Britain's DNA Journey: Our Remarkable Genetic Story

by Alistair Moffat

In an epic narrative, sometimes moving, sometimes astonishing, always revealing, Moffat writes an entirely new history of Britain. Instead of the usual parade of the usual suspects – kings, queens, saints, warriors and the notorious – this is a people’s history, a narrative made from stories only DNA can tell, which offers insights into who we are and where we come from.

Based on exciting new research involving the largest sampling of DNA ever made in Britain, Alistair Moffat shows the true origins of our island’s inhabitants.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Science

428 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 8, 2019

About the author

Alistair Moffat is an award winning writer, historian and former Director of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and Director of Programmes at Scottish Television.

Moffat was educated at the University of St Andrews, graduating in 1972 with a degree in Medieval History. He is the founder of the Borders Book Festival and Co-Chairman of The Great Tapestry of Scotland.

Reviews

[Susan Rogers · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the beginning of this book. I learned so many new things. But there was no reference section for all the numerical DNA markers mentioned and as they became more numerous as the book went on I began to loose interest as it was hard to follow. I got almost to the end of the Vikings and then gave up.
I think the book need a map or some sort of reference section which told the reader where the various DNA markers originated.

[Steph · Rating 3 out of 5]

As others have pointed out, this book is much more about archaeology than DNA. Which to me is still interesting, however this book was very tricky to follow. There is no consistency in dates which jump all over the place making the story hard to follow. The lack of maps makes the story of people moving across landscapes is also too complex to follow. And the DNA passage would have been much more interesting if the names had any meaning. A table or map would have been a simple way to understand the context of each DNA example.

I did enjoy the story, but it was very chaotic and hard to follow.

[Jean Marriott · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was rather disappointed with this book. It contained too much general history and not enough about DNA results. However it is well written and it had a lot about the early settlers of Britain, much of which I didn't know.

[Scott Barlow · Rating 3 out of 5]

My man names a book Britain’s DNA journey in which about 1/10 of the book is about Y chromosome or mtDNA markers, the rest is archaeology. Don’t get me wrong the story he writes is fascinating , I just wanted more DNA in a DNA book 😔

[Bron · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fascinating read. I chose it because although I enjoyed Alice Roberts' book Buried, I got quite frustrated when she kept ending sections by saying 'we'll know more when the DNA results are in'. This makes a good companion read because it concentrates on the dna, but over a much longer period of time. It starts with the very first people to reach Britain after the last ice age and works through wave after wave of immigration up to the present time, although most detail comes in the sections dealing with prehistory, the Roman occupation and the dark ages - when many different peoples were fighting for a stake in these islands.

[Katie-Ellen Hazeldine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fascinating broad brush portrait of the making of an island population; blending science and Humanities: earth sciences, archaeology, anthropology, ancient history, biology, bio-chemistry. DNA is the theme and the thread of continuity throughout, but this is a renaissance type approach...not a scientific treatise, though for a reader not looking for an in-depth science study of DNA, and in my reading experience, this smorgasbord of a book is all the more fascinating for that.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Complex Subject Made Comprehensible

While DNA analysis has enabled great strides to be made in telling the human story, this story is sometimes made both boring and incomprehensible to the layman by an overload of terminology. This book makes the subject both comprehensible and fascinating by coupling the science with human history. A fascinating and informative read.

[Alec · Rating 4 out of 5]

Covers an amazing scope, from the origin of mankind to the present day, and in a lot of detail. Using all forms of evidence, not just DNA. Quite an achievement. Not always an easy read. But certainly interesting.

[Fred · Rating 4 out of 5]

Better than I expected after seeing any and Dec mentioned on the cover. A lot of detail not just a simplified overview.

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you are interested in the subject of DNA then this book will surely whet your appetite and perhaps you may go on to find out more. Fascinating!

[Joie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant, the book I recommend to everyone all the time!

[Simon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating..... Packed with all sorts of things you didn't know but have been revealed by DNA about our shared islands of immigrants who have arrived since the Ice Age.

Readable and accessible.... Alistair Moffat is an excellent guide.

[Susan Grimshaw · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fascinating history of Britain from prehistoric times as revealed by studying the numerous different peoples from whom the nation is descended whose origins can be traced through their DNA.

[Kitty Schrader · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meh! I learned a lot but it was kind of boring.

[Finlay Pike · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good and interesting for the most part. Can be obviously biased, perhaps trying to push a political agenda (not a big deal)

[Malcolm Balster · Rating 3 out of 5]

A book that reinforces the point that Britain has a population that has been forever changing, where groups of people from different parts of the world have enhanced the culture of the Islands

[Clare Johnston · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really interesting proper history with strong DNA angle

Very interesting, informative and enjoyable. I will read other books by the author. The DNA side is well explained and not too complicated