The Invisible History of the Human Race

How DNA and History Shape Our Identities and Our Futures

By: Christine Kenneally

Narrated by: Justine Eyre

Length: 12 hrs and 39 mins

Publisher's summary

We are doomed to repeat history if we fail to learn from it, but how are we affected by the forces that are invisible to us? In The Invisible History of the Human Race, Christine Kenneally draws on cutting-edge research to reveal how both historical artifacts and DNA tell us where we come from and where we may be going.

While some books explore our genetic inheritance and some popular television shows celebrate ancestry, this is the first book to explore how everything from DNA to emotions to names and the stories that form our lives are all part of our human legacy. Kenneally shows how trust is inherited in Africa, how silence is passed down in Tasmania, and how the history of nations is written in our DNA. From fateful ancient encounters to modern mass migrations and medical diagnoses, Kenneally explains how the forces that shaped the history of the world ultimately shape each human who inhabits it.

©2014 Christine Kenneally (P)2014 Tantor

DNA'S PROMISE & RISK

The science of DNA is at once enlightening and frightening. It reveals the essence of human life while exposing intimate and potentially destructive information about individual lives. Perfecting DNA sequencing may cure the worse diseases of humankind. However, perfect sequencing invades one’s privacy in a technological world that disseminates information indiscriminately.

Christine Kenneally thoughtfully reviews the current (2014) science of DNA analysis. She notes how it is being collected, defined, and used. Kenneally suggests that DNA analysis is a time machine; i.e. it reveals much about the origin of humankind. One who chooses to have their DNA analyzed can determine a great deal about their ancestry. In theory, if everyone on earth had their DNA analyzed, it would be possible to precisely determine how every human being relates to other human beings. It would offer clues, but not certainty, about how they came to live where they live, feel like they feel, and act like they act. (Because human beings are influenced by their environment, genetic inheritance is not the sole determinant of where one lives, how one feels, or acts.)

Because these are the early years of DNA sequencing, laws have not caught up to the science. Companies that provide the service are subject to all the temptations of money, power, and prestige inherent in society. Dissemination of information is ubiquitous in the internet age. It is a brave new world with a dream of eradicating disease; while the nightmare of “Big Brother” manipulation endures.

The convergence of genealogy and genetics

Where does The Invisible History of the Human Race rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

I enjoyed it a great deal, and will listen to again at some point. The narrator's accent was very strong and hard to understand at first, but once my ear adjusted to it she was perfect.

What other book might you compare The Invisible History of the Human Race to and why?

Bill Bryson's "At Home" - they are overview histories, ranging far and wide around the basic subject. You aren't going to be educated in depth about any one subject, but rather introduced to topics and ideas worth delving deeper into on your own.

Which character – as performed by Justine Eyre – was your favorite?

Christine Kenneally herself.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

I was struck by the need we almost all have to connect to the past, to reach back in time and know where we came from.

Any additional comments?

This book is the convergence of genetics and genealogy, and it is an exciting time. I'd love to read an update in about 10 years!

What our genealogy does (and doesn't) show

Any additional comments?

An engaging blending of personal stories, history, culture, and science as the author explores recent trends in laypeople's fascination with genealogy. She takes the individual search for where one comes from and juxtaposes it with historical trends, the darker side of genealogy (including eugenics and other discrimination), and scientific discoveries that help us track migration, interbreeding, conquest, and mutations. Nicely presented, very readable, and illuminating as to each of our shared humanity.

Loved the book, the performance not so much

The content was great although I felt a little more discussion of why people find this interesting would be helpful. Narrator had a scratchy voice that was difficult to hear

Understanding Applied Genomics

Well written examples of connections between classical heredity and Applied Genomics. An excellent book which I recommend to anyone curious about the future of human sciences.

“Culture is chunky but genetics is creamy”

What does history have to do with science? Is genealogy only about aristocracy? How do genetics and your parents’ and grandparents’ life experiences impact your own life and health? These are some of the questions explored in this fascinating book.

Who are you really. Who am I?

What made the experience of listening to The Invisible History of the Human Race the most enjoyable?

In the tradition of Daniel Gilbert, Malcolm Gladwell, Mary Roach, Sarah Vowell, Bruce Chatwin, and, oh, the list goes on, this is a book that blends personal narrative with the fascinating world of science, all laid out in language the Average Joe (such as Moi) can embrace. This is a book we can all relate to, because it's all about us...our ancestry, our genetics, and the blend of the two. I have listened to it twice now (and I've only had it a week!).

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Invisible History of the Human Race?

I was really touched by the personal stories included by author Christine Kenneally...she discusses her own discovery of secrets in her family. Also, there are touching moments of people who have traced their ancestry in order to better understand who they are themselves.

Have you listened to any of Justine Eyre’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I have not listened to any of Eyre's previous work, but found her to be a solid narrator for this work. The best complement I can ever pay a narrator is that he or she doesn't get in the way of the text--in other words, the narrator fades into the background to the point where you are really focused on the story. Eyre does just that, for which I'm grateful. As we all know, a narrator can make or break an audiobook.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

There is a moment when one interviewee finds a gravestone of an ancestor who lived back in the 1500's. Kenneally beautifully describes this powerful moment and what it means to an individual who, heretofore, hadn't known much about her heritage.

Any additional comments?

This book is smart, superbly written, and endlessly entertaining. If you've ever watched that PBS show "Finding Your Roots," or you've looked in the mirror, wondering from whom you got your nose, this book will win you over. At the same time, Kenneally explains DNA, how it works, how it's transferred from one generation to the next...and even more important in this era of terrorism and anger, how we are all, at the core, related to one another, bound by our genes.

I listened to this book almost straight through in one sitting. I was intrigued, I listened again. A book to be cherished and devoured by science geeks, genealogy enthusiasts, and human beings alike.

tkam

How could the performance have been better?

The content of the book was great but the narrator was too soft spoken. She spoke so softly that the volume needed to be raised very high to hear her causing lots of background static noise. I couldn't listen to the entire book, I switched to reading print.

Interesting but sometimes hard to listen to

This book covers a very interesting topic and one I've been interested in for quite some time. I appreciate the authors breadth of information and the expanse with which she treats the subject. It sometimes gets a little in the weeds but for those with specific and technical knowledge I'm sure it is rewarding. My only issue with the audiobook is that the narrator's accent is sometimes difficult to listen to. I'm sure they were going for someone who sounded something like the author but for a non-Australian audience it could be challenging.

ancestry meets DNA

I've been doing family genealogy for decades. lots on new great perspective and information in this book. wanders in focus at times.