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The World Until Yesterday

What Can We Learn from Traditional Societies?
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Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
The World Until Yesterday by Jared Diamond explores traditional societies and what modern cultures can learn from them. The book examines how people lived for millennia before the advent of modern states and technologies, offering insights into health, conflict resolution, child-rearing, and aging. Diamond uses various examples to highlight the benefits and drawbacks of different societal approaches.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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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?

You might enjoy this book if you're fascinated by different cultures and how traditional societies can offer insights into solving modern problems. It combines history, anthropology, and ecology to explore how ancient wisdom can still be relevant today.

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The World Until Yesterday

Reveals that traditional societies around the world offer an extraordinary window into how our ancestors lived for the majority of human history in evolutionary terms. This book explores how tribal people approach essential human problems, from health and diet to conflict resolution and language.

Over the past 500 years, the West achieved global dominance, but do Westerners necessarily have better ideas about how to raise children, care for the elderly, or simply live well?

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

The World Until Yesterday by Jared Diamond invites readers on an enthralling journey through the tapestry of human history, exploring the lifestyles and traditions of traditional societies that have changed little over millennia. Diamond delves into the practices and wisdom of these cultures, offering a poignant analysis of how their ways might still hold valuable lessons for modern society.

Through engaging and powerful narrative, the author compares and contrasts the lifestyles of traditional societies with those of contemporary Western culture. He investigates how these societies address common human challenges such as child-rearing, elder care, dietary habits, conflict resolution, and social integration.

Over thousands of years, these practices have been refined to suit their environments and social structures. Diamond's exploration reveals that while the West has made significant technological and political strides, traditional societies offer practical, tested solutions to living harmoniously and sustainably. By examining how these societies operate, Diamond suggests that many of their practices could help modern societies address current pressing issues in more balanced and humane ways.

Drawing on his extensive fieldwork and deep understanding of anthropology and history, Diamond synthesises knowledge from a variety of disciplines. His accessible and often personal writing style provides a compelling look at the wisdom of traditional peoples, who until recently represented the way of life for all humanity.

Jared Diamond, a Pulitzer Prize-winning author, is renowned for his profound contributions to various fields. His work Guns, Germs, and Steel was acclaimed as one of TIME's best non-fiction books of all time, while Collapse gained #1 international bestseller status. As a professor of geography at UCLA and an expert in anthropology, biology, ornithology, ecology, and history, Diamond brings unparalleled depth and credibility to his analysis in The World Until Yesterday.

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?

The World Until Yesterday by Jared Diamond has received praise for its insightful comparison between traditional societies and modern life, offering valuable lessons we can learn from the former. However, some critics feel it occasionally overgeneralises complex cultures. Overall, the book is appreciated for its thought-provoking content and engaging narrative.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780141024486

Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 05 September 2013

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Penguin Books Ltd

Audience: General / adult, Tertiary education, Professional and scholarly

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 23.0mm

Width: 129.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 398g

Pages: 512

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About the Author

Jared Diamond is the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of the seminal million-copy-bestseller Guns, Germs, and Steel, which was named one of TIME's best non-fiction books of all time, and Collapse, a #1 international bestseller. 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.

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