Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind

This book reads like a smoky, late night dorm room conversation on “how culture is just a myth” or some similarly thought provoking topic. Not that culture isn't a myth, but explaining this in a history book requires a more rigorous explanation than Sapiens offers in its breezy narrative.

It's a fun read but demands the reader take breathtaking leaps in the causal chain to move through 200,000 years of history and anthropology in 400 pages. Stepping us from A to Z means making sure B, C, J, O, and X are all accurate and scientifically sound. This book doesn't do that. Sapiens asks us to imagine what early farmers were thinking and extrapolate theories of why the current social order is shaped the way it is. It asks us to cherry pick single examples from civilizations thousands of years ago to explain all of Homo Sapien motivation. Worse yet, the author intersperses ethical judgement throughout, leaving me to wonder how much of the research is motivated by his own worldview.

If you are along for Harari's ride then I can imagine the view is fantastic. If you want to make a stop along the way and ask a few questions, there's no time.