Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind
Author: Yuval Noah Harari Category: History Published: January 1, 2011 Language: English File Size: 7.4 Tags: Anthropology | Evolution | Historical | History | Nonfiction | Philosophy | Psychology | Science | Sociology |Theme:
Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari, describes that Sapiens came to dominate the world because they are only animal that can cooperate flexibly in large numbers.
Summary:
It is an anthropological masterpiece on how humanity came to be. You will learn how we went from running on savannas to driving cars, how we (probably) formed religion, why we “defeated” the other six species of humans, and why gossip is so important to us.
It is the thing that sets Sapiens apart from other species. And that difference is that Sapiens are myth-makers; they use imagination and language to create and communicate new worlds, alternatives and possibilities.
Famous Quotes:
“Don’t believe tree-huggers who claim that our ancestors lived in harmony with nature.”
“‘Happiness Begins Within.’ Money, social status, plastic surgery, beautiful houses, powerful positions – none of these will bring you happiness.”
“The world does not revolve around humans or around any other particular group of beings.”
“Romanticism tells us that in order to make the most of our human potential we must have as many different experiences as we can.”
“The foragers’ secret of success, which protected them from starvation and malnutrition, was their varied diet.”
“Of course the tigers sometimes caught them, or a snake bit them, but on the other hand they didn’t have to deal with automobile accidents and industrial pollution.”
“The human collective knows far more today than did the ancient bands. But at the individual level, ancient foragers were the most knowledgeable and skilful people in history.”
“Whereas chimpanzees spend five hours a day chewing raw food, a single hour suffices for people eating cooked food.”
“When we break down our prison walls and run towards freedom, we are in fact running into the more spacious exercise yard of a bigger prison.”
“Giving up the nomadic lifestyle enabled women to have a child every year.”
“Consumerism has worked very hard, with the help of popular psychology (‘Just do it!’) to convince people that indulgence is good for you, whereas frugality is self-oppression.”
“Once people get used to a certain luxury, they take it for granted. Then they begin to count on it. Finally they reach a point where they can’t live without it.”
Literary awards:
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- Royal Society of Biology General Book Prize Nominee (2015)
- J. A. Hollon palkinto (2017)
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