In Search of Giants

It's easy to believe that giants exist only in our imagination, but the truth is they are real, and they are our kin because we have had gigantism too. This is a book about Irish giants. Some of the giants in this book are quite tall, others are not. They have all been deeply affected by their gigantism. Gigantism is not just about being tall. It is a life-threatening medical condition that causes debilitating headaches, blindness, pain, and infertility. Learn about the diagnostic odyssey of patients with gigantism who, like so many others with rare diseases, go years without a diagnosis as the condition continues to wreak havoc in their lives. Experience the heartbreaking details of life with the exceedingly rare disease of gigantism caused by an AIP genetic mutation that originated in a tiny area in Northern Ireland. Read about the macabre tale of how body snatchers stole the corpse of the 18th-century Irish giant Charles Byrne, whose skeleton now resides in the Hunterian Museum in London, and how Professor Márta Korbonits used paleogenetics to unlock the medical mystery of genetic gigantism in Northern Ireland. Journey with us to Northern Ireland to learn about the mythical and folkloric Irish giants of old. Enter the world of legendary and living Irish giants, vast family trees that extend hundreds of years into the past, modern-day giants coping with the effects of their medical condition, and cutting-edge genetic research that reveals how Irish legend intertwines with the lives of modern-day giants. Explore the geographic hotspot for the mutation between Lough Neagh and the Sperrin Mountains in Counties Tyrone and Derry, where researchers continue to investigate this rare condition. Discover the 2,000-year-old AIP genetic mutation that still causes gigantism today, and how genetic genealogy finds modern-day Irish giants from around the world, including Scotland, Canada, Australia, and beyond. Travel with Irish-American Colleen Snyder, the first person in the United States found to have the Irish variant of the AIP genetic mutation, as she embarks on a journey of discovery to find her place among the giants of Northern Ireland. Listen to Brendan Holland as he talks about his deep family roots in Mid-Ulster in County Tyrone, his life as a giant in Northern Ireland, and his historical research into local giant lore and legend. Together, we are in search of giants. Ready to embark on this extraordinary journey? Scroll to the top and order In Search of Giants: The Quest to Find the Genetic Giants of Northern Ireland now to discover the fascinating and heart-wrenching stories of those affected by this rare condition and the groundbreaking research that continues to uncover its mysteries.