Guns, Germs, And Steel...

[MarkG]

Subtitled: The Fates of Human Societies

Just a great book. Discusses the origins of empires, religion, writing crops and guns. 13,000 years in 471 pages...

[SteyrAUG]

Excellent book on why things "began" the way they began.

It does overlook other factors that limited development in some areas such as cultural influences and values. But it does effectively cover the broad strokes and is worth the read.

[mr_smiles]

Just lucky sperm :D

But another thumbs up for the book. Jared Diamond also did a video for NG, you can find it here if you have netflix http://www.netflix.com/WiPlayerCommunityAPI?lnkctr=apiwn&nbb=y&devKey=mvxgt6dvdvkdabunfb9s2ajq&movieid=70034208&trkid=1477396

[Mac5.56]

This book is an absolute must read for everyone, and should be required reading before graduation from high school.

The number of people on this board that need to read this book is astronomical.

[TOrrock]

Excellent book on why things "began" the way they began.

It does overlook other factors that limited development in some areas such as cultural influences and values. But it does effectively cover the broad strokes and is worth the read.


Very true.

One of my worthless degrees is in anthropology and archaeology (with a minor in geography) and the other one is in history (with a minor in religious studies). Yes, I've already admitted that they're pretty much worthless as far as making a living with them....;)

I disagree with Diamond on several points, notably how cultural differences have aided and impeded progress through the millennia.

He's an ornithologist by training, and while his other field, geography, does overlap some areas of anthropology, I don't think it makes up for it.

He really does focus too much on environmental determinism, and glosses over cultural and historical factors that shape a society.

[montanadave]

This book is an absolute must read for everyone, and should be required reading before graduation from high school.

The number of people on this board that need to read this book is astronomical.

Are you suggesting there may be some who would take exception to the notion that Eurasian hegemony might be attributable to something other than superior genetics? :lol:

[sff70]

Damn good book.

[Gutshot John]

To offer a contrary perspective...

As popular history I found it passable though the book I found to be a pretty poor read, dense without much in the way of a clear argument that was or even could be proven. The claims of significance are grandiose in scope but the evidence in support of the claims is often insufficient. All in all the lack of clear/convincing evidence meant that the provable conclusions were pretty simplistic and nothing really new.

As scholarly history (something I've done, my specialty being Native American warfare) it's considered something of a joke by many Americanists.

If the topic of Native/Western Europeans conflict/interaction interests you, Patrick Malone "Skulking Way of War, Armstrong Starkey or Jill Lepore "The Name of War" are far better historians.

[SteyrAUG]

As popular history I found it passable though the book I found to be a pretty poor read, dense without much in the way of a clear argument that was or even could be proven. The claims of significance are grandiose in scope but the evidence in support of the claims is often insufficient. All in all the lack of clear/convincing evidence meant that the provable conclusions were pretty simplistic and nothing really new.


If only the Bible were read as critically.

:D

[montanadave]

If only the Bible were read as critically.

:D

Roger that!