By: Yuval Noah Harari
Genre:
Nonfiction/Science/History
Page Count: 440
'History never repeats
itself. Man does’. -Voltaire.
Harari’s bestseller 'Sapiens', the first book of his three books on the history, present, and future of humankind, was of critical
importance to me and to many common readers because it successfully and narratively
explained the whole of humankind history. Not only that, but Harari also
managed to give really articulate and conceptual theories regarding how humans came
to dominate this planet, and what key sparks did Homo Sapiens possess that no
other animal did.
In ‘Homo Deus’, which the final book of three, Harari only exceeds
in his successful narration by opening the eyes and minds of the readers to the
vast, and often times overwhelming future, that we humans are about to face.
While ‘Sapiens’ did the groundwork for understanding our species, this book
builds on that groundwork a hypothetical architecture that is both ridiculously
exciting and threateningly overwhelming.
Here how I see Harari’s three books
(although I’m still to read ’21 Lessons’): ‘Sapiens’ is a must read for everyone
for it will give you a historical background about you and your species and
everything that man has ever accomplished; ‘21 Lessons for 21st
Century’ is about where humans stand today and
how from this point forward the world will change in the most radical ways
possible; ‘Homo Deus’ completes the Homo Sapiens journey with factually absurd
and terrifying possibilities about the near and farsighted future, where Homo Sapiens, the species as we know it, might go extinct altogether.
Yet no profound idea without the help
of engaging and meaningfully structured storytelling stands the chance of
leaving any impact on the readers or listeners, and Harari is one of the most
fascinating storyteller from the realm of nonfiction writers that I’ve read. The insights that Harari has into the history and possible future of humankind coupled
with his ability to present these, otherwise overwhelming as well as boring
information, with such spice and inexhaustible fascination makes these books so
successful in its conveying of messages and leaving a lasting impression of the
readers.
I had just read 30 pages from this book that one night in the gathering
of some friends I got talk about what I was reading, and in those two hours I had
everybody’s fullest attention on the outside, and their complete curiosity on the
inside, as I told them what incredible things I had just read. Just 30 pages and everyone was fascinated.
This book starts with New Human Agendas; having conquered famine, war, and diseases,
men will look for new agendas which will determine the fate of our next few centuries.
After this shocking and utterly gripping start, Harari takes us on a quick
journey of humankind’s unanimous victory overall other animals – even over
gods. Then, as men become the authors of their own stories, which is today, Harari
explains the driving forces (political, economic, religious, scientific) behind
the collective direction of Homo Sapiens in 21st century and onwards.
The last part of this book is where things get really overwhelming as Harari
explains how the vital difference between organism and algorithms, between
intelligence and consciousness is slowly fading away – an in the process, Homo
Sapiens, as a collective species, nears extinction.
Harari is not a prophet;
his books no prophecies. Yet what his books achieve is the enlightenment of
mass readers about the history, present, and possible future of humankind as a
whole, and more importantly, persuading these mass readers to think for themselves
what all of it means. The aim, in the end, is stop us from repeating history,
but instead live wisely with the lessons learned.
Ratings: 5/5 ***** March 5, 2021_