Who We Are and How We Got Here

By: David Reich

Narrated by: John Lescault

Length: 10 hrs and 50 mins

Publisher's summary

A groundbreaking book about how ancient DNA has profoundly changed our understanding of human history

Geneticists like David Reich have made astounding advances in the field of genomics, which is proving to be as important as archaeology, linguistics, and written records as a means to understand our ancestry.

In Who We Are and How We Got Here, Reich allows listeners to discover how the human genome provides not only all the information a human embryo needs to develop but also the hidden story of our species. Reich delves into how the genomic revolution is transforming our understanding of modern humans and how DNA studies reveal deep inequalities among different populations, between the sexes, and among individuals. Provocatively, Reich's book suggests that there might very well be biological differences among human populations but that these differences are unlikely to conform to common stereotypes.

Drawing upon revolutionary findings and unparalleled scientific studies, Who We Are and How We Got Here is a captivating glimpse into humankind - where we came from and what that says about our lives today.

A New York Times best-seller in Science Books. A #1 Amazon.com bestseller in the Biochemistry List.

©2018 David Reich (P)2018 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

✔️ Outstanding ‼️

Confirmed Audible Addict, so I have a rather large collection that’s grown over the years. What makes this particular offering so rewarding is that I actually finished it; although I did a lot of backing up to listen to particular segments over, just yo be sure I got all the important points. And the point I’m making is simply this: If you want to know where your ancestors came from as you respect their struggles, while you learn the latest genetic research, then in that case—this Audible offering is for you. Enjoy . . . Keith

Great book

A well informed book from a well informed genetecisist. with relevant data and good well fundamented arguments. A great reading for the casual or a more interested reader.

The narrator is quite monotone, which to me, helps understanding the material but understandably might be a cause for boredom for some. You guessed it, this is not a funny book but a highly knowlegable and entertaining one.

Highly informative and entertaining.

Great book for anyone wanting a more in depth understanding of human origins, genetics, and the implications of uncovering ancient ancestry.

Fantastic Portrayal of New Advances

As a former student of anthropology I found this riveting, informative, and well thought out!

It is quite technical at times, for those unfamiliar with genetic studies, but on the whole should be quite enjoyable for most audiences.

Fascinating

I had little knowledge about genetics but the author wrote this book in a way that everybody can understand complex concepts. Thank you!

GENETICS ACHILLES HEEL

Reich explains how the concept of the origin of homo sapiens has evolved since the discovery of “Lucy” in East Africa in 1974. Few scientists disagree about humankind’s place of origin. It may have been somewhere other than East Africa, but human origin is genetically linked to the African continent.

However, Reich notes that geneticists no longer believe African origin is an adequate interpretation of the wide differentiation of human beings. The evolution of homo sapiens is not like the branches of a tree but more a tapestry of interwoven threads.

Listening to “Who We Are and How We Got Here” reminds one of the Dragnet’s 1950s-character Joe Friday saying, “just the facts ma’m”. Aside from Officer Friday’s hint of sexism, it is never just the facts.

Genetic evolution is always interpretation of facts. Interpretation is David Reich’s “Achilles heel” for exploring and expanding DNA research to determine “Who We Are and How We Got Here”. Humans interbred to create a fabric of intermingled genetic characteristics that came together, separated, re-combined and changed over thousands of years.

Genetic studies show that DNA changed as the human species grew. Some genes survived and evolved while others disappeared. Current theory discounts the principle of an “immortal gene” in the sense that the origin genes changed into something entirely different.

The great controversy that Reich explores is factional resistance to genetic research because of fear of misuse of the data. There is ample evidence to substantiate that fear. Six million Jews were murdered by Nazi Germany’s belief in a master race of genetically “pure” Germans. Reich’s work suggests there are no “pure” races. There are only similar genetic traits among a few isolated populations.

Do potential medical benefits from genetic research outweigh a racist use of genetic facts? “Who We Are and How We Got Here” seems much less important than “Here We Are and What Can We Do About It”.

Posted on August 19, 2019
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Two stars - meh
three stars - good
four stars - worth a second read
five stars - life-changing - my top 50 of all time
Required reading - Recommended to my children as essential for a well-rounded education

Really outstanding book that delves into how the study of Ancient DNA. Gives us insight into our true ancestry and history as a species. Gene sequencing as a tool to study genetic drift. The advent of tools and techniques that make determination of ancient genomes possible. Comparing these genomes using mathematical insights. How we are much more complexly related than is apparent on the surface. Using these techniques to accurately predict the existence of previously undiscovered populations.

100% True to the End!

I was not expecting to listen to a book so profoundly true when it came to DNA and how we got here. Yet, alone, who we are as human beings.

This book will test what you know but provide an array of evidence that will help you understand evolution as a whole. There were moments where certain topics went off guard providing other examples.

But I will say that David did a great job writing this book for students who are interested in science.

Extraordinary read

There are quite a few books I consider must reads to educate oneself. This is one of them.
The reading is a bit monotone and hide away most of the excitement that comes from so many things to learn.

Outstanding science, some questionable editorializing

I am a former bioinformatician. As a scientist this book blew me away. I am not sure what my favourite parts are: the stories about what they discovered, or the stories about how they developed and applied methods to make those discoveries. It's a great example of the power of computation and the power of careful statistical thinking. And I learned a ton about the current state of anthropology, which was instructove and exciting for me.

However, I can understand the criticisms of this book, even if I don't agree with most of them. He does name and struggle with the very real impact that unethical medicine and science has had on indigenous populations, but I can't shake the feeling that he's a little cavalier, and a little deep in the motivated reasoning, on his quest for knowledge. Which... I mean, if you're doing research, I get it. I also want more data. I also want mysteries solved. I also want to discover new things.

He calls out bad science and bad public policy. He calls out the misuse of the trust placed in researchers. I'm just a little concerned that some very real, reasonable, and well-grounded concerns of indigenous people are named but dismissed without full consideration.

All in all, I loved this book. I'm going to go in search of another work that struggles more directly and more carefully with the social implications of this kind of work, but for the science alone I heartily recommend this book to anyone, with or without a biology background.