Who We Are and How We Got Here by David Reich

Who We Are and How We Got Here

Ancient DNA and the New Science of the Human Past

David Reich

Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group · Print & ebook · February 5, 2019

A groundbreaking book about how ancient DNA has profoundly changed our understanding of human history.

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Who it’s for
Accessible, rigorous science writing that turns ancient DNA into a readable guide to human history.
Genres
Genetics & Genomics, Physical Anthropology, Archaeology
Published
Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group, February 5, 2019

About this book

A groundbreaking book about how ancient DNA has profoundly changed our understanding of human history. Geneticists like David Reich have made astounding advances in the field of genomics, which is proving to be as important as archeology, linguistics, and written records as a means to understand our ancestry.

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In Who We Are and How We Got Here, Reich allows readers to discover how the human genome provides not only all the information a human embryo needs to develop but also the hidden story of our species. Reich delves into how the genomic revolution is transforming our understanding of modern humans and how DNA studies reveal deep inequalities among different populations, between the sexes, and among individuals. Provocatively, Reich’s book suggests that there might very well be biological differences among human populations but that these differences are unlikely to conform to common stereotypes. Drawing upon revolutionary findings and unparalleled scientific studies, Who We Are and How We Got Here is a captivating glimpse into humankind—where we came from and what that says about our lives today.

Why It Clicks

Accessible, rigorous science writing that turns ancient DNA into a readable guide to human history.

Come here for

  • ancient DNA as a way into human history
  • clear, classroom-friendly explanation

Expect

  • insight over spectacle
  • good fit for study or sustained reading

Where it sits

Genetics & Genomics86%
Archaeology41%
Physical Anthropology38%

Percentages are BookFrontier’s reading of the book.

Publisher categories

  • Evolution
  • Genetics & Genomics
  • Cultural Anthropology
Authors
David Reich
Publisher
Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group
Published
February 5, 2019
Format
Print & ebook
Reading lane
Evolution