Book Review
Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind
by Yuval Noah Harari
Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind is a magnificent work by Yuval Noah Harari.
The book talks about the evolution of human beings, from being a middling species in the food chain to the masters of Earth riding the tiger of technology in the present day. It’s amazing how the author’s thinking makes logical leaps across disciplines to explain the facets that define us.
Sapiens tells the story of how man traded off his nomadic lifestyle in pursuit of a bigger brain and an erect posture. Harari argues why agriculture could be history’s biggest fraud. He explains the rise and transformation of religions and empires. It questions our deepest beliefs – human values, economic practices, religion and nationalities. Seamlessly moving between biology and philosophy, economics and history, political systems and religious paradigms, the book leaves up to its name – tracing a logical flow of thought to how mankind emerged and changed the face of the earth.
We often talk about the impact of good storytelling these days. But one needs to read this work to fully appreciate the power of stories in shaping our history and societies.
The author deserves applause for managing to keep the text utterly simple to track despite the grand scope of his subject. It is one of the best non-fiction works I have read in a long time. An essential read for every Sapiens.
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Discover more about the book on Goodreads