The Family Genetic Sourcebook

Book excerpt: A straightforward guide to human heredity and genetic traits. The Family Genetic Sourcebook If biology is destiny, then we owe it to ourselves and our families to learn all we can about the genetic mechanisms that shape our lives. Enhanced by photographs, line drawings, charts, and tables, The Family Genetic Sourcebook gives you quick, easy understanding of the principles of heredity and genetic traits, presented in concise, accessible language. A comprehensive "Catalog of Genetic Traits" lists more than 100 genetic traits including blood type, balding, right- or left-handedness, hair color, and disorders including Down's syndrome, diabetes, heart disease, hemophilia, sickle cell anemia, Alzheimer's disease, and alcoholism. Each entry in the catalog offers a brief description of the trait or disorder and an explanation of its inheritance. There are also instructions on constructing your own family genetic tree. The Family Genetic Sourcebook also offers a succinct introduction to the principles of heredity--with discussion of the history of genetics, how genetic traits are inherited, genetic counseling, the treatment of genetic disorders, and more. Family members, couples planning families, and health care professionals and counselors will find this nontechnical yet comprehensive guide to genetics to be an invaluable resource in understanding the relationship between heredity, ourselves, and our families.