The teaser, for me, is pure magic.”Why did our foraging ancestors come together to create cities and kingdoms? How did we come to believe in gods, nations, and human rights; to trust money, books, and laws; and to be enslaved by bureaucracy, timetables, and consumerism?“
I know, “Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind” was published in 2016 and, since then, Yuval Noah Harari has penned two other books (21 Lessons for the 21st Century and Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow). Yet, it continues to soar off shelves and ignite conversations. It endures because its relevance hasn’t wavered, even after seven years. I know, because I’ve devoured ‘Sapiens’ not just once, not twice, but four times. No, no, it’s not that I am stupid… I grasped the concepts after the first three readings. It’s just that the book is so interesting that I can’t resist delving into its pages again within a year. Think of it like my obsession with “The Office.” I’ve watched its nine seasons four or five times. Yes, I’m a bona fide fan.
I adore how Harari deftly intertwines anthropology, history, and a touch of philosophy. You might assume “Sapiens” is just a history book, and in a way, you’d be right. Yet, banish thoughts of musty textbooks teeming with names and dates. Instead, embark on a journey through metahistory. This isn’t a mere recitation of bygone events; it’s a profound exploration of the driving forces that propelled us from modest beginnings to shaping the very essence of our world. Why did we birth religions? How did we evolve from foragers to city builders? What brought us from feudalism to the Renaissance?
Harari doesn’t shy away from stirring the pot. He propounds a controversial idea: that agriculture, the bedrock of modern society, could well be humankind’s most ill-fated “invention.” Sure, agriculture endowed us with the ability to settle, form communities, and forge civilizations. However, it also introduced a medley of challenges – from health afflictions stemming from a narrower diet to the ascent of social hierarchies fueled by the accumulation of wealth.
So I ask you again: if you haven’t read Sapiens yet, why? If you have one book to read this year, it should be this one. Maybe, like me, you will find yourself going back yo it every year.