WASPs finally get their due in this stimulating history by one of the world's leading geneticists.
"Saxons, Vikings, and Celts" is the most ill... read full description
"Saxons, Vikings, and Celts" is the most ill... read full description
reviews
Jun 18, 2008
Shep
rated it: 
Fascinating study presented in layman's terms explaining the genetic history of the British Isles. Probably the most startling result of his work, and that of other geneticists as well, is that 'lost' peoples such as the Picts of Scotland or Celts generally in England did not vanish genetically even if they did culturally. They live on in all of us of British descent. Other points of interest include the apparent confirmation that legends of Celtic migration from the Middle East through Iberia t
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Dec 13, 2010
Amanda
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Even though this was not fiction, this was really a page-turner for me. Most of my heritage is English-Irish-Scottish, so I was incredibly intrigued to read about the studies that Bryan Sykes and his colleagues have been involved in regarding the genetic history of the British Isles. I've always had a keen interest in both my personal genealogy and in genetics in general, and this brought it all together for me, as well as placing it in an historical frame of reference. Based upon previous re
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Jul 18, 2010
Kelly
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Several years ago, when I was in Scotland, I took a class on the Picts. They are a very elusive people surrounded by mythology and historians have had trouble pinning down realistic information about them, so there have been numerous myths about them propagated over the years. Serious historians of the Picts have fairly recently decided they were almost definitely a Celtic people who were related to more to the Celts of southern Britain rather than the Gaels (who are the primary ancestors of mod
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May 12, 2009
AngieA
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This excellent book by Bryan Sykes was a really great read about my own ancestors. I have always been interested in the history of Britain and Ireland and was always curious about the allure of the tiny little isles in the North Sea. Sykes documents the ancestry of the Isles by volunteer DNA samples through blood donors and booths at country fairs. Some of the people in these areas haven't moved in generations and many of the strains are surprisingly consistant. It was revealing to learn th
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Jun 30, 2010
Sallie
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I borrowed this from Larry's sil over Father's Day weekend, so I've begun it, so I can return it. Fascinating premise I must say.
I started thinking 4.5 star rating, but this book really is amazing, so I upped it to 5. A complicated subject - the DNA of the British Isles - written is so comprehensible a way that even I understood most of it - a good percentage at least. I am NOT a scientist, but Sykes writes so well, and warns you when he might need to be a bit more scientific in w More...
I started thinking 4.5 star rating, but this book really is amazing, so I upped it to 5. A complicated subject - the DNA of the British Isles - written is so comprehensible a way that even I understood most of it - a good percentage at least. I am NOT a scientist, but Sykes writes so well, and warns you when he might need to be a bit more scientific in w More...
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Sep 25, 2010
Evan
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While this book rambled a lot (I am not sure how he got a lot of this through an editor--it sounds like my writing if I just sit down and crank out a first draft and I was feeling particularly scattered that day), it still had so much stuff that I just love that it made it totally worth it.This would include history of the isles, mythology of the isles, geographical descriptions of the isles, and stories about the isles.
Anytime someone other than a historian can find a way to explore More...
Anytime someone other than a historian can find a way to explore More...
Jan 19, 2012
Ryan
rated it: 
Bryan Sykes has a friendly, chatty writing style that I enjoyed but he spends the first half of the book sharing anecdotes about his colleagues and Irish mythology, some of which are needed background for the book, but many of which are not. Eventually he gets around to discussing the genetic roots of Britain and Ireland, but by the time that happens, many of you will have moved on to other books. The actual material pertaining to the genetic history of the British Isles could fill a long articl
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Jan 24, 2009
Steve
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Caveat: I identify with my Irish heritage. Per census and historical records, the 'Cross' side of my family came from Ireland. Due to some research on my own it is likely he changed the name to Cross from MacCrossan. Due to this, I find this subject VERY interesting.
That said, this is a treasure of a book. If you don't understand how DNA works, parts of this book may be a reach for you. Even so, it is by no means a scientific textbook, but a popular read.
If you have More...
That said, this is a treasure of a book. If you don't understand how DNA works, parts of this book may be a reach for you. Even so, it is by no means a scientific textbook, but a popular read.
If you have More...
Sep 03, 2011
Andrew
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This is a fascinating new take on the history of the Britain and Ireland based on the DNA make-up of the current inhabitants. Looking at mutations in mitochondrial DNA (which demonstrate a strict maternal line), and mutations in the Y chromosome which track strict paternal lines, Sykes can associate individuals and population groups with "clans" of ancestors tracing back to a single maternal or paternal ancestor. By locating these clan types on a map Sykes attempts to deduce population
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Aug 18, 2009
Michael
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If you have roots in the British Isles and an interest in genetics or genealogy, this book is for you. As the back of the book describes: "Through a systematic ten-year DNA survey of more than 10,000 volunteers from across Britain, Ireland, and America, Bryan Sykes has traced the true genetic make-up of the British Isles and their descendants."
The subject matter and conclusions are fascinating. I enjoyed the parts describing the science more than the historical sections, More...
The subject matter and conclusions are fascinating. I enjoyed the parts describing the science more than the historical sections, More...
Jul 19, 2011
Candace
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If you are interested in genealogy,you will like this book. Blood tests and cheek swabs of the people of Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and England tells the stories of the invaders,conquerors and the natives of these ancient lands. I found it interesting that only certain parts of Scotland showed a high percentage of Viking ancestry and others a high percentage of celtic/pictish origins. They were also able to tell that certain parts of British Isle, the relationship between the vikings and celtic
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Feb 12, 2010
Lee
rated it:
Interesting thesis, and well defended. Some parts a bit tough to follow, as the author assumes a decent knowledge of the geography of the British Isles, including the locations of key cities by name. Also his use of the Queen's English requires one to occasionally translate into the American vernacular. Other than that, you will learn a lot about genetics, the prehistory of the Isles, and the cultural mixes which have contributed to their present day population. Fascinating to read, and unde
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Aug 13, 2010
Cheztoche
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This is intended for a general public, not for the specialist. Just about everything the British reader needs to know about the genetic and archeological evidence about the origin of the British peoples. It's very clear, well organized, I liked it a lot. The only thing about this sort of book is that two weeks later I hardly remember a date, a region, a fact --- so one really ought to have this book on a bookshelf or coffee table and have the whole family read it and discuss it. And it probably
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Oct 21, 2011
Gayle
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Bryan Sykes has put together a fascinating interdisciplinary study of the genetic history of Britain and Ireland. Starting with a general overview and continuing on to a more detailed look at Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and England individually, *Saxons, Vikings, and Celts* explores the natural, anthropological, socio-political and finally genetic history of the isles. Sykes writing style is conversational, adding measured amounts of history and science and seasoned with just a touch of personal
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Oct 28, 2008
itpdx
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Interesting. Sykes goes through archeology, myth and written history to let us know what they tell us about the early inhabitants of Ireland and the UK. And then he writes about his project of collecting DNA from the current residents to see if this information collaborates any the information from other sources. The book answered a lot of my questions about how DNA is used in genealogy. The author also presents his theory of where the Celts came from.
I am not sure that I agree with More...
I am not sure that I agree with More...
Apr 27, 2008
Gwynwas
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Great book if your interested in the deep history of the Isles. I think it is a great book mostly because of the new light it sheds on previously unanwerable questions. Sykes led a multi-year genetic survey of the British Isles and here he sums up his findings. There is information here that you'll find nowhere else (at least that I'm aware of). This is the leading edge of applying genetic data to questions of historical migrations and culture change.
So, this is an absolute must- More...
So, this is an absolute must- More...
Sep 16, 2010
Alex
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SAXONS, VIKINGS, AND CELTS: THE GENETIC ROOTS OF BRITAIN AND IRELAND BY BRYAN SYKES: Bryan Sykes, author of The Seven Daughters of Eve and Adam’s Curse, professor of human genetics at Oxford university, has spent many years of his life studying genes, chromosomes, and DNA; specializing in collecting data from all over the world and tracing ancestral lineages back thousands of years. Sykes was one of the instrumental geneticists in tracing all Europeans back to seven ancestral women. From this,
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Mar 10, 2011
Brittany
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A very interesting follow-up to The Seven Daughters of Eve. This book is written in the same scientific, yet familiar and accessible tone that I like Sykes so much for previously. If I had any doubts about the importance of genetics in revealing human history, they are gone. The author's comparison of his research results with the history and mythology of the Isles is fascinating. Of course, it's all far more interesting if you had ancestors from the British Isles. I can't wait until I can affor
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Jan 10, 2009
Daniel
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I've read one of the other authors books, The Seven Daughters of Eve, and really liked it. This book was good as well. In this book, the author focuses on the ancestry of the british isles. While this is very interesting, I must say I liked his other book better because of better geographical coverage.
Jul 01, 2009
Carolyn
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This book is a fascinating and well written book about the genetic history of the British Isles. It is written for the layperson, and the author walks well the tricky line between being overly simplistic and getting too bogged down in scientific detail for the reader who is not a scientist. I highly recommend this book for anyone interested in the history of Britain itself up through the Norman Invasion, as well as those interested in the genetic piece of the history. The author is good humored
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Jan 05, 2008
Laurel
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Book Description (from Amazon)
From the best-selling author of The Seven Daughters of Eve, an illuminating guide to the genetic history of the British Isles.
One of the world's leading geneticists, Bryan Sykes has helped thousands find their ancestry in the British Isles. Saxons, Vikings, and Celts, which resulted from a systematic ten-year DNA survey of more than 10,000 volunteers, traces the true genetic makeup of the British Isles and its descendants, taking readers from the P More...
From the best-selling author of The Seven Daughters of Eve, an illuminating guide to the genetic history of the British Isles.
One of the world's leading geneticists, Bryan Sykes has helped thousands find their ancestry in the British Isles. Saxons, Vikings, and Celts, which resulted from a systematic ten-year DNA survey of more than 10,000 volunteers, traces the true genetic makeup of the British Isles and its descendants, taking readers from the P More...
Mar 17, 2011
William
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This nonfiction look at the DNA of the peoples of Great Britain provides some eye-opening revelations: the Romans and Celts brought their culture and language to the isles but changed the local gene pool only slightly. The islands' primary source of DNA came from Spain thousands of years earlier!
Sep 01, 2009
Jeremiah
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Terrific explanation of the DNA issue, as it relates to individual profiles and to the genetic history of Britain. Sykes explodes some long-held historical concepts, and supports others, based on the results of genetic testing in the UK and Ireland. Great book for historians and genealogists!
Aug 25, 2009
Laura
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The authors' contention is that, genetically, there really isn't much deep difference between the various inhabitants of Britain. This book also introduced me to the DNA project. A light read which occasionally takes on flights of fancy when it might do better to stick to the facts.
Nov 05, 2009
Julia
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Very interesting reading, though he struggles to find a good balance with story and science at times. The proportions are good, but the flow is not and made it a little sludgy at times. Great overview of the early history of the isles and how it contributes to the population today. Made me want to visit Skye...
*update*
I added another star because in the last few weeks since reading it I can't stop telling people about it. It is a three for readability, but definitely a four for c
*update*
I added another star because in the last few weeks since reading it I can't stop telling people about it. It is a three for readability, but definitely a four for c
Mar 11, 2010
Clifton
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Ironically, the best parts of this book are the historical sections, not the confusing and incomplete sections on "The Genetic Roots of Britain and Ireland" (subtitle). The book needs more concise, clear scientific explanations and less personal story telling.
Jul 29, 2011
Dave/Maggie
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The result of a very ambitious project (taking DNA samples from countless Britons and Irishmen in order to determine the genetic origin of the various peoples of the Isles), this follow-up to The Seven Daughters of Eve compares genetic evidence to accepted "history," popular belief, and oral tradition – and often reaches surprising conclusions.
Like John Sadler (author of Border Fury), Sykes is a delightful rarity in this day and age: a highly intelligent, highly educated man More...
Like John Sadler (author of Border Fury), Sykes is a delightful rarity in this day and age: a highly intelligent, highly educated man More...
Feb 09, 2012
This book was hard to read--but what I got out of it was interesting. Personally, I liked the author's "Seven Daughters of Eve" better, possibly because it was less technical? I had to read this book for a class on the origins of England, and it did cover the subject, but I think that it could have been written for more of a layman readership.
Apr 05, 2010
Converse
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Most Britians & Irish are descended from pre-Roman people who spoke a celtic language. The celtic culture was mainly derived from learning rather than migration; the genes are too old for that.
Jan 26, 2012
Growlycub
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Not as entertaining as The Seven Daughters of Eve and I felt some of the conclusions were not quite supported by the evidence, but still interesting. I listened to the audio version.
