important pragmatic achievement has been the 10 editions of Mendelian Inheritance in Man, which rapidly became and has remained the principal source of information on inherited diseases for all clinical geneticists.

"In addition to the erudite entries in the books, the references given with each description represent a magnificent bibliography of clinical genetics. With McKusick's leadership and continued interest in gene mapping, the book also rep-resents an important compen-dium of the location of genes on specific chromosomes.

"The book is a magnificent security blanket for the clinical geneticist and should be in the libraries not only of these specialists, but also of all others who see patients with diseases that have genetic components."

Book Description
Anthropological genetics is a field that has been in existence since the 1960s and has been growing within medical schools and academic departments, such as anthropology and human biology, ever since. With the recent developments in DNA and computer technologies, the field of anthropological genetics has been redefined. This volume deals with the molecular revolution and how DNA markers can provide insight into the processes of evolution, the mapping of genes for complex phenotypes and the reconstruction of the human diaspora. In addition to this, there are explanations of the technological developments and how they affect the fields of forensic anthropology and population studies, alongside the methods of field investigations and their contribution to anthropological genetics. This book brings together leading figures from the field to provide an up-to-date introduction to anthropological genetics, aimed at advanced undergraduates to professionals, in genetics, biology, medicine and anthropology. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Reflects Today's State of the Art
This text is basically an anthropology textbook on human evolution that integrates the latest biological and cultural research. It comes from the merger of genetic analysis and cultural anthropology. The authors see a co-evolution of genes with culture that helps to define the organism and the environment in which they live in which both are acting as cause and effect.

This book was written at the suggestion of the American Association of Anthropological Genetics (AAAG) with the intent of being used as a textbook at the advanced undergraduage and graduate level. It is broken into four major parts:

Theory: Covering Evolution and Genetic Variations and Isolates
Methods: Field Research, historical demography, molecular markers
General Applications: Forensic DNA, Emerging technology, Linkage analysis
The Human Diaspora: Africa, Europe, Oceania, Americas.

Dr. Crawford originally was to be the editor of the book. Due to contributors failing to meet promised deadlines, he has written a substantial part of the book. ... Read more

Book Description
Genetics Primer for Exercise Science and Health is thefirst text dedicated to the basic concepts of genetics in relation to thebroad range of topics in exercise science and health. Author Stephen M.Roth, PhD, makes the content comprehensible for readers who are unfamiliarwith genetics without sacrificing the foundational and criticalunderstanding necessary for interpreting research findings andincorporating genetics into research programs.

Genetics Primer for Exercise Science and Health maintains apractical focus and addresses common concerns when preparing to studygenetics, such as how to use online search tools to identify existingresearch literature and how to identify and select candidate genes usinggenome databases. Through this text, readers will discover theseconcepts:

• The basics of DNA and genetics as they relate to health, physicalactivity, and sport
  
• Specific skills and strategies for interpreting and applying geneticsfindings in research
  
• How genetics research may affect sport performance training andclinical practice
  
• The ethical issues raised by genetics in society and sport
  

Genetic research will play an important role in the future practice ofexercise science and health, requiring students and professionals to havethis basic knowledge for success in their careers. Through its practicalpresentation of current and basic topics, Genetics Primer for ExerciseScience and Health makes the case for more universities to introducegenetics courses to their curricula. Having the essential topics ofgenetics in a single, practical introductory text will facilitate the workof instructors, students, and professionals. ... Read more

Book Description
Advances in genomics are expected to play a central role in medicine and public health in the future by providing a genetic basis for disease prediction and prevention.The transplantation of human gene discoveries into meaningful actions to improve health and prevent disease depends on scientific information from multiple disciplines, including epidemiology.This book describes the important role that epidemiologic methods play in the continuum from gene discovery to the development and application of genetic tests.It proceeds systematically from the fundamentals of genome technology and gene discovery, to epidemiologic approaches to gene characterization in the population, to the evaluation of genetic tests and their use in health services.These methodologic approaches are then illustrated with several disease-specific case studies.The book provides a scientific foundation that will help researchers, policy makers, and practitioners integrate genomics into medical and public health practice. ... Read more

Book Description
This book examines the concept of genetic determinism. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A Good Writer uses the Thought of Others
Playing God plays with us by its title, which plays to the fears and power of humans in approaching new DNA and related technologies.Ted Peters has academic credentials, but he does not use them other than to collect the work of some of the ethicists laboring in this vineyard and present it to us in a low level sensational style.He encloses his collected presentations of others' work in a peculiar theology of his own :
the proleptic yet determinist/predestinationist view of a modern Calvinsim.
This is not a useful guide for our ethical debate on this topic. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

the arguments does not reconcial with reality well..
the fact is, that the greatest hatred are amoung peoples who are genetically very similar through out human history. (German, English in WWII, Chinese, Japanese, Korean through out history etc). in the worst human conflict, WWII, American, English, Chinese, Russian on one side, German, Italian, Japanese on the other side. i can't see any "genetic" stratification in that.and now, the greatest nation(at least the most powerful one)-- America, have no genetic basis. and Germany, the country that advocated racial purity is not even a entity until a fewhundred years ago.(before that, it is loosely connected tribal...)

anecdote evidence aside, quantitatively, traditional ethnic division can only 1% explain human genetic variation(my estimation, no hard data), so if these is a genetic base for ethnic based thinking(racism), it must be a very weak third order effect. it is akin to rate attractiveness among individuals by the body mass based onnewton's law. we know it is absurd, even through newton's law is correct.

Path-Breaking Book
The importance of this book is that it explains that racism is rational.That is, by favoring people of one's own race, a person is increasing his fitness.This means that the anti-racists are trying to convince people to lower their fitness and eventually go extinct.In evolutionary terms, racism is adaptive and anti-racism is maladaptive.A further implication is that racists are in harmony with man's nature (indeed, the nature of all living things - to pass on the unique forms of one's genes), and that anti-racists, who go ballistic at any tinge of racism, are psychologically pathological.
While there is some math in the book, it can be understood by the average person who thinks carefully about the definitions of the terms.The reader should consult the glossary in the back of the book and be sure he understands the difference between "individual fitness," "absolute fitness," "relative fitness," and "inclusive fitness."Chapter 2 is the most important and difficult chapter and should be read several times.

We All Have Genetic Interests
The need to identify with others like oneself, and to be with one's own kind, is a major component of human nature and so ethnic identity is a powerful force in human affairs. Group members have "ties of blood" that make them "special" and different from outsiders. This is why patriotism is almost always seen as a virtue and an extension of family loyalty. It also explains why ethnic remarks so easily become "fighting words." Culture builds on genetic similarity and is bound together by it. Patriotism is preached in kinship terms. Nations are the "motherland" or the "fatherland" and unions and churches refer to their members as "brothers" and "sisters."

Salter draws out the implications, however politically incorrect, for immigration policies, citizenship law, affirmative action, multiculturalism, and other ways of allocating resources within and between states. There are constraints on how much diversity can be appreciated.

On Genetic Interests extends evolutionary theorizing, including my own Genetic Similarity Theory, to the new ground of interpersonal and ethnic relations such as within-group cohesion and between-group conflict. It discusses studies on likeness in social partners such as spouses and best friends. Most importantly, it applies genetic calculations and finds that the average coefficient of kinship within most ethnic groups is about as high as between half-siblings, aunt and nephew, or grandparent and grandchild. Thus, ethnic nepotism is no mere poor relation of family nepotism-it is virtually a proxy for it. Because we have many more co-ethnics than relatives, the aggregate mass of genes shared with the former dwarfs that shared with the latter.

Frank Salter, a political scientists and ethologist at the Max Planck Institute in Munich, argues persuasively in this book that shared genes are the glue of sociality.On Genetic Interests goes so far as to refer to the mind as having an "innate descent-group module" (p. 102). It uses this concept to explain the universality of ethnic nepotism. This is heartening because many social scientists and sociobiologists alike have been reluctant to even consider applying gene-based similarity to ethnic and national preferences. Following World War II, few political scientists and historians have considered inter-group conflict from a Darwinian viewpoint. Partly in an effort to insure that they are perceived as in no way condoning racism, many evolutionists have minimized the theoretical possibility of a biological underpinning to ethnic, national, and racial favoritism. As the late, great, evolutionary biologist William Hamilton himself remarked in 1987, while noting why kin discrimination even among animals is not more readily expected, "in civilized cultures, nepotism has become an embarrassment."

Social scientists and historians have been quick to condemn the extent to which political leaders or would-be leaders have been able to manipulate ethnic identity. But the questions they never ask, let alone attempt to answer is, "Why is it always so easy?" and "Why can a relatively uneducated political outsider set off a race riot simply by uttering a few well delivered ethnic epithets?" On Genetic Interests provides an illuminating answer.

... Read more

Product Description
All the theories, opions and discoveries in Ufology, history of ancient gods, aliens, extraterrestrial civillizations and place of humans in on the cosmic landscape. Revealed or the first time the biggest secrets about world's greatest religions and their relations to extraterrestials. Who created us? God or extraterrestrials? Plenty of evidence bor both the believers and skeptics. A fabulous and mesmerizing book full of data, research, charts and experts opinions. The ultimate book on aliens, UFOs, ancient religions and the place of God in our life! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

WOW!!!!POWERFUL, EXPLOSIVE! FABULOUS!!!!!!!!
What an explosive book! Dynamite! You must read it right away! Nothing like it. It makes you change your beliefs in organized religions and what you have been taught in school. Absolutely amazing. I always liked Maximillien de Lafayette's books because he is serious and highly cultured. The genetic creation of the human race and how aliens came to earth and created us are phenomenal subjects extremely well explained by the author. You cannot put this book down. EXPLOOOOOOOOOOOOOSIVE! An essential book on ufology, UFOs and the origin of the human race. It is going to change your understanding of the universe, life after death, aliens, GOD and our origin.

Absolutely Explosive, Fascinating and Intelligent Book!
The Anunnaki's Genetic Creation of the Human Race

The author, Maximillien de Lafayette is very very clever. He does not tell you what he thinks about the origin of the human race and WHO created us. However, he presents all the theories and opinions of the greatest scientists, ufologists and theologians about the role of an extraterrestrial race that genetically created human beings. And he provides plenty of cases,documented evidence and historical facts about the intervention of aliens from 2 planets who came to earth 60,000 years ago and created the "modern humans". The book is explosive, fascinating and scientific, but full of theories that could change the way you understand the universe, your religion, and what your preachers told you about origin and future of humans.


You will read about ll the theories, opinions and discoveries in Ufology, history of ancient gods, aliens, extraterrestrial civilizations and place of humans on the cosmic landscape. Revealed for the first time the biggest secrets about world's greatest religions and their relations to extraterrestrials. Who created us? God or extraterrestrials? Plenty of evidence for both the believers and skeptics. A fabulous and mesmerizing book full of data, research, charts and experts opinions. The ultimate book on aliens, UFOs, ancient religions and the place of God in our life!
This book is the most comprehensive published work on the Anunnaki and their impact on the human race. Wealth of information and in depth articles on so many topics, including, but not limited to: 1-ETs' role in human development. 2-God and the extraterrestrials. 3-The mystery surrounding Jesus and theSons of God. 4-The extraterrestrials are responsible for genetic intervention in the modern era. 5-The `God' of the Old Testament, Yahweh/Jehovah, is in fact an "intermediary god" or extraterrestrial. 6-How the Anunnaki created us genetically. 7-The real story of Nibiru (Planet X). 8-We created you. We came from space. 9-The truth behind human origins. 10-The alien gods were genetic engineers. 11-The Nephilim an ancient race of half-breed humans... And much much more...
Read it. It is powerful, unbiased, intelligent, well-documented.
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Book Description

South Asia is home to a diverse range of prehistoric and contemporary cultures that include foragers, pastoralists, and farmers. In this book, archaeologists, biological anthropologists, geneticists and linguists are brought together in order to provide a comprehensive account of the history and evolution of human populations residing in the subcontinent. A wide range of topics and issues are addressed in this book, including hominin adaptations, behaviours, and dispersals; the origin and spread of food producing economies; and the cultural, biological and genetic relationship of foragers and settled communities. New theories, methodologies and interpretations presented in this book are bound to have a profound effect on the way in which the cultural record of South Asia is perceived and how this evolutionary history relates to events in the wider world.

Book Description
No discipline has been impacted more by the recent advances in genetics and molecular biology than the fields of oncology and cancer research. In this exciting new title, renowned researchers and practitioners of current cancer and genetics research present a thorough review of the fundamentals of genetics and human phenotypes, gene mutation, the Human Genome Project, and genetic implanting. From relatively rare to massively prevalent oncologic diseases, the authors cover topics from melanoma, breast cancer to Wilms Tumor. Chapter organization reflects clinical aspects; genetic loci; specific genes; and implications for diagnosis. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Thumbs up.
Great text for any graduate student to get an understanding of the genetics of cancer. This book has something in it for everybody and is divided into the following areas: Basic concepts, cell cycle control, familial cancer syndromes and cancers by site.

It is a great text for a graduate student interested in cancer and does proved a very extensive introduction for an advanced student. It is an excellent source of reviews for a graduate student. It's of course not recommended for any lay audience. I use it often as great reference. The drawback is that it is not a good introductory text but one that would help you build upon your previous understanding and looks at the subject area quite in-depth.

Decent job trying to review all of cancer
First of all I was dissapointed there were no color illustrations.The book is broken up into first, a few chapters on basic concepts in cancer.Next, chapters which deal with Familial cancers (like bloom's syndrome orAtaxia-telaniectasia, or breast cnacer) and then chapters on cancers bygeneral location(stomach, lung).It is definitely a book for a moreprofessional audience.The chapter's do a decent job reviewing theclinical aspects each cancer type. The molecular biology is at times too indepth and at other times already showing its age.We used some chaptersfrom this book as reviews for a course I was taking in grad. school. Overall I thought it was pretty interesting. ... Read more

Book Description
Are eugenics practices morally defensible? Who should have access to genetic information about particular individuals? What dangers for cultural and racial diversity do developments in genetics pose? And how should scientific research be regulated and by whom? These are some of the questions addressed in this book, which comprises the 1998 Oxford Amnesty Lectures. The lecturers are all respected in their specific field, including Hilary Putnam, Ian Wilmut (co-creator of 'Dolly' the sheep), and Jonathan Glover. Each lecture is proceeded by a discussion article written by prominent lawyers, scientists, and philosophers, and a foreword has been written by Richard Dawkins. Fascinating and thought-provoking, this book is essential reading for all those interested in the future of genetics and humankind. ... Read more

Book Description
This second edition of a very successful text reflects the tremendous pace of human genetics research and the demands that it places on society to understand and absorb its basic implications. The human genome has now been officially mapped and the cloning of animals is becoming a commonplace scientific discussion on the evening news. Join authors Julia Richards and Scott Hawley as they examine the biological foundations of humanity, looking at the science behind the sensation and the current and potential impact of the study of the genome on our society.

The Human Genome, Second Edition is ideal for students and non-professionals, but will also serve as a fitting guide for the novice geneticist by providing a scientific, humanistic, and ethical frame of reference for a more detailed study of genetics.

New in this edition:
· 60% new material, including data from the Human Genome Project and the latest genetics and ethics discussions
· Several new case studies and personal stories that bring the concepts of genetics and heredity to life
· Simplified treatment of material for non-biology majors
· New full-color art throughout the text
· New co-author, Julia Richards, joins R. Scott Hawley in this revision ... Read more

Customer Reviews (16)

Somewhere between a textbook and an article in time magazine.
I had the tremendous honor of being taught genetics by two brilliant scientists at the University of Missouri Kansas City, one of whom was Dr. R. Scott Hawley (the other was Dr. Saul Honigberg). Dr. Hawley's name is regnant in the world of meiotic genetics, and a significant percentage of modern biological knowledge can be found within the many pages he has authored. Not only is Dr. Hawley a brilliant scientist, he is also a gifted story-teller. He has an excellent sense of humor, and he has repeatedly proven he can make a grown man cry with his heart-tugging stories of real people affected by very real disease. He infuses his literature on science and medicine with a dose of compassion, much-needed by students of science, like myself, who spend hours trying to see disease in terms of molecules rather than human faces.

I am not very familar with any other work done by Julie Richards, but if this text is representative of her fare I would say she too is quite gifted.

This is an excellent book.

That said, I would caution anyone who wants a very deep and detailed study of the science of genetics to look elsewhere because this book merely contains the essential molecular information for understanding the rest of the text (it is, after all, "a user's guide," not a PhD-student's guide). Still, it is an excellent, extremely informative read, with some paradigm-shifting perspectives to offer.

Awesome!
I am a Genetics student at the University of Kansas with the intent of beginning medical school in August.I strongly feel this text has helped me to be better prepared on this topic.I enjoyed the style in which this book was written since you can almost hear the authors speak directly to you as you're reading.I especially admire and appreciate the authors' human sides come across in the examples that are given.Too bad my other science textbooks aren't as interesting!

Better than before!
I personally think that the first edition was unfairly reviewed-A couple of the ridiculously negative reviewers who bashed the book (without providing much explanation or insight) were probably written by former students whom the authors flunked, since the attacks appear personal. Of course, the first edition wasn't perfect, although it was pretty darn good!I recently had a chance to peek at the new, 2nd edition, and was thrilled to see so many improvements.The language is much clearer and easier to follow since the authors use a nice conversational tone and less-technical language.The color art is really impressive and ADDS to the new edition.The book is at least twice as long and packed with current, up-to-date information such as human cloning, the human genome project and genetic diseases.I definitely recommend buying this book!

Timely and Thorough revision
This SECOND EDITION is a major improvement on the first (which was already pretty good). It's an excellent text on modern Human Genetics. Not too overwhelming for non-experts, in fact perfect for the absolute novice, but enough science to really get the gist of the issues. It goes a long way to explaining some difficult concepts that I haven't seen treated correctly elsewhere.

Individual aspects of disorders covered
I had this text for a MCB 10 (genetics) course at UC Davis in California.I found the science part of it interesting and for the most part helpful.I think the authors really tried to keep the reader's interest, and make asubject that is not always thought of as fascinating a little more lightand relevant.People may disagree about including anecdotes in a textbook,but I think the anecdotes, while they may have been out of place,made thebook more readable for me.Also, I really admired the way the authorsfocused on the individual aspects of the disorders they mentioned.As ayoung woman with Turners Syndrome, I can say that it was very refreshingthat for once we were not portrayed as genetic mutants, and that individualdifferences that occur in any disorder was pointed out.I think it's sad,looking down the reviews, that only the bad reviews were seen as helpful. I would hope that people will give this book a chance. ... Read more

Book Description
With the accelerating discovery of human genes, public health professionals are increasingly confronted with a large body of scientific information that will guide public health action. Because the broad mission of public health is to fulfill society's interest in assuring conditions in which people can be healthy, the integration of new genetic information in public health research, policy, and program development is unavoidable. Public health leadership is urgently needed to use genetic information to improve health and prevent disease, and to address ethical, legal and social issues resulting from inappropriate use of such information. In the not too-distant future, disease prevention and health promotion programs will routinely consider whether or not to use genetic information to help target behavioral, medical or environmental intervention activities in order to maximize benefit and minimize costs and harm to individuals. In anticipation of the expected growth at the interface of genetics and public health, this book delineates a framework for the integration of advances in human genetics into public health practice. It provides a comprehensive review of public health genetics, including chapters on important general issues such as newborn and other genetic screening, the delivery of genetic services, and the ethical, legal and social implications of the use of genetics within public health.It also reviews relevant clinical topics, the historical background, cross-cultural aspects, and communication issues. Contributors come from a wide range of fields including epidemiology, biostatistics, health policy and management, health services research,behavioral and social sciences, ethics, law, health economics, and laboratory sciences. ... Read more

Book Description

Customer Reviews (1)

THE classic of human population genetics
This Dover reprint of the classic human population genetics 1970's text, originally published by Freeman, will be welcome. Though factually dated by the ensuing 30 years of molecular genetic data, this remains a superb introduction to basic mathematical theory. I've used it in a grad course, and students really enjoyed it. ... Read more