Review by Choice Review
The concept of race in America has a tumultuous history and continues to be a heated topic of discussion among a citizenry that do not agree upon a definition of what constitutes races and what, if any, biological basis exists for subdividing people. In the beginning of the book, Chakravarti (Johns Hopkins Univ.) does an excellent job of summarizing the state of scientific knowledge of the origins and distribution of genetic variation within our species. He lays out the history of how the spate of recent genetic data has changed perceptions of how human diversity is structured and what it means for how we view our relationships with one another, a theme that is further explored in detail by the contribution of Kenneth Weiss and Brian Lambert. Other contributions summarize the current state of knowledge regarding the genetic structure of populations of specific regions of the world (i.e., Europe, Africa, the Americas, and India) and the implications that genetic variation has for the future of medical practice. The amount of genetic knowledge needed to understand the material presented varies from chapter to chapter, but overall this volume is an excellent resource summarizing the fascinating genetic history of Homo sapiens. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Lower-division undergraduates and above. --Joseph Gerard Lorenz, Central Washington University
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Choice Review
