The reviewer praises 'Sapiens' by Yuval Noah Harari as an excellent book that offers profound insights into humanity's history and nature. They highlight Harari's clear and logical writing style, which makes complex ideas accessible and thought-provoking. The book is recommended for those seeking a deeper understanding of human society and its evolution.
The reviewer highly recommends 'Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind' by Yuval Noah Harari, describing it as an excellent and insightful read. Harari's clear and logical writing style is compared to that of Edward Gibbon, making complex ideas about human history accessible and thought-provoking. The book is praised for its ability to unveil insights that prompt deep reflection, making it a rewarding read for anyone interested in understanding humanity better. The reviewer also notes the relevance of Harari's observations on gossip and fiction to the scholarly publishing world, suggesting that science is a human fabrication that has significantly impacted human progress. The book's exploration of critical inventions like language, agriculture, religion, empires, and money is highlighted as particularly enlightening, especially Harari's analysis of money as a universal trust system that bridges cultural gaps.
Quick quotes
Harari is on the younger side of the scholarly world, barely 40 years old now, which is a year after the book’s initial publication and certainly years after he started work on it. He is a gifted thinker and writer, with a clear, wise voice and a descriptive, logical style that seems timeless.
To minimize the spoiler damage I might do, I’ll limit my review to general recommendation of “read this if you want to understand humanity better and come closer to accepting its strange ways and place in the world,” while adding some thoughts about a few threads that have relevance to scholarly publishers, editors, and researchers.
Money is the only trust system created by humans that can bridge almost any cultural gap, and that does not discriminate on the basis of religion, gender, race, age, or sexual orientation.