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I’m pretty sure that even as far back as 5 years ago people were sounding the alarm about the rise of nationalism.
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Because don’t let the references in the end notes fool you: that’s what Sapiens is too.Īt one point, Harari writes, “As the twenty-first century unfolds, nationalism is fast losing ground.” This, from a book originally written in 2011 but updated in 2014, is … puzzling. I respect that Bill Bryson, who does not have a histor doctorate, doesn’t disguise the fact that his book is basically pop history. As it is, Sapiens is just making me want to re-read A Short History of Nearly Everything, which I haven’t read in years. Had I read this, say, 7 to 10 years ago, back in my more impressionable university days, maybe I would have been one of them (I used to think Jared Diamond had interesting things to say what can I say, I was naive). At the end of the book, he allows himself the luxury of speculating where the human species might be heading in the future.Īll of this sounds great on the surface, and I definitely see why people would find this book fascinating and enjoyable. From there he leads us through ancient history and towards more modern history, all the while ruminating upon how various cultural developments (such as religion, writing, and capitalism) might have been the killer apps of each period. Harari begins with prehistory and the emergence and survival of Homo sapiens as the sole remaining Homo species on the planet. Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind attempts to chart the development of the human species as it spreads around the world and transforms the world through science, technology, exploration, and war. However, she is neck-deep in writing a PhD thesis right now, so I’m subbing in! I do loves me some world history … just not this one. My bestie Amanda recently purchased Sapiens on the strength of several recommendations, with someone even suggesting she could use it as a university course textbook. I’ve had Homo Deus, Yuval Noah Harari’s later book, sitting in a box waiting to be read for a couple of years now (because that’s how I roll).