The World Until Yesterday

What Can We Learn from Traditional Societies?

By: Jared Diamond

Narrated by: Jay Snyder

Length: 18 hrs and 31 mins

Publisher's summary

Most of us take for granted the features of our modern society, from air travel and telecommunications to literacy and obesity. Yet for nearly all of its six million years of existence, human society had none of these things. While the gulf that divides us from our primitive ancestors may seem unbridgeably wide, we can glimpse much of our former lifestyle in those largely traditional societies still or recently in existence. Societies like those of the New Guinea Highlanders remind us that it was only yesterday - in evolutionary time - when everything changed and that we moderns still possess bodies and social practices often better adapted to traditional than to modern conditions.

The World Until Yesterday provides a mesmerizing firsthand picture of the human past as it had been for millions of years - a past that has mostly vanished - and considers what the differences between that past and our present mean for our lives today.

This is Jared Diamond’s most personal book to date, as he draws extensively from his decades of field work in the Pacific islands, as well as evidence from Inuit, Amazonian Indians, Kalahari San people, and others. Diamond doesn’t romanticize traditional societies - after all, we are shocked by some of their practices - but he finds that their solutions to universal human problems such as child rearing, elder care, dispute resolution, risk, and physical fitness have much to teach us. A characteristically provocative, enlightening, and entertaining book, The World Until Yesterday will be essential and delightful listening.

©2012 Jared Diamond (P)2012 Penguin Audio

Liked it better than "Guns, Germs and Steel"

Diamond takes his decades of precious experience in New Guinea to demystify many of the customs and practices of traditional societies. This book dispelled many stereotypes I had of such peoples, and at the same time taught me about horrors that I never had imagined before! He offers many constructive suggestions for aspects of traditional lifestyles that we can, and should, adopt in the modern world. In particular, his observations got me to thinking about aspects of my own life, such as how I interact with friends and family, that probably could use some serious readjustment…

The narrator is very competent, but at times seems to be so utterly obsessed with clear enunciation that his pacing and tempo become, conversely, unnatural and jerky.

What's the hurry?

Reader speaks WAY too fast. Almost too fast to follow. Feels like he's rushing which ruined the book for me. COLLAPSE reader much more my pace.

Not up to Guns, Germs and Steel standard

Guns, Germs and Steel is a favorite of mine and I was looking forward to Jared Diamond's latest. Unfortunately, it didn't have nearly the scope of the prior book. "The World" seemed to re-hash the same issues based on his observations of the indigenous peoples of New Guinea. Some interesting insights but overall, somewhat dull and uninspiring.

Another good one by Jared Diamond

Perhaps a bit long-winded like his other books, but thoroughly interesting and thought-provoking. Listen to the audio at 1.5 X speed. The narrator was excellent but there is an issue with his “s” sounds whistling.

Amazing narrative

Diamond shares great insights on human life and how to incorporate traditional lifestyle into modern life. Must read more by Diamond.

Listening to learn Material

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes. This book holds your ear. It is not hard to follow from chapter to chapter. This is Cultural Anthropology at its contemporary best.

Have you listened to any of Jay Snyder’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No. But this book will make me look for his other works.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes. This book holds your attention

Any additional comments?

Refreshing. A book with a I.Q.

A review from the developing countries

I always wondered what is the significance of alot of our traditions ?

being born Egyptian in the 90's then the introduction of internet and globalization for us in 2000 and then I moved to a developed country : brought up to my mind millions of unanswered questions and they were always beginning as "why are we doing ....this/that..... ? and other people they dont ?

this book really answered most of my questions and opened for me a wide spectrum of directions to think about the rest of the attitudes and traditions and what can be their possible causes .

Very good overall, but with some major flaws

This book makes some outdated claims regarding the discredited Saphir-Worf hypothesis and the impact of salt on health, dedicating significant portions of the book to it. The structure of the book is somewhat rambling, often repeating points made at earlier points in the book. This bing said, it does provide a good overview of the effect of the transition from a hunter-gatherer lifestyle to a modern one

Will think differently about ancient societies...

Most valuable lesson for me is to view the ancient and traditional societies with a more integral approach, not all past times were better nor all new times are worse, costumes during human development are results of a whole set of environmental conditions and human behavior.

informative

very satisfying to listen to. I love his perspective. great read, I would highly recommend to anyone who loves examinations of broad subject within history.