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The Wandering Gene And The Indian Princess: Race, Religion, And DNA (2012)

by Jeff Wheelwright(Favorite Author)

3.32 of 5 Votes: 5

ISBN

0393081915 (ISBN13: 9780393081916)

languge

English

genre

History & Biography

publisher

W. W. Norton & Company

review 1: This book is a well researched social history of the discovery of the BRCA gene mutations in the Hispanos of the San Luis Valley of Colorado. Unfortunately, the book dragged. I wanted to know more, but kept putting this down in favor of other books. My husband got sick of my repeated lament that the scientist in me wanted more science. In particular, the book lacks a Medina family tree that showing gene and disease status. I would have been satisfied with a diagram that anonymized the entries if the Medina family wanted to protect themselves and family members that had not specifically participated in the writing of the book. While who was tested, and what were the results are sprinkled throughout the book, it was hard to keep track of without a dia... moregram.
review 2: The author irritated me because he kept relying on stereotypes (especially of Jehovah's Witnesses) as well as repeating quotes from people whom he had interviewed that reveal a Jewish prejudice (even though they were descended from them)! Why he chose this young woman's sad story to discuss the existence of Crypto-Jews in New Mexico and our Southwest is beyond me--how the women in her family deal with the traditions from their Catholic background, their Indian ancestors, and their newly found religion was a much more interesting story. And he was able to explain genetics and the scientific/sociological studies of Amnerican Jews and Crypto-Jews quite well. But that explanation doesn't begin in earnest until 1/2 the book has gone by. An opportunity to tell a fascinating story was completely missed here. The story itself of the genetics is interesting enough to merit 3 stars. less

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