Guns, Germs and Steel

Name: Guns, Germs and Steel
Brand: Vintage Publishing
SKU: 9780099302780
Price: 35.0 NZD
Availability: OutOfStock

The MILLION-COPY bestselling history of everybody (20th Anniversary Edition)

By Jared Diamond

4.04

( 423,330 ratings, 14,722 reviews)

Summary

Guns, Germs, and Steel by Jared Diamond explores the historical and environmental factors that have influenced the fates of different societies. It examines how geography, agriculture, and technology shaped the modern world, leading to European dominance. The book integrates science and history to explain why some civilizations advanced faster than others.
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Format: Paperback / softback

Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This book may appeal to you if you're fascinated by the factors that have shaped human history across continents, including the pivotal roles of technology, infectious diseases, and geographical advantages in the development of civilizations.

Guns, Germs and Steel

'A book of big questions, and big answers' Yuval Noah Harari, bestselling author of Sapiens

Why has human history unfolded so differently across the globe?

A short history of everybody for the last 13,000 years.

Winner of the Rhone-Poulenc Science Book Prize.

Description

Guns, Germs and Steel by Jared Diamond unveils the staggering epic of human societies across continents and millennia. The book provides a compelling narrative that explores the forces shaping the complex tapestry of global history without falling into the trap of Eurocentrism. Diamond embarks on a journey to answer a simple yet profound puzzle: Why did Eurasian societies wield guns, germs, and steel to conquer diverse peoples across the globe, while others did not?

Diamond meticulously examines the roots of societal disparities and technological advancements by delving into prehistory. He addresses the transformation from hunter-gatherer communities to farming civilisations, highlighting the crucial roles of domesticated plants and animals. The availability of arable land and suitable species for domestication catalysed population growth and the emergence of complex societies.

The book further investigates how the axis orientations of continents influenced the spread of crops, livestock, and technology. In particular, Diamond discusses the east-west axis of Eurasia, which facilitated the dissemination of agricultural practices and innovations. In contrast, the north-south orientations of Africa and the Americas posed significant barriers to such exchanges, contributing to the development gap.

Diamond also explores the ramifications of germs and infectious diseases, revealing that germs wiped out entire populations and significantly impacted the outcomes of human conflicts. The comparative immunity of certain societies, fostered by prolonged animal domestication, played a pivotal role in conquests and colonialism.

The synthesis of diverse disciplines, including history, biology, ecology, and linguistics, underpins the strengths of Guns, Germs and Steel. Diamond utilises evidence from archaeology, geography, and anthropology to construct a lucid and persuasive argument, dismantling racial theories of human history and highlighting the environmental and geographical factors.

Furthermore, the book is praised for its accessibility and breadth, making it a cornerstone of popular science literature. Diamond’s humanistic approach lends not only depth to his scholarly work but also compassion, presenting history as an interconnected web of fate influenced by geographical luck and necessity rather than inherent superiority.

Guns, Germs and Steel is a vital read for anyone seeking to understand the broad strokes and intricate details of human history. By revealing the silent arbiters of our past, Jared Diamond offers profound insights into the origins of global inequality and the shared destiny of humankind.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Guns, Germs and Steel is praised for its remarkable scope, readability, and coherent account of human history divided between have and have-nots. It is considered absorbing, convincing, and accessible, with a combination of expertise and compassion.

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780099302780

Publisher: Vintage Publishing

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 30 April 1998

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Vintage

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 37.0mm

Width: 129.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 512g

Pages: 592

Collections

Education & Reference Finance & Economics Finance & Investment Global History History & Military Jared Diamond Non-Fiction Tim's Books

About the Author

Jared Diamond is the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Guns, Germs, and Steel, which was named one of TIME's best non-fiction books of all time, the number one international bestseller Collapse and most recently The World UntilYesterday. A professor of geography at UCLA and noted polymath, Diamond's work has been influential in the fields of anthropology, biology, ornithology, ecology and history, among others.