A Genetic and Cultural Odyssey

Stone and Lurquin have written a book for readers drawn to the adventures at the frontiers we call science. Weaving together historical, scientific, and biographical details, they bring us the fascinating story of Cavalli-Sforza's contributions to genetics and anthropology. -- Joanna Mountain, Stanford University Rarely have we seen so careful and yet so revealing an exegesis ofan intellectual biography as we are given in this "Odyssey". Andwhat a man, what a journey-from genetics of bacteria to theintertwining of human genetic evolution, culture, and language; ofNature and Nurture; of DNA with human origins and migrations. No one in thebiological or human sciences can be anything but edified by this lucid and well-informed account. -- Joshua Lederberg, The Rockefeller University, 1958 Nobel Laureate for Physiology or Medicine

Drawing links between genetic and cultural development, Cavalli-Sforza has made discoveries in the evolution of Homo sapiens, prehistoric migration, and origins of human differentiation. This biography offers a portrait of Cavalli-Sforza's life and ideas.Drawing links between genetic and cultural development, Cavalli-Sforza developed groundbreaking techniques to trace the evolution of Homo sapiens and the origins of human differentiation, in addition to his earlier work in bacterial genetics. He is also the founder of the Human Genome Diversity Project and continues to work as the principal investigator at Stanford University's Human Population Genetics Laboratory. Based on extensive research and interviews with Cavalli-Sforza and his colleagues, this biography examines the scientist's life and his immense and occasionally controversial contributions to genetics, anthropology, and linguistics.