Sapiens

A Brief History of Humankind

By: Yuval Noah Harari

Narrated by: Derek Perkins

#1 New York Times Bestseller • New York Times Readers’ Pick: Top 100 Books of the 21st Century • The Summer Reading Pick for President Barack Obama and Bill Gates

Official U.S. edition

From renowned historian Yuval Noah Harari comes a groundbreaking narrative of humanity’s creation and evolution—a #1 international bestseller—that explores the ways in which biology and history have defined us and enhanced our understanding of what it means to be “human.”

One hundred thousand years ago, at least six different species of humans inhabited Earth. Yet today there is only one—homo sapiens. What happened to the others? And what may happen to us?

Most books about the history of humanity pursue either a historical or a biological approach, but Dr. Yuval Noah Harari breaks the mold with this highly original book that begins about 70,000 years ago with the appearance of modern cognition. From examining the role evolving humans have played in the global ecosystem to charting the rise of empires, Sapiens integrates history and science to reconsider accepted narratives, connect past developments with contemporary concerns, and examine specific events within the context of larger ideas.

Dr. Harari also compels us to look ahead, because over the last few decades humans have begun to bend laws of natural selection that have governed life for the past four billion years. We are acquiring the ability to design not only the world around us, but also ourselves. Where is this leading us, and what do we want to become?

Featuring 27 photographs, 6 maps, and 25 illustrations/diagrams, this provocative and insightful work is sure to spark debate and is essential reading for aficionados of Jared Diamond, James Gleick, Matt Ridley, Robert Wright, and Sharon Moalem.

A great listen!

This truly is a great work of summarizing the human history, and in explaining our place in the world.

It’s alright

I don’t see why this book got so popular. It’s alright as a summary of lots of history

unexpected

this book was brilliant. it wove it's way through ideas and thoughts I did not expect and showed an unbiased picture of many things regarding the human experience. it's definitely in my top 3.

mindblowing!

spetacular book! my best read this year. Aldo a great narration, belos on the experience.

You should read it

Review Not as great as people would have you believe but it is a great overview over human history and present.

I read it almost immediately after Debt: the first 5000 years and it's interesting how two authors take a look at same or similar material and come up with a different conclusions. I prefer the Debt book over this one but both are very well worth a read.