It's all relative : adventures up and down the world's family tree
(Book)

Includes bibliographical references (pages 303-305) and index.

"An epic, hilarious, and heartfelt adventure into the idea of family--where it begins and how far it goes--and what it has to tell us about our biology and our genetics, our tribes and our traditions, and our history and our future. A.J. Jacobs has received some strange emails over the years, but this note was perhaps the strangest: "You don't know me, but my wife is your eighth cousin. And we have over 80,000 relatives of yours in our database." That's enough family members to fill Madison Square Garden four times over. Who are these people, A.J. wondered, and how do I find them? So began Jacobs's three-year adventure along the branches of the world's family tree. Spanning both the globe and the genome, Jacobs's quest joyously upends what we think about when we think about family. He drinks beer with a U.S. president. He visits Salt Lake City--and the genealogical database of the Mormon Church (where, every year, more data is added than is contained in the entire Library of Congress). He meets scientists and computer programmers working to chart and understand the world's genetic links. He attempts to convene the biggest family reunion in recorded history. He contemplates black sheep and bad apples. He unearths his own genealogical connections to Hollywood actresses, Civil War soldiers, and real-life scoundrels. Ultimately, this extraordinary book is a profound exploration of the realms of what binds us all. "We are family" Sister Sledge famously sang. This book proves it."--Dust jacket flap.