tune that the world has danced to. InGuns, Germs, and Steel,Jared Diamond explains the reasons why things worked out that way. It is an elemental question, and Diamond is certainly not the first to ask it. However, he performs a singular service by relying on scientific fact rather than specious theories of European genetic superiority. Diamond, a professor of physiology at UCLA, suggests that the geography of Eurasia was best suited to farming, the domestication of animals and the free flow of information. The more populous cultures that developed as a result had more complex forms of government and communication--and increased resistance to disease. Finally, fragmented Europe harnessed the power of competitive innovation in ways that China did not. (For example, the Europeans used the Chinese invention of gunpowder to create guns and subjugate the New World.) Diamond's book is complex and a bit overwhelming. But the thesis he methodically puts forth--examining the "positive feedback loop" of farming, then domestication, then population density, then innovation, and on and on--makes sense. Written without bias,Guns, Germs, and Steelis good global history.
Advantages: Clearly written, fascinating subject Disadvantages: A little technical in places
...?’
This is what JaredDiamond attempts to answer in this fascinating book. On the front of my edition it states that this is ‘A Short History Of Everybody For The Last 13,000 years’ and this is exactly right.
HOW DID WE GET HERE?
Diamond starts by looking at the modern world and asking how is it that Eurasian civilization came to dominate the native American, African or Polynesian civilizations sometimes as in the case of the Spanish in central and south America defying all the odds. In order to answer this we have to look at the possibility that Eurasian peoples themselves are in some way superior to other ‘racial’ denominations around the world. This argument would state that Eurasians are cleverer, more ingenious more inventive and have the potential to be better organised that other inferior ‘races’ in the world. This is a very dangerous argument...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Advantages: rich mine of well researched info Disadvantages: goes on abit, too many boring personal bits, very un-revolutionary recommendations
...I liked the ‘Guns, Germs and Steel’ a lot. It was a big doorstopper of a book, but its size was more than justified by the wealth of information it provided. Its approach and clarity seemed unique - at least in the field of popular science. I learned a lot from it and the ecological arguments provided by the author as reasons for relative success or failure of past human communities seemed at least viable. 'Collapse' seems to be a clear attempt to discount the success of the previous Diamond bestseller and was - at least to me - a rather disappointing book. It’s a pity, because the subject and even the angle Diamond took on it had undoubtedly a lot of potential.
For those interested in broader reasons for societal collapse, Diamond makes his caveats very quickly - ‘Collapse‘ proposes to investigate...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Advantages: Clearly written, fascinating subject Disadvantages: A little technical in places
...?’
This is what JaredDiamond attempts to answer in this fascinating book. On the front of my edition it states that this is ‘A Short History Of Everybody For The Last 13,000 years’ and this is exactly right.
HOW DID WE GET HERE?
Diamond starts by looking at the modern world and asking how is it that Eurasian civilization came to dominate the native American, African or Polynesian civilizations sometimes as in the case of the Spanish in central and south America defying all the odds. In order to answer this we have to look at the possibility that Eurasian peoples themselves are in some way superior to other ‘racial’ denominations around the world. This argument would state that Eurasians are cleverer, more ingenious more inventive and have the potential to be better organised that other inferior ‘races’ in the world. This is a very dangerous argument...
Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Advantages: rich mine of well researched info Disadvantages: goes on abit, too many boring personal bits, very un-revolutionary recommendations
...I liked the ‘Guns, Germs and Steel’ a lot. It was a big doorstopper of a book, but its size was more than justified by the wealth of information it provided. Its approach and clarity seemed unique - at least in the field of popular science. I learned a lot from it and the ecological arguments provided by the author as reasons for relative success or failure of past human communities seemed at least viable. 'Collapse' seems to be a clear attempt to discount the success of the previous Diamond bestseller and was - at least to me - a rather disappointing book. It’s a pity, because the subject and even the angle Diamond took on it had undoubtedly a lot of potential.
For those interested in broader reasons for societal collapse, Diamond makes his caveats very quickly - ‘Collapse‘ proposes to investigate...
Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Advantages: Such a good book Disadvantages: wont be able to put it down !
...There are four diamond girls there not exactly rich or famous or have a good home. But they are caring and a close family through good and bad. As they face the difficulty of moving house that they think will be better for them and the new baby's they get there they realise the picture they were shown were taken a few years back and the house is no longer in good condition. There's Martine, Jude, Rochelle and Dixie. Four girls, four different fathers. But only Mum lives at home with the girls. So that makes five Diamond girls. This is such a great book and I would recommend it to teens that want a great read .you wont be able to put it down when you have picked it up.!!!!!...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful
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05.11.2002
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