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A family portrait for all humanity . . . This enjoyable book has a great deal to say about our genetic code--or, more precisely, about how our knowledge of genetics is misused and misconstrued. . . . [Rutherford] proves an enthusiastic guide and a good storyteller. --The Wall Street Journal An effervescent work, brimming with tales and confounding ideas carried in the 'epic poem in our cells.' --Guardian Rutherford raises significant questions and explains complex topics well, engaging readers with humor and smooth prose. --Publishers Weekly, starred review A sweeping new view of the human evolution story, using the latest science of DNA as the central guide . . . . Recommended. --Scientific American Adam Rutherford's 'A Brief History of Everyone Who Ever Lived' is the book we need. --PZ Myers Challenging the simplistic thinking bolstered by the media, Rutherford adds both nuance and the thrill of excitement to viewing our species through a wider, stronger lens that can now see deep into our past. --Amazon Book Review, Best Book of 2017 [Rutherford's] head-on, humane approach to such charged and misunderstood topics as intelligence and race make this an indispensable contribution to the popular science genre. --Apple's iBooks Best Book of September 2017 An enthusiastic history of mankind in which DNA plays a far greater role than the traditional 'bones and stones' approach, followed by a hopeful if cautionary account of what the recent revolution in genomics foretells . . . Often quirky but thoughtful--solid popular science. --Kirkus By turns amusing and provocative, this book, which may bruise the egos of a few genealogists, will appeal to both popular and technical science readers. --Library Journal Ambitious, wide-ranging, and deeply researched, Rutherford's book sets out to describe the history of the human species--from our origins as a slight, sly, naked, apelike creature somewhere in Africa to our gradual spread across the globe and our dominion over the planet. --from the foreword by Siddhartha Mukherjee You couldn't ask for a better guide to the complex, often bewildering world of genetics than Adam Rutherford, who guides the reader with a deft hand through an ambitious tour of human history--seen through the lens of cutting-edge genomics research. A Brief History of Everyone Who Ever Lived is equal parts informative, engaging, and frequently surprising--a must-read for fans of big-picture popular science. --Jennifer Ouellette, author of Me, Myself, and Why: Searching for the Science of Self Rutherford manages to reveal fresh (and controversial) assessments of human history and dispel long-held beliefs with clarity, enthusiasm and humor. --Shelf Awareness for ReadersPraise for the UK edition: Adam Rutherford's book is well-written, stimulating, and entertaining. What's more important, he consistently gets it right. --Richard Dawkins Genetics is opening up the past as never before--Adam Rutherford puts the genes in genealogy brilliantly. --Matt Ridley Magisterial, informative, and delightful. --Peter Frankopan A revelatory and important exploration into the ties that bind us--all seven billion of us--together. I really was enthralled. --Sunjeev Sahota, author of The Year of the Runaways Fifteen years ago, the first sequence and analysis of the human genome was published. A monumental surge in genetics followed. Science writer and broadcaster Adam Rutherford rides that tide and traces its effects, first focusing on how genetics has enriched, and in some cases upset, our understanding of human evolution, then examining the revelations of recent findings, such as deep flaws in the concept of race. . . . Rutherford unpeels the science with elegance. --Nature Science books can sometimes be rather stuffy or prissy--but no one can accuse Adam Rutherford of this. In his exploration of 'the stories in our genes' that word stories is foremost--and Rutherford proves himself time and again to be an accomplished storyteller. . . . I love the many meanders that Rutherford takes along the way, whether it's the horrendously inbred family tree of the Hapsburgs resulting in the sad case of Charles II, or the unique genetic laboratory provided by the small and relatively isolated population of Iceland. Rutherford is at his best when exploring an apparently trivial but genuinely interesting topic like variations in earwax type. This is dependent on a single gene and his exploration of its distribution across the world is delightful . . . A magnificent achievement, a big, friendly bear of a book that pummels the reader with delightful stories and no doubt would buy you a drink if it could. --Brian Clegg, PopScienceBooks Rutherford's follow-up to his highly regarded first book Creation is an effervescent work, brimming with tales and confounding ideas carried in the 'epic poem in our cells.' The myriad storylines will leave you swooning. . . . Rutherford, a trained geneticist, is an enthusiastic guide. He is especially illuminating on the nebulous concept of race, how it both does and doesn't exist . . . Rutherford has proved himself a commendable historian--one who is determined to illuminate the commonality of Homo sapiens. --Colin Grant, Guardian

A family portrait for all humanity . . . This enjoyable book has a great deal to say about our genetic code--or, more precisely, about how our knowledge of genetics is misused and misconstrued. . . . [Rutherford] proves an enthusiastic guide and a good storyteller. --The Wall Street Journal An effervescent work, brimming with tales and confounding ideas carried in the 'epic poem in our cells.' --Guardian Rutherford raises significant questions and explains complex topics well, engaging readers with humor and smooth prose. --Publishers Weekly, starred review A sweeping new view of the human evolution story, using the latest science of DNA as the central guide . . . . Recommended. --Scientific American Rutherford unpeels the science with elegance. --Nature A shining example of science writing at its best . . . will change the way you think about human evolution. --Newsday Adam Rutherford's book is well-written, stimulating, and entertaining. What's more important, he consistently gets it right. --Richard Dawkins One of my big obsessions as a reporter is our expanding understanding of our genetic history, thanks to incredible advances like sequencing Neanderthal genomes. Rutherford, a British geneticist and journalist, presents a great survey of this fast-moving field. -- Carl Zimmer Genetics is opening up the past as never before--Adam Rutherford puts the genes in genealogy brilliantly. --Matt Ridley Adam Rutherford's A Brief History of Everyone Who Ever Lived is the book we need. --PZ Myers [Rutherford's] head-on, humane approach to such charged and misunderstood topics as intelligence and race make this an indispensable contribution to the popular science genre. --Apple's iBooks Best Book of September 2017 Provides a good survey of the science of genomics and how it's changing the story of human evolution. --Forbes An enthusiastic history of mankind in which DNA plays a far greater role than the traditional 'bones and stones' approach, followed by a hopeful if cautionary account of what the recent revolution in genomics foretells . . . Often quirky but thoughtful--solid popular science. --Kirkus A Brief History of Everyone Who Ever Lived is equal parts informative, engaging, and frequently surprising--a must-read for fans of big-picture popular science. --Jennifer Ouellette, author of Me, Myself, and Why: Searching for the Science of Self Rutherford manages to reveal fresh (and controversial) assessments of human history and dispel long-held beliefs with clarity, enthusiasm and humor. --Shelf Awareness A rollercoaster tour of human history and evolution . . . Rutherford is a bold, confident storyteller. --Genome Magisterial, informative, and delightful. --Peter Frankopan

An effervescent work, brimming with tales and confounding ideas carried in the 'epic poem in our cells.' --Guardian Rutherford raises significant questions and explains complex topics well, engaging readers with humor and smooth prose. --Publishers Weekly, starred review A sweeping new view of the human evolution story, using the latest science of DNA as the central guide . . . . Recommended. --Scientific American Adam Rutherford's 'A Brief History of Everyone Who Ever Lived' is the book we need. --PZ Myers Challenging the simplistic thinking bolstered by the media, Rutherford adds both nuance and the thrill of excitement to viewing our species through a wider, stronger lens that can now see deep into our past. --Amazon Book Review, Best Book of 2017 [Rutherford's] head-on, humane approach to such charged and misunderstood topics as intelligence and race make this an indispensable contribution to the popular science genre. --Apple's iBooks Best Book of September 2017 An enthusiastic history of mankind in which DNA plays a far greater role than the traditional 'bones and stones' approach, followed by a hopeful if cautionary account of what the recent revolution in genomics foretells . . . Often quirky but thoughtful--solid popular science. --Kirkus By turns amusing and provocative, this book, which may bruise the egos of a few genealogists, will appeal to both popular and technical science readers. --Library Journal Ambitious, wide-ranging, and deeply researched, Rutherford's book sets out to describe the history of the human species--from our origins as a slight, sly, naked, apelike creature somewhere in Africa to our gradual spread across the globe and our dominion over the planet. --from the foreword by Siddhartha Mukherjee You couldn't ask for a better guide to the complex, often bewildering world of genetics than Adam Rutherford, who guides the reader with a deft hand through an ambitious tour of human history--seen through the lens of cutting-edge genomics research. A Brief History of Everyone Who Ever Lived is equal parts informative, engaging, and frequently surprising--a must-read for fans of big-picture popular science. --Jennifer Ouellette, author of Me, Myself, and Why: Searching for the Science of Self Rutherford manages to reveal fresh (and controversial) assessments of human history and dispel long-held beliefs with clarity, enthusiasm and humor. --Shelf Awareness for ReadersPraise for the UK edition: Adam Rutherford's book is well-written, stimulating, and entertaining. What's more important, he consistently gets it right. --Richard Dawkins Genetics is opening up the past as never before--Adam Rutherford puts the genes in genealogy brilliantly. --Matt Ridley Magisterial, informative, and delightful. --Peter Frankopan A revelatory and important exploration into the ties that bind us--all seven billion of us--together. I really was enthralled. --Sunjeev Sahota, author of The Year of the Runaways Fifteen years ago, the first sequence and analysis of the human genome was published. A monumental surge in genetics followed. Science writer and broadcaster Adam Rutherford rides that tide and traces its effects, first focusing on how genetics has enriched, and in some cases upset, our understanding of human evolution, then examining the revelations of recent findings, such as deep flaws in the concept of race. . . . Rutherford unpeels the science with elegance. --Nature Science books can sometimes be rather stuffy or prissy--but no one can accuse Adam Rutherford of this. In his exploration of 'the stories in our genes' that word stories is foremost--and Rutherford proves himself time and again to be an accomplished storyteller. . . . I love the many meanders that Rutherford takes along the way, whether it's the horrendously inbred family tree of the Hapsburgs resulting in the sad case of Charles II, or the unique genetic laboratory provided by the small and relatively isolated population of Iceland. Rutherford is at his best when exploring an apparently trivial but genuinely interesting topic like variations in earwax type. This is dependent on a single gene and his exploration of its distribution across the world is delightful . . . A magnificent achievement, a big, friendly bear of a book that pummels the reader with delightful stories and no doubt would buy you a drink if it could. --Brian Clegg, PopScienceBooks Rutherford's follow-up to his highly regarded first book Creation is an effervescent work, brimming with tales and confounding ideas carried in the 'epic poem in our cells.' The myriad storylines will leave you swooning. . . . Rutherford, a trained geneticist, is an enthusiastic guide. He is especially illuminating on the nebulous concept of race, how it both does and doesn't exist . . . Rutherford has proved himself a commendable historian--one who is determined to illuminate the commonality of Homo sapiens. --Colin Grant, Guardian Rutherford raises significant questions and explains complex topics well, engaging readers with humor and smooth prose. --Publishers Weekly, starred review A sweeping new view of the human evolution story, using the latest science of DNA as the central guide . . . . Recommended. --Scientific American Adam Rutherford's 'A Brief History of Everyone Who Ever Lived' is the book we need. --PZ Myers Challenging the simplistic thinking bolstered by the media, Rutherford adds both nuance and the thrill of excitement to viewing our species through a wider, stronger lens that can now see deep into our past. --Amazon Book Review, Top 10 Editor's Pick of October 2017 [Rutherford's] head-on, humane approach to such charged and misunderstood topics as intelligence and race make this an indispensable contribution to the popular science genre. --Apple's iBooks Best Book of September 2017 An enthusiastic history of mankind in which DNA plays a far greater role than the traditional 'bones and stones' approach, followed by a hopeful if cautionary account of what the recent revolution in genomics foretells . . . Often quirky but thoughtful--solid popular science. --Kirkus By turns amusing and provocative, this book, which may bruise the egos of a few genealogists, will appeal to both popular and technical science readers. --Library Journal Ambitious, wide-ranging, and deeply researched, Rutherford's book sets out to describe the history of the human species--from our origins as a slight, sly, naked, apelike creature somewhere in Africa to our gradual spread across the globe and our dominion over the planet. --from the foreword by Siddhartha Mukherjee You couldn't ask for a better guide to the complex, often bewildering world of genetics than Adam Rutherford, who guides the reader with a deft hand through an ambitious tour of human history--seen through the lens of cutting-edge genomics research. A Brief History of Everyone Who Ever Lived is equal parts informative, engaging, and frequently surprising--a must-read for fans of big-picture popular science. --Jennifer Ouellette, author of Me, Myself, and Why: Searching for the Science of Self Rutherford manages to reveal fresh (and controversial) assessments of human history and dispel long-held beliefs with clarity, enthusiasm and humor. --Shelf Awareness for ReadersPraise for the UK edition: Adam Rutherford's book is well-written, stimulating, and entertaining. What's more important, he consistently gets it right. --Richard Dawkins Genetics is opening up the past as never before--Adam Rutherford puts the genes in genealogy brilliantly. --Matt Ridley Magisterial, informative, and delightful. --Peter Frankopan A revelatory and important exploration into the ties that bind us--all seven billion of us--together. I really was enthralled. --Sunjeev Sahota, author of The Year of the Runaways Fifteen years ago, the first sequence and analysis of the human genome was published. A monumental surge in genetics followed. Science writer and broadcaster Adam Rutherford rides that tide and traces its effects, first focusing on how genetics has enriched, and in some cases upset, our understanding of human evolution, then examining the revelations of recent findings, such as deep flaws in the concept of race. . . . Rutherford unpeels the science with elegance. --Nature Science books can sometimes be rather stuffy or prissy--but no one can accuse Adam Rutherford of this. In his exploration of 'the stories in our genes' that word stories is foremost--and Rutherford proves himself time and again to be an accomplished storyteller. . . . I love the many meanders that Rutherford takes along the way, whether it's the horrendously inbred family tree of the Hapsburgs resulting in the sad case of Charles II, or the unique genetic laboratory provided by the small and relatively isolated population of Iceland. Rutherford is at his best when exploring an apparently trivial but genuinely interesting topic like variations in earwax type. This is dependent on a single gene and his exploration of its distribution across the world is delightful . . . A magnificent achievement, a big, friendly bear of a book that pummels the reader with delightful stories and no doubt would buy you a drink if it could. --Brian Clegg, PopScienceBooks Rutherford's follow-up to his highly regarded first book Creation is an effervescent work, brimming with tales and confounding ideas carried in the 'epic poem in our cells.' The myriad storylines will leave you swooning. . . . Rutherford, a trained geneticist, is an enthusiastic guide. He is especially illuminating on the nebulous concept of race, how it both does and doesn't exist . . . Rutherford has proved himself a commendable historian--one who is determined to illuminate the commonality of Homo sapiens. --Colin Grant, Guardian An enthusiastic history of mankind in which DNA plays a far greater role than the traditional 'bones and stones' approach, followed by a hopeful if cautionary account of what the recent revolution in genomics foretells. . . . Often quirky but thoughtful--solid popular science. --Kirkus In light of advances in genomics, science writer Rutherford rewrites all of human history, using genetics to shatter deeply held beliefs about human heritage and replace them with new answers to some of life's biggest questions. --Publishers Weekly Praise for the UK edition: A brilliant, authoritative, surprising, captivating introduction to human genetics. If you know little about the human story, you will be spellbound. If you know a lot about the human story, you'll be spellbound. It's that good. --Brian Cox Rutherford takes off on an extraordinary adventure, following the wandering trail of DNA across the globe and back in time. And on the way, he reveals what DNA can--and can't--tell us about ourselves, our history and our deep evolutionary heritage. . . . From the Neanderthals to the Vikings, from the Queen of Sheba to Richard III, Rutherford goes in search of our ancestors, tracing the genetic clues deep into the past. . . . Wide-ranging, witty, full of surprises and studded with sparkling insights--Rutherford uncovers the epic history of the human species, written in DNA. --Alice Roberts Adam Rutherford's book is well-written, stimulating, and entertaining. What's more important, he consistently gets it right. --Richard Dawkins This book is a captivating delight. With witty, authoritative and profound prose, Adam Rutherford tackles the biggest of issues--where we came from, and what makes us who we are. He does more than any author to cut through the confusion around genetics, and to reveal what modern genetics has to say about our identity, history, and future. --Ed Yong Genetics is opening up the past as never before--Adam Rutherford puts the genes in genealogy brilliantly. --Matt Ridley Magisterial, informative, and delightful. --Peter Frankopan A revelatory and important exploration into the ties that bind us--all seven billion of us--together. I really was enthralled. --Sunjeev Sahota, author of The Year of the Runaways This scintillating tour of the latest genetic discoveries blurs the boundaries between science and history, encompassing Neanderthal discoveries, microbiology, the possible extinction of redheads, dead royals, race relations, criminology, evolution, and eugenics. Our genomes, says writer and broadcaster Rutherford winningly, should be read less like instruction manuals, and more like epic poems. --The Bookseller This book is a wonderfully readable example of a recent genre, where a gifted and expert writer takes the ten main concepts and the 30 top scientific papers about a topic and melds them into a detailed and enlightening description of the history and impact of an entire field of knowledge. . . . The first part covers prehistory, the second the impact on our understanding of ourselves. Rutherford has an easy way of describing complex processes, coupled with a love of a telling number or statistic. --Chris Pomery, Who Do You Think You Are magazine Fifteen years ago, the first sequence and analysis of the human genome was published. A monumental surge in genetics followed. Science writer and broadcaster Adam Rutherford rides that tide and traces its effects, first focusing on how genetics has enriched, and in some cases upset, our understanding of human evolution, then examining the revelations of recent findings, such as deep flaws in the concept of race. . . . Rutherford unpeels the science with elegance. --Nature This elegant, informed account . . . is no bombastic view of a world transformed by modern genetics . . . it is Rutherford's aim to bring some realism to the subject without losing a sense of wonder about the new biological visions being opened up . . . For Rutherford, modern genetics has far less to say about us as individuals than we have been led to believe. On the other hand, it sheds a great deal of light on us as a species. Demonstrating these divergent concepts is not easy. Happily, Rutherford is up to the task. He has produced a thoroughly entertaining history of Homo sapiens and its DNA in a manner that displays popular science writing at its best. --Robin McKie, Observer Science books can sometimes be rather stuffy or prissy--but no one can accuse Adam Rutherford of this. In his exploration of 'the stories in our genes' that word stories is foremost--and Rutherford proves himself time and again to be an accomplished storyteller. . . . I love the many meanders that Rutherford takes along the way, whether it's the horrendously inbred family tree of the Hapsburgs resulting in the sad case of Charles II, or the unique genetic laboratory provided by the small and relatively isolated population of Iceland. Rutherford is at his best when exploring an apparently trivial but genuinely interesting topic like variations in earwax type. This is dependent on a single gene and his exploration of its distribution across the world is delightful. . . . A magnificent achievement, a big, friendly bear of a book that pummels the reader with delightful stories and no doubt would buy you a drink if it could. --Brian Clegg, PopScienceBooks Rutherford's follow-up to his highly regarded first book Creation is an effervescent work, brimming with tales and confounding ideas carried in the 'epic poem in our cells.' The myriad storylines will leave you swooning. . . . Rutherford, a trained geneticist, is an enthusiastic guide. He is especially illuminating on the nebulous concept of race, how it both does and doesn't exist . . . Rutherford has proved himself a commendable historian--one who is determined to illuminate the commonality of Homo sapiens. --Colin Grant, Guardian

Rutherford raises significant questions and explains complex topics well, engaging readers with humor and smooth prose. --Publishers Weekly, starred review A sweeping new view of the human evolution story, using the latest science of DNA as the central guide . . . . Recommended. --Scientific American Adam Rutherford's 'A Brief History of Everyone Who Ever Lived' is the book we need. --PZ Myers Challenging the simplistic thinking bolstered by the media, Rutherford adds both nuance and the thrill of excitement to viewing our species through a wider, stronger lens that can now see deep into our past. --Amazon Book Review, Top 10 Editor's Pick of October 2017 [Rutherford's] head-on, humane approach to such charged and misunderstood topics as intelligence and race make this an indispensable contribution to the popular science genre. --Apple's iBooks Best Book of September 2017 An enthusiastic history of mankind in which DNA plays a far greater role than the traditional 'bones and stones' approach, followed by a hopeful if cautionary account of what the recent revolution in genomics foretells . . . Often quirky but thoughtful--solid popular science. --Kirkus By turns amusing and provocative, this book, which may bruise the egos of a few genealogists, will appeal to both popular and technical science readers. --Library Journal Ambitious, wide-ranging, and deeply researched, Rutherford's book sets out to describe the history of the human species--from our origins as a slight, sly, naked, apelike creature somewhere in Africa to our gradual spread across the globe and our dominion over the planet. --from the foreword by Siddhartha Mukherjee You couldn't ask for a better guide to the complex, often bewildering world of genetics than Adam Rutherford, who guides the reader with a deft hand through an ambitious tour of human history--seen through the lens of cutting-edge genomics research. A Brief History of Everyone Who Ever Lived is equal parts informative, engaging, and frequently surprising--a must-read for fans of big-picture popular science. --Jennifer Ouellette, author of Me, Myself, and Why: Searching for the Science of Self Rutherford manages to reveal fresh (and controversial) assessments of human history and dispel long-held beliefs with clarity, enthusiasm and humor. --Shelf Awareness for ReadersPraise for the UK edition: Adam Rutherford's book is well-written, stimulating, and entertaining. What's more important, he consistently gets it right. --Richard Dawkins Genetics is opening up the past as never before--Adam Rutherford puts the genes in genealogy brilliantly. --Matt Ridley Magisterial, informative, and delightful. --Peter Frankopan A revelatory and important exploration into the ties that bind us--all seven billion of us--together. I really was enthralled. --Sunjeev Sahota, author of The Year of the Runaways Fifteen years ago, the first sequence and analysis of the human genome was published. A monumental surge in genetics followed. Science writer and broadcaster Adam Rutherford rides that tide and traces its effects, first focusing on how genetics has enriched, and in some cases upset, our understanding of human evolution, then examining the revelations of recent findings, such as deep flaws in the concept of race. . . . Rutherford unpeels the science with elegance. --Nature Science books can sometimes be rather stuffy or prissy--but no one can accuse Adam Rutherford of this. In his exploration of 'the stories in our genes' that word stories is foremost--and Rutherford proves himself time and again to be an accomplished storyteller. . . . I love the many meanders that Rutherford takes along the way, whether it's the horrendously inbred family tree of the Hapsburgs resulting in the sad case of Charles II, or the unique genetic laboratory provided by the small and relatively isolated population of Iceland. Rutherford is at his best when exploring an apparently trivial but genuinely interesting topic like variations in earwax type. This is dependent on a single gene and his exploration of its distribution across the world is delightful . . . A magnificent achievement, a big, friendly bear of a book that pummels the reader with delightful stories and no doubt would buy you a drink if it could. --Brian Clegg, PopScienceBooks Rutherford's follow-up to his highly regarded first book Creation is an effervescent work, brimming with tales and confounding ideas carried in the 'epic poem in our cells.' The myriad storylines will leave you swooning. . . . Rutherford, a trained geneticist, is an enthusiastic guide. He is especially illuminating on the nebulous concept of race, how it both does and doesn't exist . . . Rutherford has proved himself a commendable historian--one who is determined to illuminate the commonality of Homo sapiens. --Colin Grant, Guardian An enthusiastic history of mankind in which DNA plays a far greater role than the traditional 'bones and stones' approach, followed by a hopeful if cautionary account of what the recent revolution in genomics foretells. . . . Often quirky but thoughtful--solid popular science. --Kirkus In light of advances in genomics, science writer Rutherford rewrites all of human history, using genetics to shatter deeply held beliefs about human heritage and replace them with new answers to some of life's biggest questions. --Publishers Weekly Praise for the UK edition: A brilliant, authoritative, surprising, captivating introduction to human genetics. If you know little about the human story, you will be spellbound. If you know a lot about the human story, you'll be spellbound. It's that good. --Brian Cox Rutherford takes off on an extraordinary adventure, following the wandering trail of DNA across the globe and back in time. And on the way, he reveals what DNA can--and can't--tell us about ourselves, our history and our deep evolutionary heritage. . . . From the Neanderthals to the Vikings, from the Queen of Sheba to Richard III, Rutherford goes in search of our ancestors, tracing the genetic clues deep into the past. . . . Wide-ranging, witty, full of surprises and studded with sparkling insights--Rutherford uncovers the epic history of the human species, written in DNA. --Alice Roberts Adam Rutherford's book is well-written, stimulating, and entertaining. What's more important, he consistently gets it right. --Richard Dawkins This book is a captivating delight. With witty, authoritative and profound prose, Adam Rutherford tackles the biggest of issues--where we came from, and what makes us who we are. He does more than any author to cut through the confusion around genetics, and to reveal what modern genetics has to say about our identity, history, and future. --Ed Yong Genetics is opening up the past as never before--Adam Rutherford puts the genes in genealogy brilliantly. --Matt Ridley Magisterial, informative, and delightful. --Peter Frankopan A revelatory and important exploration into the ties that bind us--all seven billion of us--together. I really was enthralled. --Sunjeev Sahota, author of The Year of the Runaways This scintillating tour of the latest genetic discoveries blurs the boundaries between science and history, encompassing Neanderthal discoveries, microbiology, the possible extinction of redheads, dead royals, race relations, criminology, evolution, and eugenics. Our genomes, says writer and broadcaster Rutherford winningly, should be read less like instruction manuals, and more like epic poems. --The Bookseller This book is a wonderfully readable example of a recent genre, where a gifted and expert writer takes the ten main concepts and the 30 top scientific papers about a topic and melds them into a detailed and enlightening description of the history and impact of an entire field of knowledge. . . . The first part covers prehistory, the second the impact on our understanding of ourselves. Rutherford has an easy way of describing complex processes, coupled with a love of a telling number or statistic. --Chris Pomery, Who Do You Think You Are magazine Fifteen years ago, the first sequence and analysis of the human genome was published. A monumental surge in genetics followed. Science writer and broadcaster Adam Rutherford rides that tide and traces its effects, first focusing on how genetics has enriched, and in some cases upset, our understanding of human evolution, then examining the revelations of recent findings, such as deep flaws in the concept of race. . . . Rutherford unpeels the science with elegance. --Nature This elegant, informed account . . . is no bombastic view of a world transformed by modern genetics . . . it is Rutherford's aim to bring some realism to the subject without losing a sense of wonder about the new biological visions being opened up . . . For Rutherford, modern genetics has far less to say about us as individuals than we have been led to believe. On the other hand, it sheds a great deal of light on us as a species. Demonstrating these divergent concepts is not easy. Happily, Rutherford is up to the task. He has produced a thoroughly entertaining history of Homo sapiens and its DNA in a manner that displays popular science writing at its best. --Robin McKie, Observer Science books can sometimes be rather stuffy or prissy--but no one can accuse Adam Rutherford of this. In his exploration of 'the stories in our genes' that word stories is foremost--and Rutherford proves himself time and again to be an accomplished storyteller. . . . I love the many meanders that Rutherford takes along the way, whether it's the horrendously inbred family tree of the Hapsburgs resulting in the sad case of Charles II, or the unique genetic laboratory provided by the small and relatively isolated population of Iceland. Rutherford is at his best when exploring an apparently trivial but genuinely interesting topic like variations in earwax type. This is dependent on a single gene and his exploration of its distribution across the world is delightful. . . . A magnificent achievement, a big, friendly bear of a book that pummels the reader with delightful stories and no doubt would buy you a drink if it could. --Brian Clegg, PopScienceBooks Rutherford's follow-up to his highly regarded first book Creation is an effervescent work, brimming with tales and confounding ideas carried in the 'epic poem in our cells.' The myriad storylines will leave you swooning. . . . Rutherford, a trained geneticist, is an enthusiastic guide. He is especially illuminating on the nebulous concept of race, how it both does and doesn't exist . . . Rutherford has proved himself a commendable historian--one who is determined to illuminate the commonality of Homo sapiens. --Colin Grant, Guardian

<b>Praise for the UK edition: </b> A brilliant, authoritative, surprising, captivating introduction to human genetics. If you know little about the human story, you will be spellbound. If you know a lot about the human story, you'll be spellbound. It's that good. --<b>Brian Cox</b> Rutherford takes off on an extraordinary adventure, following the wandering trail of DNA across the globe and back in time. And on the way, he reveals what DNA can--and can't--tell us about ourselves, our history and our deep evolutionary heritage. . . . From the Neanderthals to the Vikings, from the Queen of Sheba to Richard III, Rutherford goes in search of our ancestors, tracing the genetic clues deep into the past. . . . Wide-ranging, witty, full of surprises and studded with sparkling insights--Rutherford uncovers the epic history of the human species, written in DNA. --<b>Alice Roberts</b> Adam Rutherford's book is well-written, stimulating, and entertaining. What's more important, he consistently gets it right. --<b>Richard Dawkins</b> This book is a captivating delight. With witty, authoritative and profound prose, Adam Rutherford tackles the biggest of issues--where we came from, and what makes us who we are. He does more than any author to cut through the confusion around genetics, and to reveal what modern genetics has to say about our identity, history, and future. --<b>Ed Yong</b> Genetics is opening up the past as never before--Adam Rutherford puts the genes in genealogy brilliantly. --<b>Matt Ridley</b> Magisterial, informative, and delightful. --<b>Peter Frankopan</b> A revelatory and important exploration into the ties that bind us--all seven billion of us--together. I really was enthralled. --<b>Sunjeev Sahota</b>, author of <i>The Year of the Runaways</i> This scintillating tour of the latest genetic discoveries blurs the boundaries between science and history, encompassing Neanderthal discoveries, microbiology, the possible extinction of redheads, dead royals, race relations, criminology, evolution, and eugenics. Our genomes, says writer and broadcaster Rutherford winningly, should be read less like instruction manuals, and more like epic poems. --<b><i>The Bookseller</i></b> This book is a wonderfully readable example of a recent genre, where a gifted and expert writer takes the ten main concepts and the 30 top scientific papers about a topic and melds them into a detailed and enlightening description of the history and impact of an entire field of knowledge. . . . The first part covers prehistory, the second the impact on our understanding of ourselves. Rutherford has an easy way of describing complex processes, coupled with a love of a telling number or statistic. --<b>Chris Pomery</b>, <i>Who Do You Think You Are</i> magazine Fifteen years ago, the first sequence and analysis of the human genome was published. A monumental surge in genetics followed. Science writer and broadcaster Adam Rutherford rides that tide and traces its effects, first focusing on how genetics has enriched, and in some cases upset, our understanding of human evolution, then examining the revelations of recent findings, such as deep flaws in the concept of race. . . . Rutherford unpeels the science with elegance. --<b><i>Nature</i></b> This elegant, informed account . . . is no bombastic view of a world transformed by modern genetics . . . it is Rutherford's aim to bring some realism to the subject without losing a sense of wonder about the new biological visions being opened up . . . For Rutherford, modern genetics has far less to say about us as individuals than we have been led to believe. On the other hand, it sheds a great deal of light on us as a species. Demonstrating these divergent concepts is not easy. Happily, Rutherford is up to the task. He has produced a thoroughly entertaining history of <i>Homo sapiens</i> and its DNA in a manner that displays popular science writing at its best. --<b>Robin McKie</b>, <i>Observer</i> Science books can sometimes be rather stuffy or prissy--but no one can accuse Adam Rutherford of this. In his exploration of 'the stories in our genes' that word <i>stories </i>is foremost--and Rutherford proves himself time and again to be an accomplished storyteller. . . . I love the many meanders that Rutherford takes along the way, whether it's the horrendously inbred family tree of the Hapsburgs resulting in the sad case of Charles II, or the unique genetic laboratory provided by the small and relatively isolated population of Iceland. Rutherford is at his best when exploring an apparently trivial but genuinely interesting topic like variations in earwax type. This is dependent on a single gene and his exploration of its distribution across the world is delightful. . . . A magnificent achievement, a big, friendly bear of a book that pummels the reader with delightful stories and no doubt would buy you a drink if it could. --<b>Brian Clegg</b>, <i>PopScienceBooks</i> Rutherford's follow-up to his highly regarded first book <i>Creation </i>is an effervescent work, brimming with tales and confounding ideas carried in the 'epic poem in our cells.' The myriad storylines will leave you swooning. . . . Rutherford, a trained geneticist, is an enthusiastic guide. He is especially illuminating on the nebulous concept of race, how it both does and doesn't exist . . . Rutherford has proved himself a commendable historian--one who is determined to illuminate the commonality of <i>Homo sapiens</i>. --<b>Colin Grant</b>, <i>Guardian</i>

A family portrait for all humanity . . . This enjoyable book has a great deal to say about our genetic code--or, more precisely, about how our knowledge of genetics is misused and misconstrued. . . . [Rutherford] proves an enthusiastic guide and a good storyteller. --The Wall Street Journal An effervescent work, brimming with tales and confounding ideas carried in the 'epic poem in our cells.' --Guardian Rutherford raises significant questions and explains complex topics well, engaging readers with humor and smooth prose. --Publishers Weekly, starred review A sweeping new view of the human evolution story, using the latest science of DNA as the central guide . . . . Recommended. --Scientific American Rutherford unpeels the science with elegance. --Nature A shining example of science writing at its best . . . will change the way you think about human evolution. --Newsday Adam Rutherford's book is well-written, stimulating, and entertaining. What's more important, he consistently gets it right. --Richard Dawkins One of my big obsessions as a reporter is our expanding understanding of our genetic history, thanks to incredible advances like sequencing Neanderthal genomes. Rutherford, a British geneticist and journalist, presents a great survey of this fast-moving field. -- Carl Zimmer Genetics is opening up the past as never before--Adam Rutherford puts the genes in genealogy brilliantly. --Matt Ridley Adam Rutherford's A Brief History of Everyone Who Ever Lived is the book we need. --PZ Myers [Rutherford's] head-on, humane approach to such charged and misunderstood topics as intelligence and race make this an indispensable contribution to the popular science genre. --Apple's iBooks Best Book of September 2017 Provides a good survey of the science of genomics and how it's changing the story of human evolution. --Forbes An enthusiastic history of mankind in which DNA plays a far greater role than the traditional 'bones and stones' approach, followed by a hopeful if cautionary account of what the recent revolution in genomics foretells . . . Often quirky but thoughtful--solid popular science. --Kirkus A Brief History of Everyone Who Ever Lived is equal parts informative, engaging, and frequently surprising--a must-read for fans of big-picture popular science. --Jennifer Ouellette, author of Me, Myself, and Why: Searching for the Science of Self Rutherford manages to reveal fresh (and controversial) assessments of human history and dispel long-held beliefs with clarity, enthusiasm and humor. --Shelf Awareness A rollercoaster tour of human history and evolution . . . Rutherford is a bold, confident storyteller. --Genome Magisterial, informative, and delightful. --Peter Frankopan

A family portrait for all humanity . . . This enjoyable book has a great deal to say about our genetic code--or, more precisely, about how our knowledge of genetics is misused and misconstrued. . . . [Rutherford] proves an enthusiastic guide and a good storyteller. --The Wall Street Journal An effervescent work, brimming with tales and confounding ideas carried in the 'epic poem in our cells.' --Guardian Rutherford raises significant questions and explains complex topics well, engaging readers with humor and smooth prose. --Publishers Weekly, starred review A sweeping new view of the human evolution story, using the latest science of DNA as the central guide . . . . Recommended. --Scientific American Fifteen years ago, the first sequence and analysis of the human genome was published. A monumental surge in genetics followed. Science writer and broadcaster Adam Rutherford rides that tide and traces its effects, first focusing on how genetics has enriched, and in some cases upset, our understanding of human evolution, then examining the revelations of recent findings, such as deep flaws in the concept of race. . . . Rutherford unpeels the science with elegance. --Nature A shining example of science writing at its best . . . will change the way you think about human evolution. --Newsday Adam Rutherford's book is well-written, stimulating, and entertaining. What's more important, he consistently gets it right. --Richard Dawkins One of my big obsessions as a reporter is our expanding understanding of our genetic history, thanks to incredible advances like sequencing Neanderthal genomes. Rutherford, a British geneticist and journalist, presents a great survey of this fast-moving field. --Carl Zimmer Genetics is opening up the past as never before--Adam Rutherford puts the genes in genealogy brilliantly. --Matt Ridley Adam Rutherford's 'A Brief History of Everyone Who Ever Lived' is the book we need. --PZ Myers Challenging the simplistic thinking bolstered by the media, Rutherford adds both nuance and the thrill of excitement to viewing our species through a wider, stronger lens that can now see deep into our past. --Amazon Book Review, Best Book of 2017 [Rutherford's] head-on, humane approach to such charged and misunderstood topics as intelligence and race make this an indispensable contribution to the popular science genre. --Apple's iBooks Best Book of September 2017 Provides a good survey of the science of genomics and how it's changing the story of human evolution. --Forbes An enthusiastic history of mankind in which DNA plays a far greater role than the traditional 'bones and stones' approach, followed by a hopeful if cautionary account of what the recent revolution in genomics foretells . . . Often quirky but thoughtful--solid popular science. --Kirkus By turns amusing and provocative, this book, which may bruise the egos of a few genealogists, will appeal to both popular and technical science readers. --Library Journal Ambitious, wide-ranging, and deeply researched, Rutherford's book sets out to describe the history of the human species--from our origins as a slight, sly, naked, apelike creature somewhere in Africa to our gradual spread across the globe and our dominion over the planet. --from the foreword by Siddhartha Mukherjee You couldn't ask for a better guide to the complex, often bewildering world of genetics than Adam Rutherford, who guides the reader with a deft hand through an ambitious tour of human history--seen through the lens of cutting-edge genomics research. A Brief History of Everyone Who Ever Lived is equal parts informative, engaging, and frequently surprising--a must-read for fans of big-picture popular science. --Jennifer Ouellette, author of Me, Myself, and Why: Searching for the Science of Self Rutherford manages to reveal fresh (and controversial) assessments of human history and dispel long-held beliefs with clarity, enthusiasm and humor. --Shelf Awareness A rollercoaster tour of human history and evolution . . . Rutherford is a bold, confident storyteller. --Genome Magisterial, informative, and delightful. --Peter Frankopan A revelatory and important exploration into the ties that bind us--all seven billion of us--together. I really was enthralled. --Sunjeev Sahota, author of The Year of the Runaways Science books can sometimes be rather stuffy or prissy--but no one can accuse Adam Rutherford of this. In his exploration of 'the stories in our genes' that word stories is foremost--and Rutherford proves himself time and again to be an accomplished storyteller. . . . I love the many meanders that Rutherford takes along the way, whether it's the horrendously inbred family tree of the Hapsburgs resulting in the sad case of Charles II, or the unique genetic laboratory provided by the small and relatively isolated population of Iceland. Rutherford is at his best when exploring an apparently trivial but genuinely interesting topic like variations in earwax type. This is dependent on a single gene and his exploration of its distribution across the world is delightful . . . A magnificent achievement, a big, friendly bear of a book that pummels the reader with delightful stories and no doubt would buy you a drink if it could. --Brian Clegg, PopScienceBooks Rutherford's follow-up to his highly regarded first book Creation is an effervescent work, brimming with tales and confounding ideas carried in the 'epic poem in our cells.' The myriad storylines will leave you swooning. . . . Rutherford, a trained geneticist, is an enthusiastic guide. He is especially illuminating on the nebulous concept of race, how it both does and doesn't exist . . . Rutherford has proved himself a commendable historian--one who is determined to illuminate the commonality of Homo sapiens. --Colin Grant, Guardian The book is wonderfully easy to read; it's authoritative, extensively foot-noted, and includes a glossary of genetic terms. The author accomplishes scientific explanation without boredom and with common sense, using real-world examples without being patronizing. The book is understandable, entertaining, and enlightening. I have no higher praise and recommend it. --San Francisco Book Review

Author Information

"Adam Rutherford is a science writer and broadcaster. He studied genetics at University College London, and during his PhD on the developing eye, he was part of a team that identified the first known genetic cause of a form of childhood blindness. As well as writing for the science pages of the Guardian, he has written and presented many award-winning series and programs for the BBC, including the flagship weekly Radio 4 program Inside Science, The Cell for BBC Four, and Playing God (on the rise of synthetic biology) for the leading science series Horizon. He is also the author of Humanimal, a new evolutionary history that explores the profound paradox of the ""human animal""; A Brief History of Everyone Who Ever Lived, finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award in nonfiction; and Creation, on the origin of life and synthetic biology, which was short-listed for the Wellcome Book Prize."

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