History has always mattered to Scots, and rarely more so than now at the outset of a new century, with a new census appearing in 2011 and after more than ten years of a new parliament. An almost limitless archive of our history lies hidden inside our bodies and we carry the ancient story of Scotland around with us. The mushrooming of genetic studies, of DNA analysis, is rewriting our history in spectacular fashion. In Scotland: A Genetic Journey, Alistair Moffat explores the history that is printed on our genes, and in a remarkable new approach, uncovers the detail of where we are from, who we are and in so doing colour vividly a DNA map of Scotland.
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'One of four most versatile Scottish writers' --Alexander McCall Smith - The Herald
About the Author
Alistair Moffat was born and bred in the Scottish Borders. A former Director of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and Director of Programmes at Scottish Television, he now runs the burgeoning Borders Book Festival as well as a production company based near Selkirk. He has written six previous books that are published by Birlinn. Dr James F. Wilson is a population geneticist. His DPhil is from the University of Oxford where his initial studies with Professor David Goldstein led to the identification of the first genetic signatures of Norse Viking ancestry in the British Isles. This led to the BBC series Blood of the Vikings , which traced the legacy of the Vikings in the British Isles through a genetics survey. A keen genealogist, Jim is a native of Orkney but also has roots in Shetland.
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31 of 31 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
The book summarizes the state of knowledge of the genetic makeup of Scotland. Beyond that, it is actually a very welcome new summary of what is known of the DNA of the British Isles in general. Nice concise survey of Neanderthal DNA and the modern human out-of-Africa bottleneck, and then descriptions of the various waves of migration to Scotland, the rest of Britain, and Ireland. Very up-to-date too. Skilfully written, weaving together genetics, archaeology, history, and topics of interest like red hair. No footnotes, and just a short bibliography. Those familiar with this field will already be familiar with the academic sources of some of the findings. But if not, as a note in the bibliography suggests, the Internet is a vast source of information on this subject. Use of non-glossy paper and a limited number of colour photographs (about 23) has kept the price down, which is also greatly appreciated. I spotted only about three typos in the book, one of which was important: p.65, "mtDNA 2a1" should read (I think) "mtDNA J2a1." I would definitely recommend this as the book for anyone who wants a very readable overview of the DNA of the British Isles.
15 of 15 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I thought this book would analyze Scottish DNA profiles (Y and mitochondrial DNA) and bring us up to date on the latest that they tell us about the history of Scotland. I was quite disappointed. The book is really a very general summary of Homo sapiens' prehistory with a Scottish angle thrown in now and then.
While the book does mention Y chromosome and mitochondrial DNA a good deal, it stays at a very superficial level and never goes into much detail. When it refers to Y-DNA haplogroups, it does so almost exclusively by the name of the SNP mutation, and almost never by the more widely known haplogroup names. Nor is there a table keying SNPs to haplogroups anywhere in the book. This is a big omission given that the book is designed for those with an amateur interest in population genetics and genealogy.
The real emphasis on the book is on archaeological discoveries and what they tell us about humans' journey out of Africa and the settlement of Europe in between the varying Ice Ages. That's fine, but the book really should have a different title.
The book is decently written, but it's not a standout in terms of style or presentation. I got bogged down about halfway through by the unending recitation of archaeological finds and ultimately felt I wanted my money back.
While the book does mention Y chromosome and mitochondrial DNA a good deal, it stays at a very superficial level and never goes into much detail. When it refers to Y-DNA haplogroups, it does so almost exclusively by the name of the SNP mutation, and almost never by the more widely known haplogroup names. Nor is there a table keying SNPs to haplogroups anywhere in the book. This is a big omission given that the book is designed for those with an amateur interest in population genetics and genealogy.
The real emphasis on the book is on archaeological discoveries and what they tell us about humans' journey out of Africa and the settlement of Europe in between the varying Ice Ages. That's fine, but the book really should have a different title.
The book is decently written, but it's not a standout in terms of style or presentation. I got bogged down about halfway through by the unending recitation of archaeological finds and ultimately felt I wanted my money back.
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful
By D. Rice
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
Absolutely fascinating and captivating. I'm sure that what's on offer here genetically speaking, applies to much of the population of the British Isles but the focus is affectionately on Scotland which, if you're a Scot, makes it all the more enjoyable and intriguing. A subject like this could be turgid and dry but it's an entertaining and enjoyable read, tantalising you with asides and examples which seem in themselves worthy of investigation, so much so that I've had the laptop handy throughout, hitting Wikipedia and other sources to expand my understanding. Of course, this might mean that i'll take me six months to finish the book - and I do hope so because it's a very enjoyable place to be.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
Another angle on the history of the Scots
Alistair Moffat keeps rewriting his history of Scotland and the Scots in various different books, and this one brings in the ideas of Genetic identity and inheritance which makes... Read more
Published 5 months ago by A Giles
1.0 out of 5 stars
pretty awful!!!
I found this book in a charity bookshop - and thank goodness I did not pay full price as it is pretty awful. Read more
Published 9 months ago by Crisdean
3.0 out of 5 stars
Not Exactly a Genetic Journey
The authors places a great deal of emphasis on the earliest peoples to inhabit the British isles after giving a brief introduction to the science of genetics. Read more
Published 10 months ago by Quentin D. Stewart
4.0 out of 5 stars
Interesting Book
A good run though of Scottish history while discussing DNA. Easy to read. Discusses the various enthic groups that make up modern day Scotland.
Published 13 months ago by JM Fergus
1.0 out of 5 stars
worst read of the year
At first I thought this 'book' was just poorly edited - but, in fact, it seems not to have been edited at all. Read more
Published 15 months ago by Sugelanren
4.0 out of 5 stars
An excellent history book
This is an interesting book and I'd certainly recommend it to anyone interested in Scottish history and to historical interpretations through DNA. Read more
Published 22 months ago by D. G. Evans
5.0 out of 5 stars
Making Genetics Real
The authors are experts in their field but have the gift of communicating complex biological material to the general reader. Read more
Published 23 months ago by Donald Scott
5.0 out of 5 stars
Scots on the move - in and out
Entertaining history of people movement, influences on the Scots population, summarising newly discovered data, with an understandable angle for the non-scientist. Read more
Published on 30 Mar 2011 by aricandec
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