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septan's review against another edition
3.0
Past the introduction, this was an enlightening book. I learned a lot about global history that I feel is missing from (and should be an essential part of) school curriculums.
andrewhall's review against another edition
3.0
Diamond tries to analyze how different nations have dealt with crises by using principals from crisis therapy. After a way-to-long introduction, he produces interesting case studies of Finland, Chile, Germany, Japan, Indonesia, and Australia. His discussion of Japan was largely on point, and I enjoyed learning more about the modern history of the other case study countries, although I understand he made several mistakes about the other countries. He has lived in and has friends in all of the countries, and he relies too much on anecdotal information from his friends. Still, very engaging discussion.
The section on coming crises facing Japan, the US, and the World was okay, but got long-winded, and didn't say too much that I didn't already know.
Good for him for making an attempt at a big view of the world. Nothing paradigm changing, and it is too, too long. But it has some good stuff.
The section on coming crises facing Japan, the US, and the World was okay, but got long-winded, and didn't say too much that I didn't already know.
Good for him for making an attempt at a big view of the world. Nothing paradigm changing, and it is too, too long. But it has some good stuff.
revawra's review against another edition
4.0
The construct in the first couple chapters is worth the book, but for me at least begins to become repetitive.
mikecross's review against another edition
4.0
An excellent book on history, however I don't fully subscribe to the premise around nations handling crises like individuals. Many of the examples seemed forced and redundant. Nevertheless, a very well-written few of historical national crises and potential future ones.
sfletcher26's review against another edition
3.0
I've not read all of Diamond's books but have read a number since Collapse came out about 15 yrs ago. He is for me one of those truely great writers who seems capable of condensing and simplifying some very complex ideas without ever dumbimg things down or patronising his reader. For me he is reminiscent of Oliver Sacks in this way.
Upheaval is something of a continuation of the themes of two of his previous books, the aforementioned Collapse and Guns, Germs and Steel, those of how societies react or fail to react to change atrophy and disappear. This time though Instead of merely examining how societies fail he focuses on how societies actually weather their precipitating crises utilising a model of personal crisis management.
Sadly though whilst for the most part this books works well its final third stays from his premise by trying to see what is wrong in the US at this time and posits, based on his model, what it must do to prevent the crises he sees coming it's way. Whilst this is interesting it does read more like a political polemic than anything else and whilst I don't disagree with his position it just feels out of place to me.
Overall a good book but sadly not a great one and certainly not as good as either Collapse of Guns, Germs and Steel.
Upheaval is something of a continuation of the themes of two of his previous books, the aforementioned Collapse and Guns, Germs and Steel, those of how societies react or fail to react to change atrophy and disappear. This time though Instead of merely examining how societies fail he focuses on how societies actually weather their precipitating crises utilising a model of personal crisis management.
Sadly though whilst for the most part this books works well its final third stays from his premise by trying to see what is wrong in the US at this time and posits, based on his model, what it must do to prevent the crises he sees coming it's way. Whilst this is interesting it does read more like a political polemic than anything else and whilst I don't disagree with his position it just feels out of place to me.
Overall a good book but sadly not a great one and certainly not as good as either Collapse of Guns, Germs and Steel.
kentli's review against another edition
4.0
I normally wouldn't like this type of small sample analysis. But with Diamond things are always different. His deep and objective analysis convinced me. But since it is still based on sample, I can only give it a four-start. However, it is still a very fun book to enjoy.
sarah_dietrich's review against another edition
3.0
Really liked some of the chapters, especially the one on Finland during & after WWII. Other chapters were very ho-hum & I skimmed over some parts.