Name: Christian Bager Bach Houmann's review of Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari
Item: Sapiens
Rating: 5
Author: Christian Bager Bach Houmann

Yuval Noah Harari

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?

A Brief History of Humankind

Sapiens

Emily

Amelia Pokorny

Humans are not created equal. In fact, they weren’t created at all but evolved. Born with different genetic code and exposed to different environmental influences. Leading to different qualities and different chances of survival. “Created equal” should to translated to “evolved differently.”

Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind

Ludek Bukovsky

Fatih Arslan

In Aldous Huxley's dystopian novel Brave New World, published in 1932 at the height of the Great Depression, happiness is the air che supreme value and psychiatric drugs replace the police and che ballot as the foundation of politics. Every day, each person takes a dose of 'soma', a synthetic drug which makes people happy without harming their productivity and efficiency. The World State that governs the entire globe is never threatened by wars, revolutions, strikes or demonstrations, because all people are supremely content with their current conditions, whatever they may be. Huxley's vision of the future is far more troubling than George Orwell's Nineten Eighty-Four. Huxley's world seems monstrous to most readers, but it is hard to explain why. Everybody is happy all the time - what gtl and nponer aher could be wrong with that?

So, monotheism explains order, but is mystified by evil. Dualism explains evil, but is puzzled by order. There is one logical way of solving the riddle: to argue that there is a single omnipotent God who created the entire universe - and He's evil. But nobody in history has had the stomach for such a belief. *

Rayacak

**THE MILLION COPY BESTSELLER** What makes us brilliant? What makes us deadly? What makes us Sapiens? Yuval Noah Harari challenges everything we know about being human in the perfect read for these unprecedented times. Earth is 4.5 billion years old. In just a fraction of that time, one species among countless others has conquered it: us. In this bold and provocative book, Yuval Noah Harari explores who we are, how we got here and where we’re going. ‘I would recommend Sapiens to anyone who’s interested in the history and future of our species’ Bill Gates ‘Interesting and provocative... It gives you a sense of how briefly we’ve been on this Earth’ Barack Obama **ONE OF THE GUARDIAN'S 100 BEST BOOKS OF THE 21st CENTURY**

Dhrumil Patel

Mihai Nueleanu

Matthew Jackson

Official U.S. edition with full color illustrations throughout. #1 New York Times Bestseller The Summer Reading Pick for President Barack Obama, Bill Gates, and Mark Zuckerberg, now available as a beautifully packaged paperback 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.

Christian Bager Bach Houmann

I loved reading this book. Absolutely an amazing read throughout.

Chris Dailey

Titanic tome with an daunting topic - the history of humanity. Written in a digestible, often bordering on entertaining style, the book covers Homo Sapiens (and other Humans) from pre-history into the near future. Bucketing our species' development into 'revolutions' (cognitive, agricultural, scientific) and covering a spate of events in each period, its strengths are the anecdotes, one-offs, trivia and ambition. Some theories land like the broad division these revolutions and diagnosis on how humans were able to leap from nomadic kin based groups into a collective, borderless, global community through economic, political and religious tools. Lots of misses too though, particularly the at times condescending tone, selective examples, contradictions, and glorification (maybe tongue-in-cheek?) of our ancestors. Fascinating to read even when you disagree and full of knowledges. Lots of breadth, little depth.

I enjoyed being told stuff I basically already knew but in a slightly new and very matter of fact way. Made me want to Google lots of random things while I was reading, which is probably a good sign that it was interesting

Terra Ganey

Sanjay Krishna 

Interesting thoughts. Doesn't live up to the hype.

Timeo Williams

Perhaps the best book I have ever read. Yuval does an amazing job of encapsulating human history with an underlying tone of sarcastic humor.

Rohit Khanduri

Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari is a thought-provoking exploration of the history of our species. I appreciate Harari's captivating writing style, his ability to weave together complex ideas, and his talent for storytelling.

Harari delves into pivotal moments in human history, shedding light on significant developments that have shaped our world. One such moment is the cognitive revolution, which occurred around 70,000 years ago when Homo sapiens acquired the ability to think and communicate in unprecedented ways. This cognitive leap paved the way for the emergence of complex social structures and cooperation, driving our species forward.

Another crucial aspect Harari delves into is the Agricultural Revolution. Around 12,000 years ago, humans transitioned from nomadic hunting and gathering societies to settled agricultural communities. This revolution fundamentally transformed our way of life, leading to the rise of civilization, the development of cities, and the birth of agriculture as a foundation for human sustenance.

Throughout the book, Harari challenges conventional wisdom and offers insightful perspectives. He explores the concept of money as a collective fiction, highlighting its role in facilitating economic exchanges and cooperation on a large scale. This thought-provoking notion encourages readers to question the fundamental structures that govern our societies.

Harari also delves into the profound impact of the Scientific and Industrial Revolutions. These transformative periods in human history brought about groundbreaking discoveries and technological advancements that have shaped every aspect of our existence. The author emphasizes the significance of these revolutions, underscoring their role in propelling our species forward and reshaping the world as we know it.

While reading Sapiens, it's impossible to ignore the influence of empires. Harari examines the rise and fall of various empires throughout history, emphasizing their impact on cultural exchange, trade, and the spread of ideas. By understanding the dynamics of empires, readers gain valuable insights into the interconnectedness of human societies and the forces that have shaped our global civilization.

It is important to note that Sapiens presents a range of thought-provoking ideas and interpretations, which have sparked debates and controversies within the academic community. Harari's perspectives, while compelling, are not without their critics. Therefore, it is essential for readers to approach these controversial aspects with an open mind and engage in further exploration and research to form a well-rounded understanding.

Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind is a captivating book that skillfully weaves together complex ideas, historical facts, and thought-provoking perspectives. Harari's engaging writing style and talent for storytelling make the book accessible and intriguing. The inclusion of pivotal moments, such as the cognitive and agricultural revolutions, as well as the impact of empires, provides readers with a comprehensive understanding of the forces that have shaped human history. Despite the controversial aspects, this book is a valuable read for anyone interested in delving into the story of our species and understanding the development of humanity.

Teresa Bonifácio

What a book. It really makes you think about the way humans got where we are now. I certainly started to view us more as the bad guys (I already had that idea of the Sapiens!). It makes you wonder where we are going to stop and how. If the last species to go into extinction will be ours.

Aparna

Sapiens:A brief history of mankind

A book which is history written in the most interesting manner where the author tries to establish how Homo(Man) evolves into an Homo Sapiens(Wise man) briefing about how people use their brains,tools they used and their social culture.
His pictures of the earliest man,the foragers and agrarians fascinated me the most.It takes us in the journey of how agriculture started,how it changed with each generation.
Harari's books comes with certain flaws he couldn't piece the shards of medieval with imaginative prehistoric human. His thoughts on religion in the medieval era doesn't impress me much.There's lot about church history how mighty is the church which seems to be boring because it affects the flow.
Of all Mr.Harari is an intelligent writer who works on a prescribed agenda but since he goes far and wide across different areas letting confusing characters engulf us making us think whether it's a must read book or not.

The size of the book seems to be two Dan Brown's and is at a slow pace so u may find it least interesting in the middle.

Qonita

This book has its exciting moments and interesting framings. I really enjoy the first part and the happiness chapter. The tight relationship between science and imperialism sucks big time but was a good point. The animal domestication discussion is important and renewed my motivation to reduce animal product intake. I like how the book is organized and there is plenty of useful information. But overall, I'm quite iffy about how he processed his materials.

I'm a skeptic and I approach my non-fiction reading with 'ok but why should I believe you?' attitude. Time and time, he left me hanging with insufficient arguments and evidence. I'd love a brief "history of mankind" to be more neutral and less subjective. This, instead, is very opinionated. I'm not a historian, I don't know my facts, but I can sense when he had trailed off his and threw in his personal pennies in lieu. And this happened too many times. His glorification of hunting-gathering cherry-picked the idle peaceful parts and under imagined the anxious and painful parts of being in fights daily. His references to Islam this and Islam that were often underresourced. The talk of imperialism grossly glossed over the victims as if they were NPCs. His minimizing some ancient kingdoms' choice (or I dare say wisdom) not to explore, conquer, and exploit unknown lands, unlike the Europeans, at the expense of acquiring science was pushing greed as the supreme way of life, which, well, is fair as a Personal Opinion. And I'm honestly fine with opinions, if only they're treated as opinions. There are more things that don't sit right with me. Some of them might not be written explicitly, but factoring in the timely jeering tone, I can't help getting the partial impression. Of course, he's entitled to his opinions, and for that, I've decided that instead of a factual historical non-fiction, this book is a lengthy essay, to be taken with grainS of salt. 

On an important note, I'm not happy at all with Palestine's erasure in this. There's a chapter on war, and I've waited and waited for how he would put Palestine-Israel in the perspective. But he only mentioned Israel-Syria conflict in passing, and severely underrated the seriousness of any war that is still happening currently, including the huge gajah di pelupuk of Israel di Palestine. Is this, what, the government's censoring?? Simply avoiding the topic? Ethnic cleansing apologism?? This stance makes the whole chapter extra unconvincing.

This book is thought-provoking, not a herald of absolute truth. Read this if you want, but do check out other similar books to get a second and third opinion. I will too.

THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER Planet Earth is 4.5 billion years old. In just a fraction of that time, one species among countless others has conquered it. Us. We are the most advanced and most destructive animals ever to have lived. What makes us brilliant? What makes us deadly? What makes us Sapiens? In this bold and provocative book, Yuval Noah Harari explores who we are, how we got here and where weâe(tm)re going. Sapiens is a thrilling account of humankindâe(tm)s extraordinary history âe" from the Stone Age to the Silicon Age âe" and our journey from insignificant apes to rulers of the world âe~It tackles the biggest questions of history and of the modern world, and it is written in unforgettably vivid language. You will love it!âe(tm) Jared Diamond, author of Guns, Germs and Steel For more, visit www.ynharari.com

"Sapiens" by Yuval Noah Harari is a thought-provoking ride through human history. It brilliantly stitches together the evolution, cultures, and economies shaping humankind. Harari's insights on how societal structures emerged are enlightening, presenting complex ideas in an accessible manner. However, it's not without its critics. Some argue Harari oversimplifies history and his interpretations may lean on speculation. Also, the vast timeline covered means some parts feel rushed. Nonetheless, it's a compelling read, offering a broad perspective on humanity's journey.

Erwin Lemuel Oliva

Chaitanya Baranwal

Personally, this book has been quite a ride for me.

Sapiens presented itself as "A Brief History of Humankind" and it does justice to the title. The book, in essence, is a abridged version of all that has happened since humans started existing in this world – right from originating in one corner of Africa to being able to harness science and technology to bring about unprecedented changes to the human species. I could break down the book into 5 parts: the very start of the human species, the Cognitive Revolution, the Agricultural Revolution, the Industrial Revolution, and the Scientific Revolution (no, I am not looking at the book sections right now). In each section, Harari covers how a massive change was brought about in the human race, be it biological, social or environmental changes. He then goes on to talk about the many differences that this change brought about in how humans carry on with their life.

The first half of the book fell a little "flat" to me – too many facts and ideas which I often did not find relatable because of the drastic difference between then and now. This is not Harari's fault though, he is simply laying out what he thinks is true. What I think could have been done better is more nuances and backing in Harari's claims. Oftentimes, I felt that his conclusions were hasty and assuming, which led me to question his claims and disagree with them. The latter half was more engaging, because it moved into determining why our society works the way it does in current times. This section covered concepts like religion and economics, and maybe because I never delved into these topics did I find them interesting. The book ends with all the wild possibilities that lie in front of the human race because of technological disruption, and Harari mixed these with all its philosophical, political and ethical consequences.

The book covers a lot of ground, I will give it that. Definitely recommend it to anyone who wants an overview of the major happenings in our small time on earth as humankind, and all the possibilties which might mark our future!

It’s a good intro to Homo sapiens’ birth and history, with fascinating explanations on social systems, ideologies, and religions. It gets a bit dull towards the end though.

Jieun Lee

“Seventy thousand years ago, Homo sapiens was still an insignificant animal minding its own business in a corner of Africa. In the following millenia it transformed itself into the master of the entire planet and the terror of the ecosystem. Today it stands on the verge of becoming a god, poised to acquire not only eternal youth, but also the divine abilities of creation and destruction.”

---------------------------------

Despite going through millennia of evolution, despite the countless cultures and perspectives we seem to have, humans have had a very distinct and unified history on earth. We have shaped the world to our desires, and broken it with our own beliefs and inventions too. When all is said and done, the history of our species is a fascinating tale of going from rags to riches, where we can see ourselves become the villain pretty early on in the story.

Sapiens touches briefly upon all topics that have shaped humankind, from our prehistoric ancestral roots gaining cognitive abilities for the first time to the vast technological empire we have built since then, leading to the possibility of The Singularity.
Of course, with this much subject matter at hand, it is impossible to go into much detail about any one of them, but the book offers an excellent introduction to the most significant and interesting aspects of each topic. But overall, this was a great, easy to understand and brief account of where our species comes from and what that might mean for our present and future.

The first and last chapters were the most intriguing and gripping in my opinion. Our past and the legacy we have built during our time here is not really one to be proud of on the grand scale. Yes, it is a tale of victory in terms of climbing to the top of the pyramid and thriving for millenia. However, it is also a tale of destruction where every other species has paid the price in misery and extinction. Our impact is great, both in an impressive and terrible way.

The audiobook is also very well narrated, if you retain information better in oral form (I usually combine the two as I am reading.) Although if you do choose to do the same, it is fascinating to see the differences between the two versions (my physical copy has metric units and quite a wide range of examples from different cultures around the world, whereas the audiobook is more American centric with its references and imperial units, not to mention the hopeful and inquisitive tone of some sections in one version, compared to the cold cynicism of the other).

“Is there anything more dangerous than dissatisfied and irresponsible gods who don’t know what they want?”

hileahrious

A book I think everyone should give a go... not because I agree with everything or because it is so great, but because it is a book that will really make you think. Think about your life, your surroundings, what you know, what you don’t know. Overall, it will challenge your perspectives on human existence, history, progress, beliefs, happiness, and beyond. And if there is something very lacking in this world of today, it is THOUGHT about oneself not as an individual, but as part of something bigger and more destructive than you could’ve ever imagined. 

Other reasons for reading this book: it reads almost like a conversation, includes quite a lot of sassy jokes, you’ll brush up on history you probably forgot or never learned, and you’ll probably have several existential crises, which are always great fun.

veekay

Terrific journey it has been. Took me too long to read but I've had fun!

Marie

I stopped reading this book at like 60% because it got way too depressing.

Very informative and interesting book. There was a bit in the middle where it got very slow and dense, but it was so worth it to continue. 

It's a nice glance over the entire history of humanity with an in-depth look at the influences agriculture, capitalism, and money have had on the homosapien species, and how we in turn have created and influenced the former

Emma Lechner

Very informative and interesting book. There was a bit in the middle where it got very slow and dense, but it was so worth it to continue. 

It's a nice glance over the entire history of humanity with an in-depth look at the influences agriculture, capitalism, and money have had on the homosapien species, and how we in turn have created and influenced the former

Amena Elkayal

One of the best books I've read so far! it is brilliant! A MUST READ book!

It reads just like a textbook, only a couple of times did I hear the authors voice. What I enjoyed about this was the facts, and looking at both sides of an argument or theory.

We have come far but not far enough and yet too far, if that makes sense.

Katherine Hampton

This is a must read. Very educational on how we came to be.


It reads just like a textbook, only a couple of times did I hear the authors voice. What I enjoyed about this was the facts, and looking at both sides of an argument or theory.


We have come far but not far enough and yet too far, if that makes sense.


Would I recommend? Yes!

Hannah Yang

If I was giving an alien a tour of Earth and could only give them one book to explain 'how did society become what it is today? & what important questions must we ask about the future?', it would be Sapiens. What a brilliant, sweeping, readable overview of human history! I feel like it covers just about every issue of historical importance -- each chapter is like an introduction to a subject that merits its own book.

In the spirit of brevity, Sapiens does not always offer an in-depth context of the historical events or issues it covers, and the conclusions it reaches for are on the global/universal scale (rather than offering best practices for individuals). Still, it brings out the key insights and questions for each topic addressed, shedding light on how concepts such as time and money, alongside various ideologies, were constructed throughout history. The idea that human cooperation and progress is the result of our ability to create and accept shared, imagined realities/stories has beautiful explanatory power and compels us to consider what we should imagine next (The real question facing us is not "what do we want to become?", but "what do we want to want?"). The sections on the history of happiness and the final section, on the potential successors of homo sapiens, were incredibly thought-provoking (I was particularly interested in the effects of advertising + the general philosophy of Buddhism). 

One of the key criticisms seems to center on Harari's idea that the Agricultural Revolution was a sham and a trap that has led to more stressful, alienated lives. One part of me is unconvinced: modernity's improvements in material quality of life and the ever-expanding palette of potential careers and hobbies seem to be objectively better than a life spent hunting and foraging. Even if Harari's claim that the average forager was more knowledgable/skilled person than the average 21st century person is true, humanity as a whole knows so much more about the universe than we did before -- quantum physics! Biology and chemistry! History! Art! Isn't this all clearly better?

Yet, I think Harari suggests that this conclusion presupposes certain shared stories about humanity (EX: The goal of humanity is to increase knowledge / improve material conditions / innovate and grow) when "as far as we can tell, from a purely scientific standpoint, human life has absolutely no meaning. Humans are the outcome of blind evolutionary processes that operate without goal or purpose." If ignorance really is bliss, why has humanity been so hell-bent on increasing knowledge? Whereas hunter-gatherers needed only know the village gossip and some knowledge of the seasons and the land, we obligate ourselves to endlessly learn more about events and suffering all around the world and across species. Now, we can even predict and worry about the suffering of future generations who will live with climate change.

Even seemingly 'good' knowledge improvements, such as personalized medicine and the potential to be amortal, won't necessarily lead to more happiness -- if anything, these developments could increase the divide between haves and have-nots and make losses of human life even more unbearable. From a religious perspective, taking away death and the afterlife would take away part of what gives life meaning. The happiness chapter discusses the importance of the gaps between our expectations and reality, and how a technologically-poor forager might be happier than than us simply because we are so much more aware of the 'deficits' in our lives, be it our personal appearance or relative wealth or the experiences we have access to. Given all this, I wouldn't be surprised if it were true that societal happiness is going down despite (or because of) objectively superior material conditions / awareness of the universe.

The question then is: what's the point of all our so-called progress? Maybe maximizing happiness has never been the end goal, but rather seeking out some kind of truth or fulfilling our imaginations or simply pushing the world to its limits (in which case, we are excelling!). Should we be redirecting ourselves? I am cognizant that in the reality outside of the stories I have absorbed to make my own experience of existence more pleasant, in the grand scheme of things, humanity and the 'progress' we have made during our time in the universe might mean little or nothing. The best things we've ever done and the worst crimes ever committed are just things that happened, and there is no one besides ourselves keeping track. Philosophies from stoicism to hedonism could all be perfectly valid ways to live one's life. Even scientific phenomena such as climate change may not be some horrible thing to prevent, but another chapter of earth's history that we will strive to survive through. But I'm a 'find meaning in every moment' person, and refuse to convert to the 'life is meaningless' camp. Realism is important to inquire about, but overrated! I can individually still want to live a long, happy, ambitious, moral life even if that isn't an objective good.

So while Harari provides no takeaway for individuals, here is mine: my life on this planet may be inconsequential to the universe, and society may just be a story we've made up, but I still impact the people and beings I interact with. Through the choices I make, I can make my minuscule contribution to our shared stories -- the force that defines our cultures and how individuals now and in the future will experience the world. If we can change the dominant story such that our next generation (which can include animals/plants/cyborgs/etc!) experiences existence more happily than we do now, that is a definite positive direction for humanity. Even if it is not 'meaningful' or 'progressive' in any larger sense, we can make it meaningful through our collective storytelling. Our stories need not be framed as 'delusions', but the most brilliant evolution of all, infusing our lives with purpose and thus the possibility of unparalleled joy and fulfillment.

Harsh Patel

Must read for understanding how humans came at the current times. Amazingly well written covering enough highlights and depth for covering range of topics. Book packs wide variety of ideas. 5/5!

Shape Mismatch

tl;dr - History of everything I guess, heavily opinionated though. Highly recommended.

A very interesting book which attempts to tell the tale of humanity from the start to now. From this birds eyes perspective, the author creates a wonderous narration spun intricately from the perspectives of biology (primarily), history, economics, politics, ethics, theologies and everything in between. The book, while for the most parts doesn't tell a typical reader something (s)he wasn't aware of (be it Neanderthals, or Buddhism, or genetic engineering), but it describes or even explains all of these things with amazing clarity. The author never shies away from extrapolating events to shed some light on their implications, from giving analogical explanations, and more importantly, never shies away from raising crucial questions, answering which is neither possible given our limits of understanding, or needed.

However, often, Harari does give an answer to these questions. And this is my main qualm with the book: overly opinionated interpretations. The narrative of the book is such that the same things which push the boundaries of your perspective, also constrict it by giving very clear opinions on the matter. And this happens in a manner which makes it difficult to separate the two. There are also moments where the author radicalizes things which needn't be. For a very small instance, boxing Christianity, Islam, Capitalism, and Communism as belief systems. While it can be digested, the way the author asserts it would leave little room for disagreements. Either you agree with him and read ahead, or you don't and you stop reading. Other examples include replacing sometimes -> often; some -> many while describing very subjective phenomenons throughout the book. The desired effect is to jolt the readers, to shake their understanding of things in order to make room for "his".

But, IMO, the book is still very much worth a diligent read. Despite the my way or the highway approach of the narrative, the book left me with many things to think about. Questions, whose answers (as given by Harari) once forgotten, are well worth the read.

Dimitris Papastergiou

I liked it!

Great book, informative, easy read, and well-written, also, written with a personal style by Harari, which already has a fan in me. The way he writes is just exactly the kind of way that would irritate people who have another opinion on matters that I always believed that, if you weren't there, you can't be sure, and if there's no evidence there's not point arguing about it.. aaaand I love that.

So kudos Mr. Harari, I'm gonna get some more books from you in the future! 

Recommended!

Sarah Schumacher

I’m a big fan of books that shift your perspective, and this is one of those. Read this if you’ve ever tried to grasp the big picture of history since the beginning of time.

Matthew Jackson &
Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari

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