Given the current pandemic, predicted in this interesting read, I decided to go back and have another go at reading the best seller from 1997. It’s been sitting on the shelf since it’s first read in 1998.
For this book, here is such a sentence: “History followed different courses for different peoples because of differences among peoples’ environments, not because of biological differences among peoples themselves.” and also the question is asked: “Thus, we can finally rephrase the question about the modern world’s inequalities as follows: why did human development proceed at such different rates on different continents?”
However, as I’m working my way through it, I have been discovering there are quite a few contradictions and perceived flaws in his ‘logic’. But, the questions asked are definitely worthy of discussion.
Caution: In 2022, this book might be considered racist, so be prepared to defend your own beliefs. And also, maybe, you would want to examine his research parameters and criteria.
Definitely a thought provoking read.
Guns, Germs, and Steel – The fate of human societies – Jared Diamond, 1997, ISBN 978-0-393-31755-8
