Rating: 
Summary: Wonderful Book!
Review: Although many words have been written attempting to show the unity of the human species, Steve Olson makes yet another attempt. He feels the need is there to be met. Instead of basing his effort on philosophical or moral grounds, he turns to our genetic record to make his point. It's a valid quest using unimpeachable methods and Olson presents it well. Some of the material, such as Wilson and Cann's "mitochondrial Eve" may be a bit shopworn, but it's an essential element of Olson's scenario. He builds his structure carefully and solidly, so a bit of used material isn't out of place. After all, he's not attempting any new, revolutionary concept in this book. He merely wishes to displace old, traditional ideas with a new reality. Given the entrenched thinking about "race" in human cultures, calling Olson's task daunting is grievous understatement. The human diaspora from Africa he traces reaches across 150 millennia. Unlike most other species, humanity developed at an astonishing rate. Tracing genetic changes with humans migrating across the planet, not always in one direction is staggeringly difficult. Olson struggles, usually successfully, to reconcile the paleoanthropological finds with genetics research. He demonstrates the likely origins of the Chinese, Europeans, Australian and Western Hemispheric Aborigines. One subset of our species, the Jews, receives some special attention. Olson recognises that much of the information he addresses is "highly contentious", but he bravely sets out to reconcile the views of many researchers. He examines in some detail, for example, hotly disputed notions about linguistic evolution. Given that the human population at the beginnings of language was already "on the road", his own description of language origins seems a bit thin. It would be unfair to fault him for this section, however, particularly since his aim isn't to prove or disprove any of the theories, but to use linguistic evolution as a metaphor. A full analysis of the topics in historical linguistics would double the size of the book. Readers interested in the topic should start with Olson's bibliography and keep reading. Does Olson succeed in his quest? With the advances made in genetic analysis over the past generation, the origin of our species in Africa is now beyond dispute. Whether there's been enough time for local populations to form genetically distinct sub-species of Homo sapiens, Olson deftly refutes. There's been far too much intermingling and interbreeding to establish the kinds of races birds have done. That cultural ties keep groups with some identifiable physical traits such as the epicanthic folds of some Asian peoples doesn't justify labelling them with racial identities. A broadening of marriage traditions would quickly blend out the trait, as it already has in some areas. Olson has performed a monumental task in defining our species. He covers the globe over an immense time span. He traces, as best he can with current evidence, the various tracks our ancestors took in occupying the planet. There's little doubt he's built a solid case for our identity as a single, if widespread, species. He helps his theme with some useful maps and other diagrams. Clearly our common ancestor denies the notion of "separate races". On the other hand, why did he feel the need to make this effort. Clearly, "race", whether or not biologically valid, is a strong element in human thinking. Why this should be doesn't appear to be something we can identify through genetic analysis. The cause is ultimately, as Olson tentatively concedes, cultural. Bring up your children to hate someone identifiable, and they likely will do so. In Hawaii, likely the planet's most ethnically blended society, intermarriage, mixed schools and churches and full job opportunity, still has not shed divisions among its people. Olson would like his book to help overcome those divisions. It isn't likely to happen unless every human alive reads this book. And accepts his conclusions. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]
Rating: 
Summary: A recipe for race?
Review: Although many words have been written attempting to show the unity of the human species, Steve Olson makes yet another attempt. He feels the need is there to be met. Instead of basing his effort on philosophical or moral grounds, he turns to our genetic record to make his point. It's a valid quest using unimpeachable methods and Olson presents it well. Some of the material, such as Wilson and Cann's "mitochondrial Eve" may be a bit shopworn, but it's an essential element of Olson's scenario. He builds his structure carefully and solidly, so a bit of used material isn't out of place. After all, he's not attempting any new, revolutionary concept in this book. He merely wishes to displace old, traditional ideas with a new reality. Given the entrenched thinking about "race" in human cultures, calling Olson's task daunting is grievous understatement. The human diaspora from Africa he traces reaches across 150 millennia. Unlike most other species, humanity developed at an astonishing rate. Tracing genetic changes with humans migrating across the planet, not always in one direction is staggeringly difficult. Olson struggles, usually successfully, to reconcile the paleoanthropological finds with genetics research. He demonstrates the likely origins of the Chinese, Europeans, Australian and Western Hemispheric Aborigines. One subset of our species, the Jews, receives some special attention. Olson recognises that much of the information he addresses is "highly contentious", but he bravely sets out to reconcile the views of many researchers. He examines in some detail, for example, hotly disputed notions about linguistic evolution. Given that the human population at the beginnings of language was already "on the road", his own description of language origins seems a bit thin. It would be unfair to fault him for this section, however, particularly since his aim isn't to prove or disprove any of the theories, but to use linguistic evolution as a metaphor. A full analysis of the topics in historical linguistics would double the size of the book. Readers interested in the topic should start with Olson's bibliography and keep reading. Does Olson succeed in his quest? With the advances made in genetic analysis over the past generation, the origin of our species in Africa is now beyond dispute. Whether there's been enough time for local populations to form genetically distinct sub-species of Homo sapiens, Olson deftly refutes. There's been far too much intermingling and interbreeding to establish the kinds of races birds have done. That cultural ties keep groups with some identifiable physical traits such as the epicanthic folds of some Asian peoples doesn't justify labelling them with racial identities. A broadening of marriage traditions would quickly blend out the trait, as it already has in some areas. Olson has performed a monumental task in defining our species. He covers the globe over an immense time span. He traces, as best he can with current evidence, the various tracks our ancestors took in occupying the planet. There's little doubt he's built a solid case for our identity as a single, if widespread, species. He helps his theme with some useful maps and other diagrams. Clearly our common ancestor denies the notion of "separate races". On the other hand, why did he feel the need to make this effort. Clearly, "race", whether or not biologically valid, is a strong element in human thinking. Why this should be doesn't appear to be something we can identify through genetic analysis. The cause is ultimately, as Olson tentatively concedes, cultural. Bring up your children to hate someone identifiable, and they likely will do so. In Hawaii, likely the planet's most ethnically blended society, intermarriage, mixed schools and churches and full job opportunity, still has not shed divisions among its people. Olson would like his book to help overcome those divisions. It isn't likely to happen unless every human alive reads this book. And accepts his conclusions. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]
Rating: 
Summary: An overview with distractions
Review: As a basic, non-technical overview of what genetics can tell us about human origins and migrations, this book could have been half as long. The distractions, such as racism, linguistics, resentment and fear of some groups towards genetic research, and the peculiar chapter on Hawaii, could have been condensed in one chapter or even eliminated. Also, having read several books on the same topic, I find it interesting that all of them begin with the genes of the modern proto-humans out of Africa and examine the changes and mutations from that point. I am curious to know something about the genetic differences between humans and our "alleged" nearest relatives, or is that too controversial?
Rating: 
Summary: Should be a 20-page paper instead
Review: As mentioned by many reviewers, this book has a lot of preaching about the invalidity of the concept of races.
What interests me to the book was the title "Mapping Human History". 10% of this book content is in this area, and if those content are condensed into a short paper, it'd make really good reading.
The whole book is a quick read. The key "mapping" can be summarized as follows:
1. "Out of Africa" hypothesis (sole source of modern homo sapiens is from Africa) is affirmed by genetic research.
2. First wave out of Africa (~65,000 years ago) is by sea along Arabian peninsula to Indian Ocean which has two streams afterwards, one earlier stream down Oceania and a later stream up East Asia.
3. "Mongoloid" characteristics are formed relatively late (~20,000 years ago? I don't recall anymore)
4. Second wave is through Sinai peninsula by land ~45,000 years ago and completely displaced Neaderthals in Middle East & Europe by around ~30,000 years ago
5. First wave and second wave met in (north) Central Asia from different directions
6. Primarily the East Asia stream entered the Americas ~15,000 years ago (but could be earlier), though some genes from the ME/Europe stream have also entered (because of 5.)
7. All these really happenned before the invention of agriculture (and culture). Agriculture (and potentially other key technologies such as use of iron) privileges the groups who are the first to under-go population explosion. A lot of racial mixing especially on the fringes afterwards. This is where Jared Diamond's "Guns, Germs and Steel" picked up.
If you're just interested in the mapping, you don't need to buy the book-- save it for something else.
Rating: 
Summary: Silly theories.
Review: For starters. How do Australian Aborigines whose ancestors have lived nowhere but in Austrailia for the last 6,000 years possibly descend from Abraham, the Jewish founding father, who was supposed to have lived just 4,000 years ago in the Middle East? Yet Olson, in his book, ridiculuosly claims all human beings descend from that Abe if he in fact really existed. Fatter than fat chance of all humans being that particular Jewish patriarch's descendants even if he once did exist. Other silly ideas abound in this book. Pass on it!
Rating:
Summary: A MUST READ FOR THE LAYMAN
Review: FOUND THIS BOOK THE BEST ON THE SUBJECT THAT I HAVE EVER READ! HIGHLY READABLE (NON-TECHNICAL) FOR US "LAYMAN" - WOULD NOT PART WITH MY EDITION AS I WILL BE RE-READING IT FOR SOME TIME TO COME! IF YOU HAVE ANY INTEREST IN THIS SUBJECT I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS THOUGHTFUL, INFORMATIVE, AND OBJECTIVE HISTORY OF THE ORIGINS AND DISTRIBUTION OF "MODERN MANKIND".
Rating:
Summary: A MUST READ FOR THE LAYMAN
Review: FOUND THIS BOOK THE BEST ON THE SUBJECT THAT I HAVE EVER READ! HIGHLY READABLE (NON-TECHNICAL) FOR US "LAYMAN" - WOULD NOT PART WITH MY EDITION AS I WILL BE RE-READING IT FOR SOME TIME TO COME! IF YOU HAVE ANY INTEREST IN THIS SUBJECT I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS THOUGHTFUL, INFORMATIVE, AND OBJECTIVE HISTORY OF THE ORIGINS AND DISTRIBUTION OF "MODERN MANKIND".
Rating:
Summary: We're all in it together
Review: I consider myself to be well educated but I'm by no means a scientist. Some science books scare me...you know the ones I'm talking about. Within five pages of the first chapter I feel like I should have taken a course before starting the book. Let me reassure all you other non-scientists--this is not that kind of science book. In fact, as a lay person I'd have to say this is one of the best non-fiction books I've read this year. Olson takes the reader on a fascinating journey through time and place to follow our human ancestors (and their genes) out of Africa and into the big, bad world. The number one thing I took away from this book is that skin color, facial characteristics, language, and culture don't really matter in the bigger picture. The unavoidable truth is that we're all related and we all come from the same starting point. Of course, this is nothing new to folks who have been following scientific research in the past 20-30 years...but Olson really brings the point home by taking us right into the heart of genetic research as it's happening today. I enjoyed the way Olson focused on a variety of groups--Jews, Africans, Native Americans, Polynesians--to show just how ephemeral cultural and racial distinctions really are. This is a great book for history buffs and armchair anthropologists alike.
Rating:
Summary: Good reading, slightly too preachy though
Review: I enjoyed reading this book; it provided a good insight into human history from the point of view of a geneticist. Specifically, what the impact was of studying mitochondria and Y chromosomes on the study of the history of humans. However, the book's preachiness got tiring. While I am nothing but sympathetic to the idea that humans around the world are more or less the same, I would have preferred it if this work was less ideological.
Rating:
Summary: Not enough hard facts or analysis
Review: I was expecting something closer to the 'Seven Daughters of Eve'. Unfortunately, there was very little in the way of what the title promised, that is, a genetic map of how humans migrated throughout the world. There was some discussion, but nothing new. Also way too much of the book was wasted on hand-wringing about the evils of racism. Although, I'm sympathetic to his point of view, that discussion is better placed in a political science book.
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