About fifteen years ago, my grandfather did an extensive genealogy project that went back dozens of generations in our family, and when he completed it, I remember leafing through the pages in awe that it was possible to link yourself to ancestors from hundreds of years in the past, using books, family documents, and databases that specialize in connecting distant relatives. I found Maud Newton's journey through genealogy to be so fascinating. She shares her own personal story, but also what she learned during her research on genes and eugenics, family traits, and the relationship between those who share segments of DNA. There were so many interesting bits about how people thought traits were carried from parents to offspring before scientists discovered the genetic sequence and how it works. This was full of information but didn't read like a research paper. Newton did a wonderful job adding enough personal touches to make this feel like a complete nonfiction book. *Advance copy provided by the publisher in exchange for my honest review.