The book deals with one's search for belonging and identity. Nelson takes the reader through the ups and downs, the difficulties of determining ethnicity and generational relationships through DNA. For those looking to trace the social responsiblities and reparations of past atrocities through DNA, this is the book for you.

I have to admit that I actually have not finished this book. I got about 100 pages in and it has just continued to sit on by night stand beyond that for the last several months. I think it's just because so many people in my life have strong opinions about the issues presented in this book that I just don't want to hear (eh hem read) any more about it. Thus, while I think what I read was generally well written and informative, I can't bring myself to continue this book and am abandoning it for good at this point. ( )

Interesting read about the African/American experience and connection of families through DNA research. While not quite what I expected, I found the book an interesting focus on the social ramifications of forcing apart families and their coming back together through DNA. I would certainly recommend this book for genealogy research. ( )

This is an accessible and engaging look at DNA in the particular social context of African-American genealogy. Nelson examines how DNA and genetic lineage knowledge--and the act of interpreting said knowledge--assist people in shaping their own identities, senses of self and orientation to the past, and community ties. The book is weakest on the reparations angle of its subtitle, but that's because DNA's usefulness in seeking legal reparations is weak; in general, the American legal system is not equipped to deal with reparations. I wished Nelson did a deeper dive into the commercial aspect (but I'm someone who snarks at those Ancestry DNA TV commercials OMFG "HISPANIC" IS NOT A NATIONALITY), but she did an excellent job with--and brought sufficient skepticism and empathy--to explaining why people are interested in DNA technology as a tool to understand themselves and to explore their identities in the context of the past and in the context of evolving communities.

Disclosure: I received a review copy of this book from the publisher. ( )

This book is pretty terrible. The introduction assumes an understanding of the information included in the book, so it is meaningless on top of being poorly written. Much of the book contains information that is of little value to the reader. There are some bright spots latter in the book. The discussion on reparations for slavery is interesting and appears to be written better. Discussion about getting to one's roots or genealogical tree is also meaningful. One might also consider how other abused populations are potentially worthy of reparations, such as the American Indians. While interesting, genealogical information appears to me to be of little value other than for medical purposes. Certainly, DNA analysis has forensic and legal uses. Overall this is a poorly written book and should be rewritten before publishing. ( )