I recently finished reading a 416-page book by Yuval Noah Harari, and it is one of the most informative and interesting books that I have ever laid my hands on. Maybe you want to learn about how humans rose to the top of the food chain so fast and started farming, or maybe you want to learn how humans established communities, cities, states, and massive empires. All those topics are in the book, plus a healthy surplus of other interesting subjects. This book was originally released in Hebrew in 2011 and is now available in 65 languages. The book is Sapiens, and this is what I think of it.
The book starts by explaining the very beginning of humankind, not just Homo Sapiens, but all types of humans, Neanderthals, Homo Erectus, etc. It shows the adaptations and conditions that made it so that in a few thousand years, Sapiens were the only humans left. From there, the book explains how humans evolved from a hunter-gatherer lifestyle to an agricultural one. Harari explains how the basic foundations of human society were laid out, business, money, writing, laws, and power. He talks about history, how great people and empires came and went, taking with them great legacies. He also makes points on things that have the power to unite a people, be it Money, Religion, or a feeling of connection to people who are similar in physical appearance to you. As the book starts to end, as the timeline approached the present day, science became increasingly important, and the investment of money and resources into technology and research became more common and advantageous.
I love this book because it is centered around one of my favorite topics, History. This book also uses maps, images, and other visual tools that make it easy to understand and grasp concepts. The book explained theories and ideas I had never encountered before so vividly that I feel like I’ve been living with them my whole life. I recommend this book to avid history lovers over 13 years, and it is also suitable for other older people curious about their history. I give it five stars out of five because of its ability to pique my curiosity, various topics, and vivid language.
