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teokajlibroj's review
4.0
Interesting book though it could have been shorter. It was also more about the environment than the societies.
magikspells's review against another edition
3.0
So this book has been lurking in my current reads forever now because of the slow pace of reading it for class. I didn't hate this book, I felt like it went by at a reasonable pace and that the arguments had their validity at times. But as is the case with [b:Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies|1842|Guns, Germs, and Steel The Fates of Human Societies|Jared Diamond|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1363428619s/1842.jpg|2138852], I think it's important to look at his books from a critical perspective. I think Diamond has a gift for synthesizing facts but at times I feel like it's in attempt to further his argument by use of selective information. In addition to reading this for class we also read [b:Questioning Collapse: Human Resilience, Ecological Vulnerability, and the Aftermath of Empire|6876113|Questioning Collapse Human Resilience, Ecological Vulnerability, and the Aftermath of Empire|Patricia A. McAnany|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1348391516s/6876113.jpg|7092950] which I think is a nice contrast to many of Diamond's arguments from people who study these areas he relies on for examples. For a required read, I quite enjoyed it.
angelamichelle's review
3.0
Liking this one more than Guns, Germs, and Steel. Also I've wanted to know what the heck happened with those starving medeival Greenlanders ever since I read Jane Smiley's book _The Greenlanders_.
corprew's review
5.0
An awesome analysis about how societies organize themselves and utilize resources affects their outcomes.
loujoseph's review
3.0
Reading this felt like sitting through the longest TED talk ever. Seemed like the author was aware of his long-windedness but just said "fuck it" and kept on going. I have a new-found appreciation of editors, as whole sections of this book could have been eliminated and the point of the book (which I was into) would not have been lost or lest nuanced. I heard right after I finished this that the audiobook of this was abridged- if you're thinking of reading this, maybe just go for the audiobook instead...
nicoleswanson's review against another edition
3.5
While the information contained in this book is fantastic, there’s something about the delivery which made it a slog.
There’s no doubt that the author did impeccably thorough research and presented it in an understandable format. But it’s about as digestible for me as a block of wood. Maybe it’s the run on sentences full of dates which leave my head spinning, or the many lists. When terminology like “an assortment of household artifacts were uncovered” he instead lists a dozen different items. Thorough, but perhaps too much so for me.
I will probably read more of his books, because he’s good and thorough and they’re usually on important topics. But I’ll steel myself to do so incredibly slowly, a chapter here and there while having other books on hand for lighter entertainment.
There’s no doubt that the author did impeccably thorough research and presented it in an understandable format. But it’s about as digestible for me as a block of wood. Maybe it’s the run on sentences full of dates which leave my head spinning, or the many lists. When terminology like “an assortment of household artifacts were uncovered” he instead lists a dozen different items. Thorough, but perhaps too much so for me.
I will probably read more of his books, because he’s good and thorough and they’re usually on important topics. But I’ll steel myself to do so incredibly slowly, a chapter here and there while having other books on hand for lighter entertainment.