Sapiens

A Brief History of Humankind

Yuval Noah Harari

Genre

Book Reviews

Karlie Kloss: "It’s an amazing book on the beginning of humanity. It’s scientific but also philosophical."

Joe Rogan: "Great book... Fucking fascinating... Very enlightening."

Patrick O'Shaughnessy: "This book was so entertaining and useful.

It provides a concise history of humankind and outlines why we have the psychology we do today (this part is great for thinking about investor behavior)."

Changpeng Zhao: "[This book] gives me a greater perspective about how humans emerged and why we behave the way we do."

Daniel Ek: "One of the most-talked-about books of the last couple of years, and for good reason.

Both sobering and conservatively optimistic in equal measure, it seems even more relevant for us at the moment to learn from our socio-anthropological history."

Anthony Pompliano: "One of the best books I read in 2017"

Naval Ravikant: "An orthogonal and clinical examination of the human animal, from the beginning to now.

Humans are story-telling alpha predators that killed the competition and domesticated the survivors. This is our story, and it's not all pretty."

David Sacks: "Yuval Harari’s Sapiens had a big impact on how I approach VC. The theme of the book is that humans obsess over narratives.

So I try to focus on product and metrics as a way to get to ground truth, as opposed to over-indexing on the pitch, which is mostly a story-telling event."

Melinda Gates mentioned this book as one of her 11 favorite books.

Reid Hoffman: "Sapiens has had me thinking a lot about the evolution of humanity and what our future looks like."

Mark Zuckerberg: "I found the chapter on the evolution of the role of religion in human life most interesting and something I wanted to go deeper on."

Raoul Pal enjoyed reading 'Sapiens'.

One of the books Keith Rabois recommends for entrepreneurs.

Bill Gurley: "I really enjoyed [Sapiens]"

Bill Gates: "Melinda and I spent weeks talking about this history of the human race."

Book Synopsis

"Sapiens" by Yuval Noah Harari is an insightful exploration of the history of humankind.

In this thought-provoking book, Harari takes readers on a journey through time, examining the key moments and developments that have shaped the trajectory of our species. From the emergence of Homo sapiens in Africa to our dominance as the most intelligent and powerful beings on the planet, he seamlessly weaves together biology, anthropology, and history to provide a comprehensive understanding of our shared past.

Harari delves into topics ranging from the agricultural revolution, which transformed nomadic societies into settled communities, to the scientific and industrial revolutions that have driven unprecedented progress. He analyzes the impact of religion, capitalism, and imperialism on our social structures and ideologies, showing how these constructs have shaped our beliefs, values, and interactions.

Throughout the book, Harari challenges conventional wisdom, encouraging readers to question long-held assumptions about human nature and progress. He argues that our ability to create imagined realities, such as religions and economic systems, has been instrumental in our success as a species, but also warns of the potential dangers and ethical implications that come with these constructs.

"Sapiens" offers not only a deep understanding of our past but also provokes contemplation on our future. Harari challenges readers to consider the long-term effects of our actions on the environment, our fellow creatures, and future generations. He urges us to critically evaluate the myths and stories that shape our worldviews and to actively engage in shaping a better future for all sentient beings.

In clear and accessible prose, Yuval Noah Harari presents a captivating narrative that sheds light on the collective journey of humankind. "Sapiens" is a must-read for anyone seeking to gain a broader perspective on our history and the forces that have shaped our modern world.

Explore More Books

See All
Pride and Prejudice
The Origin of Wealth
101 Things I Learned in Engineering School
Syntax & Sage
Building the Intentional University
From Bacteria to Bach and Back
Hit Men
The Splendid and the Vile
Prof. Arnold Ehret's Mucusless Diet Healing System
Deep Work
The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress
The Black Swan
Getting Everything You Can Out of All You've Got
The Anatomy of the State
Andrew Carnegie
Good Economics For Hard Times
The Overview Effect
Faraday, Maxwell, and the Electromagnetic Field
Built from Scratch
Daemon
Should We Eat Meat?
The Price of Peace
The Big Score
The Black Jacobins
It's About Damn Time
The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe
Seeing Serena
Be the Person You Want to Find
Every Shot Counts
Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance
Our Mathematical Universe
Troublemakers
The Culture of Narcissism
The Better Angels of our Nature
The Global Macro Edge
Boyd
Layered Money
Swimming Across
The Girl With The Lower Back Tattoo
Death Rattle
Painting and Experience in Fifteenth-Century Italy
Vagabonding
Dune
The Upright Thinkers
The Writing Life
The God Proof
Return to the Little Kingdom
Stealing Fire
More Than You Know
Thirst
James Turrell
Who Moved My Cheese?
The Power of Full Engagement
The Sheltering Sky
The 10,000 Year Explosion
Tales of the Unexpected
How Buildings Learn
The Wisdom of Crowds
Hustle Harder, Hustle Smarter
The Value Investors
The Only Game In Town
Continental Reckoning
The Autobiography of Charles Darwin
Norwegian Wood
Six Not-So-Easy Pieces
Nudge
Energy
Greenlights
Money Changes Everything
Stuff Matters
In The Plex
Ficciones
Autobiography of a Yogi
Race and Culture
The Great Illusion
Interventions
The Checklist Manifesto
Orwell's Revenge
Uncaring
Decoded
One Up on Wall Street
The Art of Computer Programming
The Cult of LEGO
Breath From Salt
The Jack Vance Treasury
In-N-Out Burger
Leaving Microsoft to Change the World
Slugfest
Lonesome Dove
Take On The Street
What If?
Zoning Rules!
The Heart of Yoga
Dreamland
The Trump Century
The Unbearable Lightness of Being
Plan B 3.0
The Opium of the Intellectuals
Tent Life in Siberia
UFO Hunters