Review: SAPIENS
The Book: Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari
The Blurb: 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. (blurb courtesy of Amazon)
The Review:
I recently attended a seminar about non-fiction writing. In it, the speaker described how the arc in a non-fiction ‘story’ is often the arc the reader takes from who they were before they read the book to who they are afterward. This got me thinking of Sapiens. Sapiens is the epitome of what good non-fiction can be. The perfect blend of informed details and engaging voice organized around a compelling narrative. This book tells the story of our species, but the real transformation comes from the reader. In the year since I read this book, phrases and insights I read continued to reverberate through my thoughts at least once a week. It was such an enjoyable read I didn’t even know the extent to which it was setting the gears of my mind in motion. I was on a journey and my narrative arc, my transformation, was a huge success.
Pick up at copy on Amazon or Indiebound.
Up Next On Betsy’s To Be Read Shelf: Flamer by Mike Curato
