Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind

Yuval Noah Harari

Feb 2015 · Sold by Harper Collins

About this ebook

New York Times Bestseller

A Summer Reading Pick for President Barack Obama, Bill Gates, and Mark Zuckerberg

From a renowned historian 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.

Ratings and reviews

I thoroughly enjoyed reading the reviews of this work. People getting all worked up and righteous over words on a page, unable to handle having someone else's ideas that they may not agree with, rolling around in their heads. But my favorite review was the one that managed to follow up a point that race is not a biological separator by immediately signaling out (big surprise here) white American men. Because every good progressive knows it's OK to use huge racial generalizations as long as it's pointed in that direction.

It's too Lucid a read and I agree with one of the commentators that Mr Harari had purposely omitted some facts that didn't suit his theories and I see a lack of citation that usually is take care of in other popular science books. Apart from that, this book is insightful and worth a read. Every page is thought provoking. Every word connects to us a a member of the sapiens species instantly. And I also see how beautifully this books enumerates the reason why some readers here are ready to call this book an "agenda" and criticize evolution and Harari's attempt to show that there isn't really much of a difference between races. He's not the separationist as you're trying to paint him you white American Folks. You are. I'm so sorry you were never taught to look at anything without your glasses of Bible and Christianity. You guys are missing out on a lot. Trust me. There was one commentator who objected on the overly feminine tone of the book. Being a female, I enjoyed it. So far, It's the only book I've read that doesn't considers males and "he" to be a default party. That's the beauty of biology that it priorities maternity and seeing it's inclusion in literature and history should be a welcome relief.

The firts chapter were the great interest to me. Unfortunately, author's political agenda kills as a whole the purposes of this book. I don't share author's views given in the final chapters.

About the author

Prof. Yuval Noah Harari, bestselling historian and philosopher, is considered one of the world’s most influential intellectuals today. His popular books—including Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind; Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow; 21 Lessons for the 21st Century; and the series Sapiens: A Graphic History and Unstoppable Us—have sold more than 45 million copies in 65 languages. Harari co-founded Sapienship, a social impact company with projects in the fields of education and storytelling, whose main goal is to focus the public conversation on the most important global challenges facing the world today. Harari has a PhD in history from the University of Oxford and currently lectures in the department of history at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.