By Yuval Noah Harari
SPOILER-FREE?
100,000 years ago, at least six human species inhabited the earth. Today there is just one. Us. Homo sapiens.
How did our species succeed in the battle for dominance? Why did our foraging ancestors come together to create cities and kingdoms? How did we come to believe in gods, nations and human rights; to trust money, books and laws; and to be enslaved by bureaucracy, timetables and consumerism? And what will our world be like in the millennia to come?
REVIEW
THEMES: NON-FICTION, HISTORICAL, SCIENCE, MEDIUM/SLOW-PACED.
Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari is about the evolution of humankind (homo sapiens) and how we have evolved (or devolved) as a collective.
My review is going to be controversial, so I shall preface by saying I am not a big non-fiction reader and I listened to this on audiobook.
The first half (and parts of the second) is compelling, exploring colonization, foraging, religion, agriculture etc. Learning little facts like; the instinct to overindulge on sugary foods is linked to our past – if we were to come upon fruit from a tree, we would eat it quickly, otherwise we would risk encountering a stronger animal after the same fruit.
The book has definitely expanded my knowledge on religion and given me a push to pursue my research on it. I often think back to the more philosophical aspects of the book, as well as the fun facts, as mentioned above.
The second half, or the last one hundred (or so) became dry – I would zone out more times than I’d like to admit, because I am not overly interested in the value of money and inner workings of empires.
What I did not like was his phrasing, at times. Calling beliefs, myths, felt a bit ill-fitting. Whilst I understand his points (that society is fictitious), the word myth, has a certain connotation – you likely think of unicorns and fairies. In turn I do not think it is suitable to call someone’s morals and beliefs mythical.
I also (at times) could not differentiate fact from personal opinion. I am all for hearing what he has to say, but it could have been a little clearer.
All in all, I do not regret reading/listening to Sapiens as it was informative and enjoyable, for the most part. Non-fiction readers and science/history buffs would definitely enjoy.
Click link below for Storygraph overview, which includes general rating, summary (same as above) and other reviews.
The Book Slump 