A review by branch_c
The Third Chimpanzee by Jared Diamond

4.0

Just got around to reading this earlier Diamond book, and since it was published in '92, it's understandably a bit dated. Notably the debate about whether modern humans have Neanderthal DNA was still unresolved (we do). It's no less than the entire past and future of humanity that he attempts to address here, and it's not surprising that he felt the need to more deeply explore some aspects of that wide ranging topic in later books, so this book introduces and covers some of the material that is further expanded upon in Guns, Germs, and Steel and Collapse. In particular, his theory on the biogeographic factors that were the driving force behind the success of some civilizations and the failure of others is well-stated and convincing. As usual, his clear explanations and engaging writing are impressive, and I learned a few things I had not come across in other books along these lines. So I enjoyed this one quite a bit in spite of minor issues, though I'd recommend also reading the above-mentioned follow-ups for a more in depth treatment of this fascinating subject matter.