Rating: 
Summary: A Fascinating Rebuttal Against Racism
Review: Olson's "Mapping Human History" is written in a clear, easy to understand style that makes mitochondira, haplotypes and other archana of modern genetics fairly understandable to the lay reader. Olson explains why most geneticists believe that modern humans, no matter how different they may seem, are biologically very similar. There is no room in this book for theories about how one "race" is somehow better than another--or even for the idea that the term "race" has any meaning at all. Our cultures may have divided us, but our DNA betrays the fact that we are all descended from a small group of modern humans who lived in eastern Africa about 100,000 years ago. There simply hasn't been enough time to make us dramatically different from each other, despite what racists would have us believe. The theory that modern humans originated in Africa fairly recently and then spread throughout the world is still, of course, hotly debated. A number of reputable scientists favor the multiregional hypothesis, which claims that modern humans evolved in various places around the world from archaic populations already living in those regions. The mutliregional hypothesis implies that the differences between modern groups are deeply rooted in the very distant past. Olson clearly disagrees with that view, and he does a good job of presenting the genetic evidence that points to a more recent African origin (sometimes called the "Out of Africa II" hypothesis). In the course of doing so, Olson touches on many interesting points. A few of the more striking were these: First, Olson describes recent DNA research indicating that Neanderthals were in fact a different species from our own. This is another hotly debated proprosition, and I suspect that experts could criticize the DNA analysis that Olson describes on the grounds that it's pretty hard to make sense of 35,000 year old DNA. Still, Olson makes a good case that the new results are compelling and consistent with other evidence. Second, Olson describes the Jewish tradition that the male descendants of Aaron, the brother of Moses, will be the high priests of the Israelites. Genetic research among the kohanim (priests), who often have a surname like Cohen, Cohn, or Kahn, suggests that many of these persons are in fact descended from a common male ancestor, who may indeed have been Aaron. Finally, Olson explains why everyone on the planet at this point probably has some genetic material contributed by Julius Caesar and Confucius, among others. It's a small world after all, at least as far as our DNA is concerned. The only part of the book that I didn't enjoy were the last couple of chapters, which shift from the topic at hand (i.e., "mapping human history") to questions of ethics. While these issues are important, they are too complex to be explored well in the fifty or so pages that Olson alots to them, and the discussion tends to detract from the fascinating "deep history" that is the focus of the rest of the book.
Rating: 
Summary: Draws some important links between genes and human origins
Review: Science, history, and medical technology blend in Mapping Human History, a survey of the genes and how genetics can produce unique historical and cultural insights as well as medical breakthroughs. Many of the ethnic and racial differences which divide societies are biologically meaningless, Olson maintains: Mapping Human History draws some important links between genes and human origins.
Rating:
Summary: Very enlightening book
Review: Some of the other reviewers seem to be missing the central point of this excellent book, which, after all, was nominated for the National Book Award in 2002. The author repeatedly points out that human beings are definitely not the same genetically -- otherwise it wouldn't be possible to write a book like this at all. DNA sequences obviously differ from person to person and group to group, and these differences are a reflection of our individual and collective histories.
The much more interesting question is whether, given the history of our species, one would expect groups to differ genetically in anything other than superficial ways. No evidence for such differences exists, nor is such evidence likely ever to exist given the profound influence of familial and social environments on human traits. That's the real message emerging from modern genetics research. Racism based on the idea that groups have significant biological differences is dead.
Rating: 
Summary: Too much preaching, not enough fact
Review: Steve Olson's "Mapping Human History" spews non-stop ideas and concepts that are politically fashionable in today's society, but have no basis in fact. I generally enjoy reading almost anything. Whether it inspires me to change or reaffirm my opinion on an issue, look at something in a new way. or just come up with good discussion material with my friends, it's generally a rewarding experience. But this book is on a very short list of non-fiction that I couldn't bring myself to finish reading. From the very first page of the preface, he starts making unsupported claims that racism of some form is the source for all the human-induced suffering in the world, and that it is unfounded. He cites examples of racially diverse areas of the world, such as slavery-era America, the Balkan peninsula, and most of the middle east to show the violence and hate that can spread when people indulge in racially motivated activity. He conveniently overlooks the fact that the same pattern of behavior has emerged from more racially homogenous areas as well. How does he explain the behavior of certain areas of northern Europe, pre-Columbian America, and China without the convenient excuse of racism? Yes, Steve, genetically speaking I'm 99% identical to people from every continent and racial group. But the same quantity my DNA is identical to that of a chimpanzee, and nearly as much to a rat, horse, or any other mammal. What's your point? In those other racially homogenous areas, people still tended to separate themselves into tribes, clans, or other social structures in order to take advantage of the benefits of a close-knit society. This social splintering happened even without any mentionable racial differences. Why don't you investigate this instead of spouting pseudo-science? When I read other non-fiction books about the origin of humanity, I turn to the back cover after finishing the book to read more about the author, see where he studied for his masters and Ph.D, what work he (or she) has done, and what other books they've written that I might like to read. Instead of listing schools and research projects he has worked on, Olsen's page explains himself as a science _journalist_. His lack of academic credentials is obvious from the over-politicizing way that he presents his allegations without supporting them with any rigor. If you are interested in a macroscopic view of human history, let me instead suggest Robert Wright's book "Nonzero". Whether you agree with Wright's premises or not, you will still find it a much more thought-provoking and enjoyable book.
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Summary: Required Reading
Review: Steve Olson's engaging, convincing and entertaining book draws on the latest dramatic research in genetics to demonstrate that, while we squabbling human beings tend to focus on and, so often tragically, attack each other over the racial and ethnic differences among us, the real story of humanity is that we are--under the skin, in the blood--hardly different at all. Olson's book and Jared Diamond's "Guns, Germs and Steel," which carries a similar message via the vehicle of anthropology, are wonderfully complementary. Olson, like all of our best science writers, uses an informal and conversational style to bring hard science to lay readers digestably. Get ready to learn about mitochondrial DNA, haplotypes and the impact of archaic humans. Olson's message will be a troubling one for those who draw comfort and, sometimes, murderous fury from human divisiveness. But this book adds to the growing body of significant science and scientific journalism that will lay arguments of inherent cultural superiority to rest among any who are able to approach this material with an open mind and a hate-free heart. This book should be required reading for every member of the human race.
Rating:
Summary: Fascinating and Highly Readable
Review: Steve Olson's Mapping Human History is a wonderful account of the journeys of modern man. The author explains all of the science involved in a very understandable and readable way so that all readers can follow this fascinating story. The narrative concerns the migration of man out of Africa and then all around the globe. Language and archeology play a part but this book focuses on the genetic clues to piece together this history which everyone alive today shares. Along the way, he debunks theories of race and any idea of biology as destiny. The author shows that we, modern humans, are all genetically related wherever we have recently hailed from. He does not shy away from the various controversies that swirl around these ideas but tackles them with great skill, particularly in the chapters focusing on the Americas. This is a very informative and entertaining book.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful Book!
Review: Steve Olson's Mapping Human History is an excellent introduction to historical genetics, and indeed it has been called by the New Scientist as "the most balanced, accessible and up-to-date survey of the field currently available." It is written by a renowned science journalist, not a scientist, who quotes and discusses the leaders in the field in a quite readable and entertaining fashion. The book has apparently offended some people by discounting ancestry (and racist offshoots) in light of the overwhelming evidence against the concept. However its scientific credentials are impeccable.
Rating:
Summary: Connecting to the past!
Review: The take-home message of this five-continent trek by science writer Olson (Biotechnology, not reviewed) is that races don't exist: genetically, we are all sisters and brothers under the skin. That message has been promulgated in the press and professional literature lately as geneticists track the DNA in the human genome as well as in a cell's mitochondria. These are the power factories that lie outside the cell nucleus, and we inherit them from our mothers. But Olson raises the level of discourse to a new high, assembling powerful evidence to support the no-races hypothesis. It all begins with "mitochondrial Eve," member of a band living in east Africa over 100,000 years ago. Her descendants were the modern humans who migrated into Eurasia and, some 7,500 generations later, peopled all parts of the planet. Similarly, humans are descended from a male who passed on his Y chromosome to sons. Opponents arguing for a multiregional origin of mankind posit that different continental groups gave rise to racially distinct humans. Not likely, Olson and his sources counter, citing archaeological, fossil, and particularly biological evidence. Basically, scientists search global DNA samples looking for patterns of mutations that enable the reconstruction of genetic history. Example: A woman who gives birth to two daughters, one with the mother's intact mitochondrial DNA and one with a single mutation, is the ancestor of two groups of females-one with the intact sequence, the other with the mutated form. These "haplotypes" create "haplogroups," enabling scientists to trace who went where when. Y chromosome and other gene mutations allow similar analyses-all pointing to diversity, but also to biological identity. There are problems. Why no Neanderthal genes? What to do when researchers who want to study isolated groups or rare remains are accused of "stealing their DNA"? Even armed with the facts, can people ever overcome the cultural hierarchies that impose prejudice, stigma, slavery, genocide? Olson takes a major step in the right direction, but it will be a long journey.
Rating:
Summary: Good book for a lay audience....
Review: Thinking of having your cheek swabbed and analyzed so that you can learn all about your pure Scottish heredity? Before you shell out big bucks for a genetics test, you might want to read MAPPING HUMAN HISTORY by Steve Olson. Olson suggests tracking down your heredity via genetics is like taking a car apart. You thought you had a Volvo, but under the hood lies a Lexis engine. In other words, the original ingredients have been much altered. Twenty generations back you have about a million ancestors. Don't think for a moment you have all their genes. Olson is the author of several books on biotechnology, but his book on genes was written for an educated non-technical audience. Once you sort of grasp what Haplotypes and Haplogroups are about you're on your way. Linguists, anthropologists, sociologists, demographers, paleontologists, and geneticists will recognize ideas expressed before. Some of the material, such as the court decision regarding Kennenwick man is already out of date. A big problem lies with the attempt to assemble tons of material into an integrated whole. In the end one must rely on other experts and the experts you select will affect your findings and conclusions. Following the lead of Colin Renfrew, Olson elaborates on the notion that somehow if we could just combine the work of linguists, archeologists and, geneticists, we could map human history. And what we would find is that we are one big mixed up bunch of people. If fact, the next time you read an article that implies "diversity" is news, you can laugh. Diversity happened long ago. People who want to believe that pure races exist will probably dislike this book. Race is a social construct not a biological fact. Biologically speaking, Americans are a big melting pot and the pot is inside each individual. Olson does not deal with the consequences of social constructs that lead to discrimination. His purpose seems to be to inform those who will listen that we are all making a big deal out of something that is at best skin deep.
Rating:
Summary: Searching for the great migration
Review: This book is a fascinating overview of the work of the many scientists engaged in a truly scientific treatment of heritage (which would complement both our origins both mythical and religious). It's their hope that one day in the future there will be an accurate map of human history which will trace the migration of modern humans from northeast Africa to the Middle East and their subsequent diffusion throughout the world. But this book also contains several concise arguments against the concept of human "races," a construct that does not hold up to scientific scrutiny at all (but which has been used for the past three hundred years to justify the worst crimes against humanity). The main points are that 1) while there are averages to the features of ethnic groups, these do not hold when taking individuals individually, that is, the variations between individuals of a given "race" are greater than average variations between the races themselves; 2) the vast majority of humans have "mixed" ancestry beyond about four generations; 3) every human being alive today is descended from the groups which left Africa some 65,000 years ago. Racism should really be called "contingencism", that is, when one discriminates against a group of persons based upon the wholly accidental adaptations of their ancestors to local geographical/climatic conditions.
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