Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari

4.0 out of 5 stars

Very informative and broadens understanding

I loved every page of this book. By giving an account of the macro perspective, this book humbles us by showing us where we stand in the grand scheme of things. It also shows us how factors, we might not have thought of in our dizziest dreams, shape as deeply as individuals. It has broadened my vision and made me more sensitive to my limitations and habits, in the very process helping me be more flexible yet accepting of certain other things as they are. So many things over centuries of history make us who we are physically, psychologically and socially. Yet some pages also show there is hope to transcend all and not be limited by worldly evolution in every way.

2 people found this helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars

From human to posthuman

Sapiens underscores the Cognitive Revolution as the decisive geological/biological event that carved out a trajectory for Homo sapiens. The author raises several arguments to suggest that an animal of no special importance became a geological force 1500 years ago. The book tries to answer a few questions such as:1. What is the significance of addressing human history regarding the cognitive revolution?2. How is the agricultural revolution significant? What are the disadvantages the agricultural revolutions brought to humanity?3. What’s the importance of unification of a large number of members of the Homo Sapiens?4. How does the scientific revolution endow the human species with superhuman potential?Each question is dealt with a clarity that could be attributed to the skill of the writer. Under several crucial subsections, each of these questions receives deeper elaborations. The text analyses the rise of the early species of humans under the part that discusses cognitive revolution. Several species of humans populated the earth until 70000 years ago when the Cognitive Revolution was triggered in Homo Sapiens in Africa. Gradually, Sapiens dominated all the other species of humans on the earth. In his evocative language, the author points out many research outcomes that prove that just as the only extant human species, the sapiens crossed paths with any of the other ancestral species of humans the population of those other species has deteriorated. Although the author does not point out the exact reasons for the disappearance of all the other early human species the certainty that their demise and their contiguity with Homo Sapiens is indisputable.The point of view that the author adopts to describe the agricultural revolution is a multidisciplinary one. When it says the agricultural revolution is history’s biggest fraud, one has to wonder if history itself is alive, has a mind of its own. The major difference between animals and human sapiens is that sapiens can cooperate, coordinate, and function as a system under an idea. Animals are limited by a certain biological determinism. For example, a large number of ants can cooperate, often better than humans. However, the laws that govern their genes and biological systems bind them to function with a queen ant. No ant colony would ever revolt against an ant queen. Homo sapiens overthrew monarchies and ruling parties with a set of ideas or stories. Religion and money are shown as two major forces that played in favour of unifying sapiens across the globe.Finally, the scientific revolution transforms the potential of sapiens and makes them “god-like” in their capability to transcend their natural barriers. By using advanced instruments on their body sapiens can magnify their natural strength, be it vision, heartbeats, or memory. The book argues that 1500 years ago, sapiens became a geological force. The final triumph was not just that of science in unifying and strengthening sapiens. There was yet another claim for the space of influence- from colonialism. The relationship between science and colonialism is narrated in detail.

One person found this helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars

A Disappointing and Biased Historical Account

As an avid enthusiast of human history and the dawn of sapiens, I was excited to delve into Yuval Noah Harari’s book “Sapiens” and explore the journey of humanity from its earliest days. However, my experience with the book left me profoundly disappointed and frustrated.Firstly, the book’s title and description led me to believe that it would primarily cover the history of human kind from the sapiens age. Unfortunately, I found that a significant portion of the content was focused on events from the 18th and 19th centuries, which are well-documented in numerous other sources. This was not the comprehensive historical exploration I was hoping for, as I had already encountered this information elsewhere.One of the most glaring issues I encountered was the evident bias throughout the narrative. Harari’s portrayal of historical events and religious perspectives seemed to reflect a particular agenda rather than an impartial presentation of facts. As a reader seeking an objective account of human history, I found this bias both disheartening and misleading.Moreover, it was evident to me that the research into certain regions and religions was lacking, particularly when it came to India and Hinduism. Given the profound influence that Indian civilization and Hinduism have had on the world, their treatment in the book felt superficial and incomplete. I believe that a more comprehensive understanding of these subjects would have enriched the narrative and made it more well-rounded.Similarly, I was troubled by the book’s representation of Islam as an overwhelmingly important religion. While Islam indeed holds significance in world history, it should not overshadow or diminish the importance of other major religions and belief systems. This skewed portrayal further contributed to the sense of bias and misrepresentation present in the book.Regrettably, these issues culminated in my decision to abandon the book midway through reading. The lack of objectivity and the significant historical gaps were simply too frustrating to overlook.While “Sapiens” may resonate with some readers, particularly those with a limited knowledge of history, it is essential to approach it with a critical mind and seek additional sources to gain a more balanced understanding of the topics discussed. As for myself, I have chosen to part ways with the book by disposing of it, as it doesn’t align with the educational and factual reading experience I had hoped for.In conclusion, I cannot recommend “Sapiens” for readers seeking a comprehensive and unbiased history of human kind. Instead, I encourage individuals to explore alternative sources that offer a more objective perspective on this fascinating subject.

9 people found this helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars

Fantastic book! Everyone shoul read it!

This book is amazing, it Yuval Noah harari deals with evolutionary biology, prehistoric era,scent of money, scientific revolution and many more, it’s going to change your perspective if you buy it!

4.0 out of 5 stars

Finally I read this, and it opened my eyes.

Hello everyone. I just completed this yesterday and felt that everyone should really read about the evolution. Yuval gives a brilliant perspective on how we evolved, conquered seas, established empires, troubled natives of the lands and how we got truly domesticated by a plant called wheat. Today, the animals and birds are reclaiming their lands and air if you may…if you read this book you will think this is finally justice to how we have behaved with the world. In the end, Yuval boils down to something very basic – Contentment and happiness that Buddha preached. He also talks about how the world is heading to a crazy future of nonsensical projects in the name of medicine and saving people’s lives. The book was released in 2011 and now more than ever people are reading it. Coincidence? I think not. As a collective consciousness we are driven to this book because it helps us understand the mistakes we made and perhaps how we can better them. It was only last year we saw the Polar Bear in the Nat Geo feed looking bony and starved because the melting of the arctic ice…it was the most abnormal thing to have witnessed. Also, it was just last year Greta Thunberg gave a soul stirring speech at the UN which went viral. Why did it go viral? Because the consciousness that we all have is a single one. Her outburst was us crying inside for what we are doing to this world. We can learn now, make a difference now…we have plenty of time to think and internalise. Why buy plastic when we can buy stainless steel, plastic making companies can start alternate environment friendly production of items. Look at us in the lockdown! Are we even using any of the fancy stuff we bought and paid for with big money. We are surviving on essentials. We aren’t really complaining. We are hoping that after this lockdown we can meet our friends and family and just give them a hug♥️🤗Let’s start small, let’s relook at how we buy and how people do business, maybe then we can still have this world to enjoy and convince God that we truly deserve this world. #happyreading #lockdownreading #eyeopening #sapiens

5.0 out of 5 stars

Wonderful book

A must read. It will open many new windows of thought.

5.0 out of 5 stars

Best books

Good books for icse class

One person found this helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars

An eye opener

This books dives deep into human history & talks about the human race collectively. It tries to answer lot of questions on why we are what we are today.It changes our perspective towards many things in life. It gives an holistic view on life in general

3.0 out of 5 stars

Pages quality is not good in hardbound Indian edition

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 You would think that after buying hardbound version, you will get better quality pages but that’s not the case, page quality feels cheap

5.0 out of 5 stars

Must and Relevant Read

Very much Astonishing and good read. Glad I have read this book. Anyone interested in human race history and future.

5.0 out of 5 stars

Life changing

This book will transform your worldview. You see everything differently. It took me so long to complete this book because very often you read something and it takes you on a whole trip.

5.0 out of 5 stars

Thought provoking

I have started reading and till now the book is engaging.Will keep updating the review.

5.0 out of 5 stars

Amazing Book.Highly Recommended

This book take you to the reality of Human History which is explained with evidences. Let Evidence lead you all ❤️

5.0 out of 5 stars

Thought provoking! A must read in 2023!

There’s one striking feature of this book, that is the storyline it has maintained or the continuity of the thoughts.The book starts by giving us an insight on the dawn of humanity some 70000 years ago. It gives a very imaginative play of how we are all ancestors of that one ape that went beyond the cycle of evolution.It goes on explaining how our ancestors thousands of years ago survived, what was their life like, their food pattern, and every possible detail of their life. And also gave an insight on how alongside living, early man too had a thing for destructing every thing that came his way, even their distant cousins Neanderthals.It talked about the Agricultural Revolution and its consequences both in terms of economic and social. It also talked in great depth about the Industrial Revolution and how it changed lives forever. But the book specifically gave great importance to the Scientific Revolution as it changed the course of lives forever.Lastly, the book imagined a future based on the evolution cycle and feared the godlike intelligent creatures are next in line and maybe, we, the homo sapiens will be the one who will go extinct this time, the way Neanderthals went extinct by our hands.The book will make you understand how history is the best way to predict the future. As when you will see through your own eyes the astonishing evolution of homo sapiens, you too will have to believe in the future the book is talking about as it seems as impossible as our evolution into man of today seemed 70,000 years ago.It’s a book written in 2014 and reading it today in 2023 makes much more sense than ever because a lot of things that have been talked about in the book as developments are now full-fledged reality.I guess it is a kind of book that will make much more sense every time you read it because every time you will be reading some history with some future insights.It’s a must read for those who are fascinated with the image of the future but it is not for those who are scared of change. For this book will certainly teach you one thing that change is the only constant. The unimaginable kind of change!

7 people found this helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars

Good quality book

A must read

3.0 out of 5 stars

Satisfied

The book came in a pretty nice box. I thought it will be in the condition that I expected it to be in but there were some black spots on the book and some finger nail marks plus the spine was a little tormented. Expected a little better condition but still overall happy with the purchase…

5.0 out of 5 stars

Unveiling the Tapestry of Human History: A Review of Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari

Sapiens” by Yuval Noah Harari is an intellectually stimulating and eye-opening journey through the history of humankind. Harari skillfully combines history, anthropology, and biology to unravel the complex evolution of our species. With captivating storytelling and thought-provoking insights, he challenges conventional notions and offers fresh perspectives on developing culture, society, and our shared future. “Sapiens” is a remarkable exploration of our origins and a compelling reflection on the challenges ahead.

5.0 out of 5 stars

Quenches inquisitive minds

Opens vistas of thinking

5.0 out of 5 stars

Gotta say, it kept me hooked from the start

Okay, so I saw this book on a recommendation list when I was searching for books to buy online. Didn’t have much doubts, since this book seemed to cover areas related to history, and that too of mankind’s, which is my favourite topic to read about. Anything works, as long as it includes historically related factors. So, I started reading it from yesterday when it got delivered (also, another fantastic delivery by Amazon, got the item in perfect and readable condition) and gotta say…I’m certainly in love with it. I think I’ve got more to figure out about this book but as far as I have read, it is amazing. This might be a bit uncomfortable for christians to read as the book has elements criticizing the religion but…as someone who’s an atheist, I didn’t give a flying f**k and kept reading on. That’s all I have to say. Need to read further to discover the fascinating aspects of this book but I’m already in love with it.

4 people found this helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars

Makes you think

Probably made me a vegan. It speaks from a third person perspective, which really suits the story the book is trying to convey.

4.0 out of 5 stars

READ “HOMO DEUS” INSTEAD

I tend to think of this book as a prequel to “Homo Deus,” simply because I happened to read them in the wrong order! In fact, “Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind” was written several years before “Homo Deus: A History of Tomorrow.”Yuval Noah Harari, the author, is a professor of History and an intellectual polymath in the tradition of Bronowski, Issac Asimov and Carl Sagan. He has written several path-breaking books during the past ten years.This book is a sweeping dissertation on the history of mankind. On the very first page, we are told about the conceptual sequence of physics, chemistry, biology and history. Next, the author lists the three revolutions which have shaped the course of history: The Cognitive Revolution, the Agricultural Revolution and the Scientific Revolution. The book is divided into four sections, one for each of the three Revolutions and one serving as a bridge between the Agricultural and Scientific Revolutions. Let us examine these sections one by one.The section on the Cognitive Revolution begins with a “disturbing secret” – for a long time, Homo Sapiens was not the only human species. In the author’s own words, “The earth of a hundred millennia ago was walked by at least six different species of man.” The author says that more than one human species had learnt the use of fire. Homo Sapiens originated in East Africa and entered Eurasia through the Arabian Peninsula about 70,000 years ago. There are two conflicting theories about the interaction between Sapiens and the other species, known as the Interbreeding Theory and the Replacement Theory. The author speculates that the truth lies in between these two theories, although there is a strong likelihood that violence and genocide had occurred, as “Tolerance is not a Sapiens trademark.”The Cognitive Revolution comprises new ways of thinking and communicating, which arose between 70,000 and 30,000 years ago. Sapiens bonded with “gossip” and formed bands with upto 150 members. Beyond this limit, says the author, human cooperation becomes possible only through common myths, or imagined reality, leading to trade and cultural evolution.Further, “The wandering bands of storytelling Sapiens were the most important and most destructive force the animal kingdom had ever produced… The settlers of Australia, or more accurately, its conquerors, didn’t just adapt, they transformed the Australian ecosystem beyond recognition.” The combination of climate change and human hunting changed not only Australia, but also Siberia, North America and South America.Coming to the next Revolution, agriculture began around 9500 – 8500 BC in south eastern Turkey, and simultaneously in other parts of the globe as well. The author surprisingly describes Agriculture as “history’s biggest fraud” and justifies it by saying that “the extra food did not translate into a better diet or more leisure. Rather, it translated into population explosions and pampered elites. The average farmer worked harder than the average forager, and got a worse diet in return.” As the population increased and animals were domesticated, the possibility of returning to a foraging lifestyle diminished. Rearing of animals involved (and still involves) extreme cruelty. Eventually, as trade began and data arose, some rudimentary forms of writing began. Next, hierarchies came up based on imagined orders. Simultaneously, gender discrimination arose in various societies.The third section of the book is titled “Unification of Mankind,” which covers human culture. The author identifies three universal orders: economic, or the monetary order; political, or the imperial order; and finally, religious order exemplified by religions such as Buddhism, Christianity and Islam. There are detailed chapters on each of these.The fourth and last section of the book covers the Scientific Revolution. Beginning with the philosophical aspects of ignorance and the scientific temperament, the author presents another striking line of thought: “The feedback loop between science, empire and capital has arguably been history’s chief engine for the past 500 years.” The next few chapters are devoted to these topics. Subsequently, the author discusses the Industrial Revolution, along with energy, mass production and the social impact of technology. This is followed by a chapter focusing on the relationship between prosperity and happiness, followed by some speculations about the future.There can be no doubt that this book is a tour de force, which compels the reader to think. However, various criticisms can be levelled against Dr Harari. The foremost of these is that many speculations, theories and opinions of the author are presented as established facts. The other major potential for criticism lies in the selection of material and the relative emphasis on various topics. This reviewer, for example, feels that most of the chapters in the third and fourth sections of the book are too long and verbose.I cannot end this review without comparing this book with the author’s subsequent work “Homo Deus,” which I happened to read first. There is considerable overlap between the topics covered in the two books. The speculations about the past in this book are mirrored by speculations about the future in the other book. But there is an important difference: while this book leaves the reader with a sense of shame for belonging to Homo Sapiens, the other one gives hope that someday there will be a sense of pride arising out of being human. Finally, if one had to choose to read only one of these two books, I would unequivocally recommend “Homo Deus.”

48 people found this helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars

Best Books Retail Shop on Amazon(IND)

First of the quality of all books and prints are just awesome and flawless!❤️🗿I ordered 7 books from ‘CocoBlu Retail Limited’ Which Prices are in sequence as in pictures -₹69,₹211,₹164,₹16,₹161,₹104,₹47You May Be Thought how I got all this books at very cheap price, b’coz I bought it in Great Indian festival 😁. If you gonna to buy this books I would suggest you to buy from this seller. They also wrappes books in bubble wrap which is good part and of course do carton packaging. Most of sellers do plastic packaging which damages the books. The main thing I noticed that the quality of pages little bit compromised and are translucent in high lights so you should not read it in sunlight prefer the lamp or normal room bulb, So yeah that’s it in this review!

3 people found this helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars

Read with Caution , Think for yourself

This book changed the course of my life . Despite its oversimplifications , controversial extrapolations and wrong presumptions about biological concepts and debatable political opinions , it questions our basic beliefs about the world , the people and about ourselves. As a high school student especially in India where such thoughts are frowned upon and considered blasphemous , where entire lives of people are entrenched in propaganda and superstitions , I am deeply grateful to Yuval Sir for such lucid writing and easy to understand examples to think for ourselves. We have to move on from religious dogmatism , especially in India .

5 people found this helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars

A very indepth book on Human History

Quite often I get this thought, ‘The universe is large. There are so many galaxies and our solar system is nothing more than a speck. Earth is even smaller. Yet, we are the only known living beings. The history of Earth is so vast and it has been there for millions of years. Humans have been there for significant part. Yet, we live in a space with so advanced technology and process complicated stuff out of a tiny little thing in our head known as Brain. Why are we destined to do this?’ Yuval Noah Harari has tried to explain this in the book Sapiens. It is an attempt to explain how have Humans come to this stage.The author defines three main timelines in the history of Homo Sapiens1. Cognitive Revolution (70000 years ago)2. Agricultural Revolution (10000 years ago)3. Scientific Revolution (500 years ago)When we co-existed with the animals out there in the wild, we were not on top of the food chain. The ancient stone tools discovered are not designed to kill animals. They were used to break bones and eat the marrows inside (So, the big Cats hunt and then lesser animals eat the rest and then scavengers scavenge and after all that humans broke the bone and ate the marrow). Being that weak, Sapiens had a lucky intervention in the form of Cognitive Revolution. Most animals can communicate in some form, but none as detailed and as sophisticated as a Human. This created knowledge and helped humans form groups and communities. It is interesting that Gossips form an important means of communication. It helps establish trust (and it continues till the day).This was the phase when we were Hunter-Gatherers and Foragers. The author defines this as the best period of Sapiens. They had a relaxed lifestyle, worked less and were fit as they ate a mix of all nutrients. Interestingly, our liking for Sweets has been hardwired from this age. Sweets were such a rarity then and evolution made Sapiens gorge on any sweet they find as it provides abundant energy.Accidents have always been an important cause of turnaround in Human history. Agricultural revolution was no less. A few Hunter Gatherers found that the wheat they gathered spilled on the way and new wheat sprouted. Thus started the domestication. The author further says that it was actually plants like Potato, Wheat and Rice that domesticated us than we domesticating them. Growing these required lot of energy – you had to settle down, plough, remove weed, water and it consumes lot of time. And you end up with one type of food as against the Hunter Gatherers. And due to settling down the human population arose significantly. Thus bigger societies were forming with a big hope of tomorrow, although the life of a farmer was worse than that of a Hunter Gatherer. Hence, the Author calls Agricultural Revolution as the ‘Biggest Fraud’ in Human History. And this curse continues to chase us today as he says,’How many young college graduates have taken demanding jobs in high-powered firms, vowing that they will work hard to earn money that will enable them to retire and pursue their real interests when they are thirty-five? But by the time they reach that age, they have large mortgages, children to school, houses in the suburbs that necessitate at least two cars per family, and a sense that life is not worth living without really good wine and expensive holidays abroad. What are they supposed to do, go back to digging up roots? No, they double their efforts and keep slaving away.,’Agricultural Revolution led to unification of mankind in a way that could never happen with animals – we started having Fictional realities like Money, Country, Kingdom, God which doesn’t exist in nature. The author digs deeply into three main factors that led to mass unification of Humans – Money, Empire and Religion. All of this leads to Trust and enable unification. As he writes, It is interesting how deep the author goes into each of them and analyze the pros of cons of each.He also touches upon and pity the domesticated animals that are treated in a very cruel way. ‘Domesticated chickens and cattle may well be an evolutionary success story, but they are also among the most miserable creatures that ever lived. The domestication of animals was founded on a series of brutal practices that only became crueller with the passing of the centuries’In the final part, the author analyzes the reasons for Scientific Revolution starting out of Europe and how it changed the course of the world. He believes is started because the scientists accepted Ignorance in first place. They were ready to explore and gain knowledge. The kingdom supported them and eventually they conquered the world. He also explains the rise of capitalism and interlinking of capitalism and science.Finally, the author touches upon two aspects – the first one was something that I didn’t expect the author would touch upon – Happiness. He tries to find out what exactly Happiness is and how do we define that. The last 50 years have infact been the best part of Homo Sapiens existence. In the entire past history, there was no such time of peace. Yet, does it impact happiness. We live longer than our ancestors. Are we more content? He feels that more research should be done in the field.The final concluding piece is the future of Homo Sapiens – Will we become Amortal? Will AI take over? Are we Cyborgs today? He looks into various possibilities that might become true.The depth and width of knowledge covered in this book is amazing. Every page has new information and he has tried to capture it as vividly as possible. Summarizing the book might provide some insights, but reading this book is something very different.Finally, there are few people who say our generation is the worst of the lot and our ancestors were close to nature. The author disagrees, ‘The romantic contrast between modern industry that “destroys nature” and our ancestors who “lived in harmony with nature” is groundless. Long before the Industrial Revolution, Homo sapiens held the record among all organisms for driving the most plant and animal species to their extinctions. We have the dubious distinction of being the deadliest species in the annals of life.’

9 people found this helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars

Marvellous

It was just marvellous to see the journey of Apes,beyond their own imagination too.Great work by Mr Harari in summarising those “TURNING POINTS”