The Dawn of Everything

A New History of Humanity

By: David Graeber, David Wengrow

Narrated by: Malk Williams

Length: 24 hrs and 2 mins

Publisher's summary

Brought to you by Penguin.

For generations, our remote ancestors have been cast as primitive and childlike - either free and equal, or thuggish and warlike. Civilisation, we are told, could be achieved only by sacrificing those original freedoms or, alternatively, by taming our baser instincts. David Graeber and David Wengrow show how such theories first emerged in the 18th century as a reaction to Indigenous critiques of European society and why they are wrong. In doing so, they overturn our view of human history, including the origins of farming, property, cities, democracy, slavery and civilisation itself.

Drawing on path-breaking research in archaeology and anthropology, the authors show how history becomes a far more interesting place once we begin to see what's really there. If humans did not spend 95 per cent of their evolutionary past in tiny bands of hunter-gatherers, what were they doing all that time? If agriculture, and cities, did not mean a plunge into hierarchy and domination, then what kinds of social and economic organisation did they lead to? The answers are often unexpected and suggest that the course of history may be less set in stone and more full of playful possibilities than we tend to assume.

The Dawn of Everything fundamentally transforms our understanding of the human past and offers a path towards imagining new forms of freedom, new ways of organising society. This is a monumental book of formidable intellectual range, animated by curiosity, moral vision and faith in the power of direct action.

©2021 David Graeber, David Wengrow (P)2021 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

"Pacey and potentially revolutionary." (Sunday Times)

"Iconoclastic and irreverent...an exhilarating read." (Guardian)

"Boldly ambitious, entertaining and thought-provoking." (Observer)

Just awesome!

The audiobook is an amazing companion to the real thing.

The book itself is incredible well written and mind blowing.

Brilliantly mind opening

A stunningly detailed account of the key conceptions and misconceptions about early civilisation. A must read for anyone who thinks contemporary accounts of history just don’t add up.

The narration is compelling and sincere, a joy to listen to.

Overall whilst it is a mammoth undertaking it is rewarding, especially the well thought out conclusion.

Interesting content

Wow, some real revelations about the history of social organization here. Learnt a lot, as I have from David Graeber's previous books

An illuminating story deconstructiing age-old narratives

The authors deconstruct our ingrained view of a linear development of our civilization from hunter-gather and pasetoralist societies to agricultural slaves with a wealth of new archaeological evidence and charge the reader with a hope that nonlinearity is possible that that we can liberate ourselves from the tyranny of guns and steel because such feats have already been done in humanity's nonlinear past.
A must-read for any individual who might have lost hope in that things in the political arena could run a different course.

Fascinating, challenging provocative and entertaining

A powerful critique of received wisdom and an open challenge to current researchers and university curriculums. Should be required reading for anyone interested in the human condition. Highly recommended

tremendous book, mostly excellent audio

this is really a thought-provoking volume. It's likely to radically change how the reader approaches other 'big history' works.

The audio production is also excellent. There is an occasional misreading (e.g., 'casual' for 'causal'), but given the scope of the subject matter, that's not unsurprising.

Better than Yuval Harari’s Sapiens

A brilliant, wide ranging and fascinating journey into human history that references intellectual and indigenous voices alike.

not suited to this format

this is an important landmark academic document. it is conceptually dense and needs to be poured over to unpack. The audiobook format presents it in an upbeat 'level' toner which impedes comprehension.