Always remember; when you are reading a book, you are interacting with one of the best minds in the world.
And it would be true to say so for Sapiens which is written by brilliant historian and intellectual Yuval Noah Harari of Israel. In his book he tries to explain the evolution of mankind with a keen attention to details.
Having just finished this book I must admit that it had a profound impact on me and made a huge shift in the way I perceive the world around me. It made me understand that even though our time on this planet is miniscule , our actions and decisions can have a huge impact on our ecosystem and are critical to shaping our future.
What if someone told you that the reality you see around is actually a figment of collective imagination? You would be taken aback right? Well, that’s exactly what Harari does in this book!
He takes you on a roller coaster ride through the evolution of man from the stone age to modern age with a glimpse of the future on the way and compels you to question the basic narratives of our world.
Three important revolutions shaped the course of history: the Cognitive Revolution kick-started history about 70,000 years ago. The Agricultural Revolution sped it about 12,000 years ago. The Scientific Revolution, which got under way only 500 years ago, may well end history and start something completely different.
This book tells the story of how these three revolutions have affected humans and their fellow organisms.
It tells the story about how humans changed from hunter and gatherers to farmers and in doing so, short change their lifestyle in many ways. It explores the realms of religion and language that shape our world, like never before. The book provides a better and in depth understanding of the mechanism of society, money and capitalism.
Humankind paid for its lofty vision and industrious hands with backaches and stiff necks.
Harari makes the argument that, in some ways, we live a less happy and satisfying life than our early ancestors. That agriculture was a bargain between humans and grains ; it took us away from the value of nature.
There is so much in Sapiens that any reader will find huge sections to love and hate.
Who are our ancestors? Why is the modern society the way it is? How did money become so important? Did people become happier as history unfolded?
If you are ever curious to find answers to such questions, you should definitely read Sapiens.