I can highly recommend this book to people at all levels of DNA knowledge, who are interested in using it for genealogy. The book may have a 2004 copyright, but don't let the date dissuade you. For a world in which so many things become outdated, this book is still relevant.
This book is a must read for anyone who is getting his or her DNA tested for genealogy reasons and wanting to know how to interpret results. It is a primer for basic terminology and providing a basic understanding of how DNA is transmitted. It is essential to knowing these things both in understanding what certain tests test for and how to use the information to interpret how your results compare with others.
When you don't understand the basics here is an example of what can go wrong:
A woman recently contacted me with an autosomal match to one of the trees I manage. I manage my own and those of three other family members. Unfortunately, in trying to sort out which one of my trees she matched,it became very clear to me she did not have a basic understanding of DNA fundamentals. As it turns out, she did not match me, but rather my daughter on my daughter's paternal side. In other words, she matched DNA of my ex-husband. I explained to her that she didn't match me, that her match was to my daughter from her father, whom I have no genetic relationship. To which, she responded that she HAD to match me because all of my daughter's DNA comes from the mother and not the father.
Anyone who understands DNA realizes she made a significant fundamental error in understanding autosomal DNA transmission. She also did not understand the limits of Y-DNA testing, believing her son's Y-DNA would match other males in our tree, even though he did not share the same surname. She was significantly hampered in being able to interpret her own results and clearly did not understand how each DNA test worked.
It isn't my intention to throw this woman under the bus. She was not an unintelligent woman, even though she came across that way. My point - this book will give you the tools you need to understand the basic genetic testing which is currently available today(Y-DNA, autosomal tests, such as Family Finder, and mitochondrial DNA). This book will give you the basic understanding of how DNA is transmitted, so that you will be able to picture it in your mind. This book will give you the terminology you need to effectively and intelligently communicate with others.
You pay a lot to get the DNA testing done. Someone else is not going to do all the work to interpret the results for you. In order for you to get the most out of your DNA testing, you need to take the time to educate yourself on the basic fundamentals. It may take a little work, but this book will make it an enjoyable experience.
Not only does "Trace Your Roots with DNA" give you the basic fundamentals, it provides numerous interesting examples. For those more advanced in understanding DNA, it is a great reference book to keep on your shelf. It provides useful information on how to run your own DNA project, once you get the hang of it.
Bottom line: If you are interested in getting DNA testing to better understand your family tree and finding genetic matches to your own, I can highly recommend this book.
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