Who are the Jews? Where did they come from? What is the connection between an ancient Jewish priest in Jerusalem and today’s Israeli sunbather on the beaches of Tel Aviv? These questions stand at the heart of this engaging book. Geneticist David Goldstein analyzes modern DNA studies of Jewish populations and examines the intersections of these scientific findings with the history (both biblical and modern) and oral tradition of the Jews. With a special gift for translating complex scientific concepts into language understandable to all; Goldstein delivers an accessible; personal; and fascinating book that tells the history of a group of people through the lens of genetics. In a series of detective-style stories; Goldstein explores the priestly lineage of Jewish males as manifested by Y chromosomes; the Jewish lineage claims of the Lemba; an obscure black South African tribe; the differences in maternal and paternal genetic heritage among Jewish populations; and much more. The author also grapples with the medical and ethical implications of our rapidly growing command of the human genomic landscape. The study of genetics has not only changed the study of Jewish history; Goldstein shows; it has altered notions of Jewish identity and even our understanding of what makes a people a people.
#433939 in Books Yale University Press 2011-10-18Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 8.78 x 1.06 x 5.89l; 1.12 #File Name: 0300125550304 pagesYale University Press
Review
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Not For the Weak at HeartBy Melanie J ReasorI was doing a research paper about the British Slave Trade. This work has a lot of references; leads; and is very in depth; and well written. I was glued to the book on a subject that I thought I already knew about. I had no idea. Not for the weak at heart. It is very clear and detailed. I was taken from Liverpool to Jamaica with "The Zong" and it was a gut wrenching adventure. Truth is the key here. It does that very well.2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. Brilliant review of both the slave trade and abolitionBy MARI found this book fascinating. Little did I know that Liverpool was built out of the slave trade. Powerful story of the movement to end a great inhumanity.2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. Five StarsBy Diane L. MelvinA must read for anyone interested in this period of history.
