The Better Angels of Our Nature

Why Violence Has Declined

By: Steven Pinker

Narrated by: Arthur Morey

Length: 36 hrs and 39 mins

Publisher's summary

“If I could give each of you a graduation present, it would be this - the most inspiring book I've ever read." - Bill Gates (May, 2017)

Selected by The New York Times Book Review as a Notable Book of the Year

The author of Enlightenment Now and The New York Times bestseller The Stuff of Thought offers a controversial history of violence.

Faced with the ceaseless stream of news about war, crime, and terrorism, one could easily think we live in the most violent age ever seen. Yet as New York Times bestselling author Steven Pinker shows in this startling and engaging new work, just the opposite is true: violence has been diminishing for millennia and we may be living in the most peaceful time in our species's existence. For most of history, war, slavery, infanticide, child abuse, assassinations, programs, gruesome punishments, deadly quarrels, and genocide were ordinary features of life. But today, Pinker shows (with the help of more than a hundred graphs and maps) all these forms of violence have dwindled and are widely condemned. How has this happened?

This groundbreaking book continues Pinker's exploration of the essence of human nature, mixing psychology and history to provide a remarkable picture of an increasingly nonviolent world. The key, he explains, is to understand our intrinsic motives - the inner demons that incline us toward violence and the better angels that steer us away - and how changing circumstances have allowed our better angels to prevail. Exploding fatalist myths about humankind's inherent violence and the curse of modernity, this ambitious and provocative book is sure to be hotly debated in living rooms and the Pentagon alike, and will challenge and change the way we think about our society.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2011 by Steven Pinker. (P)2011 Brilliance Audio, all rights reserved.

An encyclopedic work

This book is a highly valuable contribution to the history of humanity. A real encyclopedic work.

A must read

This book should be a mandatory read by everyone, it explains so much about us human animals.

Thorough, thought provoking, and well narrated.

This is an amazingly researched book. Well read and I will also be buying it in a paper edition as there are so many interesting facts that I would like to be able to find again. This book has expanded my knowledge and challenged so many ideas that I hear people say and I just accepted as true. Here are the answers. So well done, I will be looking for more of this authors work. It is long so be prepared..thank goodness the narrator is excellent.

Great Book

Powerful argument, well organized and especially, hopeful without all the religious silliness. Conceded, it is a long book and at points difficult to follow argument buy well worth the read. The question is, is this really true? Are we really advancing to a better future? What will be like to be alive 100, 200, 500 or even 1000 years from now? Hopefully he is right and we humans will still be around. Hopefully future generations then will really live in peace and harmony.

EYE OPENING

What did you love best about The Better Angels of Our Nature?

On so levels, for so many reasons, you'll never think the same way again. Fair, unbiased, thought provoking and inspirational, you won't forget it...ever.

What was the most compelling aspect of this narrative?

Truth

Which scene was your favorite?

Always more than meets the eye.

What’s the most interesting tidbit you’ve picked up from this book?

The some of the main meanings of life

Any additional comments?

You'll recommend it too.

Imcredible book, impeccable performance!

Incredible Book. Great performance riveting delivery I cannot recommend this highly enough. Buy, buy, buy.

Food for thought.

The book is well written and worth your time. It provide solid backing for future Hope and the last is nothing to long for.

Thorough and interesting! Love it! :)

I love the rational academic nuances instead of the "gut feelings" and general opinions I meet in the historically uneducated society.

Amazing

Superb weaving of many logical threads. Made me more optimistic about humans than I've felt in years.

A must read!

Steven Pinker is an excellent writer and I find all his work very insightful. I enjoy his style of writing, and recommend his books to anyone and everyone who wants to know more about humankind.