Sapiens, first published in Hebrew in 2011 and in English in 2014, attempts to tell the entire story of our species in one volume. Harari organises it around three turning points: a cognitive revolution about seventy thousand years ago, an agricultural revolution about twelve thousand years ago and a scientific revolution that began roughly five hundred years ago.
His central argument is that humans came to dominate the planet because they can cooperate flexibly in huge numbers by believing in shared fictions such as gods, nations, money, laws and corporations. He provocatively describes farming as a trap that made most people's lives harder, examines how empires, religions and money unified humankind, and traces how science, capitalism and empire reinforced one another.
Written in brisk, witty prose and full of arresting generalisations, the book became a global bestseller and a staple of popular nonfiction. Specialists have criticised some claims as oversimplified or speculative, but its scope and its willingness to ask whether humans have become happier have made it a starting point for countless discussions.
Book details
| Author | Yuval Noah Harari |
|---|---|
| First published | 2011 |
| Original language | Hebrew |
| Translated by | Yuval Noah Harari |
| Genre | History |
| Type | Non-fiction |
| Pages (approx.) | 440 |
Themes
- Shared myths
- Agricultural revolution
- Empire and money
- Science and capitalism
- Happiness
Who should read it
Curious readers who want a sweeping, provocative overview of human history in a single readable book.