Sapiens

Sapiens

A Brief History of Humankind

Summary

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?

In Sapiens, Dr Yuval Noah Harari spans the whole of human history, from the very first humans to walk the earth to the radical – and sometimes devastating – breakthroughs of the Cognitive, Agricultural and Scientific Revolutions. Drawing on insights from biology, anthropology, palaeontology and economics, he explores how the currents of history have shaped our human societies, the animals and plants around us, and even our personalities. Have we become happier as history has unfolded? Can we ever free our behaviour from the heritage of our ancestors? And what, if anything, can we do to influence the course of the centuries to come?

Bold, wide-ranging and provocative, Sapiens challenges everything we thought we knew about being human: our thoughts, our actions, our power ... and our future.

'Here is a simple reason why Sapiens has risen explosively to the ranks of an international bestseller. It tackles the biggest questions of history and of the modern world, and it is written in unforgettably vivid language. You will love it!' - Jared Diamond

Reviews

  • I would recommend Sapiens to anyone who’s interested in the history and future of our species
    Bill Gates

About the author

Yuval Noah Harari

Prof. Yuval Noah Harari is a historian, philosopher and the global bestselling author of Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind, Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow, 21 Lessons for the 21st Century, the graphic adaptation series Sapiens: A Graphic History, and Unstoppable Us, his first series of books for children. His books have sold over 45 million copies in 65 languages, with Sapiens alone selling 25 million copies since it was first published in 2013. A New York Times and Sunday Times #1 bestseller, Sapiens spent an incredible 96 consecutive weeks in the top 3 of the Sunday Times bestseller list. Yuval Noah Harari is also behind Sapienship – an international social impact company focused on education and storytelling, which he co-founded with his husband Itzik Yahav. Harari is considered one of the world’s most influential public intellectuals today.
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