Product Description
The national bestseller that reveals how we are descended from seven prehistoric women. One of the most dramatic stories of genetic discovery since James Watson's The Double Helix, The Seven Daughters of Eve reveals the remarkable story behind a groundbreaking scientific discovery. After being summoned in 1997 to an archaeological site to examine the remains of a five-thousand-year-old man, Bryan Sykes ultimately was able to prove not only that the man was a European but also that he has living relatives in England today. In this lucid, absorbing account, Sykes reveals how the identification of a particular strand of DNA that passes unbroken through the maternal line allows scientists to trace our genetic makeup all the way back to prehistoric times, to seven primeval women, the Seven Daughters of Eve.

CUSTOMER REVIEWS (Average Customer Rating: 3.5 based on 125 reviews)

Awesome book by Michael F. Kos (reno NV)

5 Stars
July 13, 2009
Awesome book This is the best book I have read in years. It is nonfiction, science and thrilling.

Fluff & Wander by Animo (Kansas United States)

1 Stars
June 25, 2009
This is NOT a well written book. Sykes throws in all manner of non-related commentary which has no bearing on the science of DNA. The last two chapters I didn't bother to read because it's shear speculation about the lives of these early women, and personal views on how DNA research has changed his perspective on genetics. It is written to entertain middle-school interests. What really got me was his admission that as an experienced traveler he couldn't pack blood vials sent from Polynesia to Britain without breaking. And he rents a motorcycle to tour an island without having any experience on one, promptly breaking his shoulder! In several places demonstrates his lack of common sense plain stupidity. His history recounting is the standard line out of the universities and is very dated. The continual reference to inhabitants arriving over the Bering Straight when research indicates otherwise does not impress me for his credentials. Sykes is insistant that males do not pass on their maternal genes. The only person in my immediate family tree with curly hair is my father's mother. I passed it on to my first daughter, along with red hair. There are other characteristics that derive from the maternal side both in my father's mother and mother's mother that have appeared in my two daughters. Sykes makes no explanation how this is possible with respect to his discussion of mitochondrial DNA. Clearly several things are left out in his presentation. The book contains maybe 10% real useful information about DNA research and development. The rest is fluff. If you're looking for an intelligent, informative, detailed presentation of how DNA testing is done and the results of worldwide efforts, this is not the book to read. It doesn't even make for entertainment.

Inside..Outside by PeeGeeBeeDee

3 Stars
June 03, 2009
This book's premise and conclusion is too similar to "Mapping Human History" (race is a social construct with no biological basis) for me to like, but it's chapters on basic biology and population genetics are informative for the lay reader. And it was the last couple chapters in "Mapping Human History" that were "we are the world" (not just the last).

He's clearly no biologist by Jerika (9th circle)

1 Stars
April 22, 2009
All you really need to know in order to gauge the accuracy of the research in this book is that Sykes, an Oxford professor of genetics, actually accepts (and repeats) as fact the myth about women suspending their menstrual cycles and being unable to ovulate/conceive while breastfeeding. Unbelievable. If I want old wives' tales, I'll go to Snopes.com. He also gets a huge kick out of telling us (at length) how he is distantly related to Tsar Nicholas II. Boring, irrelevant, and arrogant.

Hard Biogentic Science for the Layman by Jc Holman III (Trenton NJ)

5 Stars
April 20, 2009
This was my first Bryan Sykes book, and I went on to read his entire set of works. Bryan approaches what can be a very dry technical subject in a concise, entertaining way. He's quickly become one of my favorite authors. Many have complained that the second portion of the book is not as good as the first. I'm referring to the section where Mr Sykes speculates on what the lives of the seven clan mothers must have been like during their time. Personally, I enjoyed this portion of the book, but be aware it is a departure from the tone and subject matter of the first part. It's also a departure from the science of genetics and heredity and more of an attempt to "flesh out" the characters of the clan mothers. My main criticism of the book is that it is EXTREMELY Euro-centric. All the hype around the book suggests that everyone on earth today is descended from one of the seven clan mothers... when in fact it would only be accurate to most Europeans are descended from one of the seven.

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