EDUCATIONAL  RESOURCES

Genealogy by Genetics Book & Video Recommendations

A page on the Family Tree DNA Web site provides a list of recommended books (and a video) for those who would like to learn more about genetics and genetic genealogy.  Each book has a label that shows whether the book is for beginners, intermediate, advanced, or all levels.  The FTDNA Web page is:

The first item on the FTDNA recommended list is Spencer Wells' video, which is highly recommended.  In addition to the Wells’ video, there are some books that Family Tree DNA recommends for genealogists of different levels.  They have been categorized according to "Beginner", "Intermediate" and "Advanced".  Some books have been deemed to be interesting and appropriate for all levels, and therefore they are earmarked as "All Levels".  The books recommended by FTDNA with a few additional ones recommended by Robert B. Noles are listed here for your convenience.  Except as noted, all of these works are available through Amazon.com.

If you have more than a casual interest in the current and future uses of DNA testing for genetics and genealogy, you are encouraged to read a couple of the following; starting with the ones recommended for Beginners and All Levels!

“Trace Your Roots with DNA” (Book), by Megan Smolenyak Smolenyak and Ann Turner - “This book is more than a first-rate how-to-book - it is a fascinating look at the history, importance and future of genealogical testing.  Those who are new to the subject will learn everything they want to know, and professional genealogists will find a treasure trove of new information.  This is a sensational book” - Andrew Carroll, editor of the New York Times bestseller: War Letters: Extraordinary Correspondence from American Wars.

"The Journey of Man: A Genetic Odyssey" (Video, available in VHS and DVD Format) by Spencer Wells - The video, is among the best I have seen in the new field of 'population genetics.' It is both entertaining and extremely informative.  The program is detailed enough for those who want to understand the science, and yet simple enough for most people to follow. ... This is the best that TV has to offer..." - From a viewer

"The Journey of Man: A Genetic Odyssey" (Book), by Spencer Wells - “In this surprisingly accessible book, British geneticist Wells sets out to answer long standing anthropological questions of where humans came from, how we migrated and when we arrived in such places as Europe and North America.” - Publishers Weekly

"The Seven Daughters of Eve" (Book), By Prof. Bryan Sykes - This works covers one of the most dramatic stories of genetic discovery since James Watson’s The Double Helix - a work whose scientific and cultural reverberations will be discussed for years to come.

"Mapping Human History: Genes, Race and Our Common Origins" (Book), by Steve Olson - “Olson talked to specialists in genetics as he traveled and much of the book concerns the stories of different peoples seeking genetic answers to the questions of their ancestry,” - Book News.  In a journey across four continents, the 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. ISBN: 0-618-35210-4  (2003)

"The Great Human Diasporas: The History of Diversity and Evolution" (Book), by Luigi Lucca Cavalli-Sforza - “An excellent introduction to the complexities of human genetic diversity.” - Nature.  Cavalli-Sforza draws upon his lifelong work in archaeology, anthropology, genetics, molecular biology, and linguistics, to address the basic questions of human origins and diversity.  This book answers the age-old questions such as: Was there a mitochondrial Eve?   Did the first humans originate in Africa or in several locations on the planet at about the same time?  ISBN: 0-201-44231-0  (1995)

"DNA for Family Historians" (Book), by Alan Savin - This book is easy to read and offers an extremely understandable view of genetics for genealogy. FTDNA suggests this primer for everyone interested in understanding the impact of DNA as a genealogical tool.

"Unlocking Your Genetic History:  A Step-by-Step Guide to Discovering Your Family's Medical and Genetic History" (Book), by Thomas H. Shawker, M.D.  This book is a very  recent addition to the NGS Guides Series.  This book shows the reader how to research and discover genetic predispositions to specific diseases, how to confirm ancestral connections through genetic tracing, and how to understand DNA breakthroughs reported in today's headlines. 2004. Paperback, 305pp, Indexed, Rutledge Hills Press  (available thru NGS).

In this book you get  1) Clear guidance on which characteristics are genetic and which are learned;  2) Intriguing theories on the role of genes in such controversial areas as addiction, sexual orientation, and IQ;  3) Balanced views on debated issues, such as gene therapy.  ISBN: 0-02-863586-8 (1999)

"The Double Helix: A Personal Account of the Discovery of the Structures of DNA" (Book), by James D. Watson - This works is a case history of the events leading up to the discovery of the structure of DNA, the double helix.

"Genes, Peoples and Languages" (Book), by Luigi Lucca Cavalli-Sforza  - This works consists of five lectures that serve as a summation of the author’s work over several decades, the goal of which has been nothing less than tracking the past hundred thousand years of human evolution.

"Principals of Population Genetics" (Book), by Daniel L. Hart  - This is a very comprehensive textbook on quantitative genetics/population genetics for readers with some background in genetics and population biology.