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3.83 AVERAGE
3.83 AVERAGE
adventurous
informative
medium-paced
slow-paced
I really enjoyed this book; I feel like I learned a lot. It was looking at the history of why certain peoples in different parts of the world developed guns, germs and steel faster than others. His arguments were that the differences in people on different continents is not because of racial or innate differences in the people themselves, but due instead to differences in environment. While I don't believe many people that I know would ever argue for the racist view, I found learning about the factors influencing societal development fascinating.
Many of the critiques about this book that I read were complaints about the writing style in the book, complaining that it was too repetitive or redundant. While it is written in a fairly stark, scientific format chapter to chapter (question, expounding on question, answering question, conclusion), I actually enjoyed his thoroughness (for the most part). Part four: Around the World in Five Chapters was the only part of the book I found overly repetitive, but on the whole the book was very readable.
I actually started reading this book probably four years ago, and didn't finish it for some reason (maybe I had to return it to the library?). Anyhow, I'm glad that I came back to it.
Many of the critiques about this book that I read were complaints about the writing style in the book, complaining that it was too repetitive or redundant. While it is written in a fairly stark, scientific format chapter to chapter (question, expounding on question, answering question, conclusion), I actually enjoyed his thoroughness (for the most part). Part four: Around the World in Five Chapters was the only part of the book I found overly repetitive, but on the whole the book was very readable.
I actually started reading this book probably four years ago, and didn't finish it for some reason (maybe I had to return it to the library?). Anyhow, I'm glad that I came back to it.
It's a bit boring and I didn't find anything unique about it.
informative
reflective
slow-paced
informative
medium-paced
This book presents a disgustingly Anglo-eurocentric thesis that totally discounts any agency "other" groups might have had in the conquering of the Americas. While well-written for the popular reader, it is - in my opinion as a Latin American historian - filth.
informative
slow-paced
Look this would be a really nice 2 credit hour class, but most people wanting an encyclopedic refresh of “things as they are and have been” could just read the beginning and end.
Also, why the hell did tenth grade high school classes think I would handle this? In 2010, the only thing I was interested in was speed running halo 3 and wasting the time of those around me.
Also, why the hell did tenth grade high school classes think I would handle this? In 2010, the only thing I was interested in was speed running halo 3 and wasting the time of those around me.
A great example of getting the evidence to meet your views. So much of this book is speculation, the parts that are not are worth reading; good luck figuring out which is which.