| The 7 Daughters of Eve is a non-fiction book written | | | | through history and find what Sykes called the 7 |
| by human genetics profession Brian Sykes from the | | | | daughters of eve. These were 7 women who lead |
| University of Oxford in England. Although a non-fiction | | | | humans out of Africa and helped to populate the rest |
| book with its core being a nice commingling of the | | | | of the world according to the book. |
| authors life story at the time when he was working | | | | Sykes attempts to give each of these women a |
| to pioneer mitochondrial DNA research and testing, | | | | name and tell the story of their life based on what |
| there are fictional aspects to it as well. | | | | we know about the area that they likely lived as well |
| The first half of the book is interesting in that it tells | | | | as archaeological evidence from the time period |
| the story of how the type of mitochondrial DNA | | | | suggested by the number of mutations in the DNA |
| testing came about and the stories from the authors | | | | sequence. While this part of the book was |
| personal life that helped move the research along. As | | | | interesting, we see farming start in one story, dogs |
| an example, after a motor cycle accident left Sykes | | | | being domesticated in another, I found it more |
| with a bad shoulder that needed to set before flying, | | | | difficult to connect with then the actual story from |
| he was able to take samples from a small island | | | | Sykes life and the science which surrounded it. |
| population in the Pacific Rim which was useful in | | | | It's a very interesting and quicker read then you |
| showing how often (well, actually how not often) | | | | might expect because Sykes is able to make the |
| mitochondrial DNA mutates. It is these real stories | | | | science sound both reasonable and accurate while |
| that allow the average reader to enjoy the book | | | | explaining his own story. Each reader will likely favor a |
| without being overpowered by the science, which | | | | different part of the book, but it generally does not |
| when summed up says that a mother passes | | | | read anything like the long, boring and frustrating |
| mitochondrial DNA in its entirety on to all of her | | | | genetic textbooks that so many of us have been |
| children. | | | | presented with in Biology class. I would say this is a |
| Given that mitochondrial DNA is passed exactly from | | | | definite read for anyone interested in Human |
| a mother to her children, it is possible to go back | | | | Genetics. |