Description
Book Synopsis: The bestselling author of Collapse and Guns, Germs and Steel surveys the history of human societies to answer the question: What can we learn from traditional societies that can make the world a better place for all of us?“As he did in his Pulitzer Prize-winning Guns, Germs, and Steel, Jared Diamond continues to make us think with his mesmerizing and absorbing new book.” Bookpage
Most of us take for granted the features of our modern society, from air travel and telecommunications to literacy and obesity. Yet for nearly all of its six million years of existence, human society had none of these things. While the gulf that divides us from our primitive ancestors may seem unbridgeably wide, we can glimpse much of our former lifestyle in those largely traditional societies still or recently in existence. Societies like those of the New Guinea Highlanders remind us that it was only yesterday—in evolutionary time—when everything changed and that we moderns still possess bodies and social practices often better adapted to traditional than to modern conditions.
The World Until Yesterday provides a mesmerizing firsthand picture of the human past as it had been for millions of years—a past that has mostly vanished—and considers what the differences between that past and our present mean for our lives today.
This is Jared Diamond’s most personal book to date, as he draws extensively from his decades of field work in the Pacific islands, as well as evidence from Inuit, Amazonian Indians, Kalahari San people, and others. Diamond doesn’t romanticize traditional societies—after all, we are shocked by some of their practices—but he finds that their solutions to universal human problems such as child rearing, elder care, dispute resolution, risk, and physical fitness have much to teach us. Provocative, enlightening, and entertaining, The World Until Yesterday is an essential and fascinating read.
Details
The World Until Yesterday: What Can We Learn from Traditional Societies? Book Synopsis: Discover the captivating insights and wisdom from the bestselling author of Collapse and Guns, Germs and Steel. Jared Diamond explores the history of human societies to answer the pressing question: What can we learn from traditional societies that can make the world a better place for all of us? With his mesmerizing and absorbing new book, Diamond continues to make us think and challenge our perspectives.
Don't take for granted the conveniences of our modern society – air travel, telecommunications, literacy, and technology. For nearly six million years, human society existed without any of these luxuries. The gap between us and our primitive ancestors may seem vast, but we can still catch a glimpse of our former lifestyle by studying traditional societies that still exist today. Take, for example, the New Guinea Highlanders who remind us that our modern bodies and social practices are often better adapted to traditional ways than to the fast-paced modern world.
The World Until Yesterday provides a mesmerizing firsthand picture of the human past, a world that has mostly vanished. Drawing extensively from his decades of fieldwork in the Pacific islands, as well as evidence from Inuit, Amazonian Indians, Kalahari San people, and others, Diamond offers a deeply personal and enlightening perspective. While not romanticizing traditional societies, Diamond explores their solutions to universal human problems such as child rearing, elder care, dispute resolution, risk management, and physical fitness – solutions that have much to teach us in our current modern lifestyle.
Experience the provocative, enlightening, and entertaining journey presented by Diamond in The World Until Yesterday. This essential and fascinating read will challenge your preconceptions and leave you with valuable insights that can shape our present and future. Expand your horizons and embark on this captivating exploration of the human past with Jared Diamond as your guide.
Capture the wisdom of traditional societies and reshape your world perspective today.
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