A Brief History of Everyone Who Ever Lived
| Industry | Publishing |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | United Kingdom |
| Products | Books |
A Brief History of Everyone Who Ever Lived: The Stories in Our Genes (titled A Brief History of Everyone Who Ever Lived: The Human Story Retold Through Our Genes in the United States) is a 2016 popular science publication authored by British geneticist and broadcaster Adam Rutherford. Initially published in the UK by Weidenfeld & Nicolson, an updated American edition was released in 2017 by The Experiment, featuring a foreword from physician and biologist Siddhartha Mukherjee and including an extra chapter entitled "These American lands." This work delves into human genetics, offering insights into identity and our shared history.
The book earned the 2017 Foreword INDIE Gold Award for Science and the 2018 Thomas Bonner Book Prize. It was shortlisted for the 2017 National Book Critics Circle Award in nonfiction, appeared on the longlist for the 2017 Wellcome Book Prize, and was recognized as one of National Geographic's top 12 books of 2017.
Table of contents
- Foreword by Siddhartha Mukherjee [*]
- Introduction
- Part One: How we came to be
- Horny and mobile
- The first European union
- These American lands [*]
- When we were kings
- The king lives on
- Richard III, Act VI
- The king is dead ...
- Part Two: Who we are now
- The end of race
- The most wonderous map ever produced by humankind
- Fate
- A short introduction to the future of humankind
- Epilogue
[*] 2017 US edition
Synopsis
A Brief History of Everyone Who Ever Lived presents the Out of Africa theory, explaining that Homo sapiens emerged in Africa approximately 200,000 years ago and began migrating into Europe around 100,000 years ago, where they encountered Neanderthal populations. Genetic evidence shows interbreeding between Homo sapiens and Homo neanderthalensis, with roughly 2% of DNA in Europeans inherited from Neanderthals. The narrative also traces European royal genealogies through DNA analysis, uncovering intricate, interconnected family lines affected by inbreeding. The lineage of King Charles II of Spain exemplifies the health consequences linked to royal consanguinity, as his disabilities were associated with attempts to maintain "royal blood."
Rutherford explores genes responsible for characteristics such as red hair, earwax, and lactose intolerance/lactase persistence, illustrating that racial classifications lack scientific validity. Human genetic diversity far surpasses superficial racial differences, rendering genetics an unreliable indicator of race. The book reviews Francis Galton’s involvement in eugenics and discusses the Human Genome Project, which identified about 20,000 human genes—fewer than anticipated—and highlighted the limitations of genetics as a universal medical solution. Rutherford critiques media outlets and commercial genealogical DNA testing companies for exaggerating the accuracy of genetic information, stressing that genetics provides probabilistic rather than definitive results.
Reception
In a review for The Guardian, Colin Grant described the book as "effervescent," praising Rutherford as an "enthusiastic guide" who demystifies complex genealogies and challenges outdated racial ideas. He highlighted Rutherford’s ambitious aim to rewrite human history with a focus on our shared Homo sapiens heritage.
Robin McKie lauded Rutherford’s presentation of the Human Genome Project as "elegant," noting that the author tempers expectations by emphasizing its greatest contribution was revealing how much remains unknown. McKie characterized the book as "a polished, thoroughly entertaining history," exemplifying exemplary popular science writing.
Misha Angrist, writing for The New York Times, called it a "tour de force" that delivers compelling storytelling while thoughtfully addressing sensitive issues such as race and eugenics. Angrist appreciated Rutherford’s preference for relatable genetic examples over traditional ones like Mendel's peas.
Nancy R. Curtis in Library Journal recommended the volume to both general readers and those with scientific backgrounds, describing it as "amusing and provocative," though she noted its Eurocentric perspective and occasional editorial comments on subjects like creationism.
Charles C. Mann, reviewing for The Wall Street Journal, criticized the title as somewhat misleading but commended Rutherford for avoiding sensationalism common in popular science books. Mann acknowledged Rutherford’s engaging narrative style despite some distracting tangents.
Awards
| Award | Year | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Wellcome Book Prize | 2017 | Template:Longlisted |
| National Book Critics Circle Award | 2017 | Template:Shortlisted |
| Foreword INDIE Gold Award for Science | 2017 | Template:Won |
| Thomas Bonner Book Prize | 2018 | Template:Won |
External links
- A Brief History of Everyone Who Ever Lived: The Stories in Our Genes available at Weidenfeld & Nicolson
- A Brief History of Everyone Who Ever Lived: The Human Story Retold Through Our Genes accessible via The Experiment