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A review by mattycakesbooks
Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed by Jared Diamond
4.0
Sweet Jesus, am I glad I'm done with this book. Diamond is brilliant, of course, and the book is important, but rarely have I read a book with such naturally interesting content that was written in such a dull, plodding way. None of this is surprising -- Diamond is an academic, and the writing is very professorial, but the whole academic model of "tell them what you're going to say, say it, tell them what you said" structure to every chapter is excruciating, and like Guns, Germs, and Steel, I'm happy I read it, but am happier that I'm done.
Notice I still gave it four stars -- he's extremely thorough, and he's obviously brilliant, so I can hardly knock it for his content, but this is a further demonstration that academics need to be made to take courses in proper communications. It's a shame to me that every time I'm going to recommend this book (and I will) that I'm going to have to say, "Yeah, it's a big of a slog, though." A more engaging writer could have made this into a much bigger book than it was when it came out ten years ago.
Notice I still gave it four stars -- he's extremely thorough, and he's obviously brilliant, so I can hardly knock it for his content, but this is a further demonstration that academics need to be made to take courses in proper communications. It's a shame to me that every time I'm going to recommend this book (and I will) that I'm going to have to say, "Yeah, it's a big of a slog, though." A more engaging writer could have made this into a much bigger book than it was when it came out ten years ago.