Katherine
This book should be on the curriculum for every student of history, anthropology, geography or linguistics. While perhaps not every conclusion is correct in every particular, Diamond's broad thesis that environmental, rather than genetic or cultural, factors are the predominant cause of the broad sweep of human history seems incontrovertible. Moreover, the wide-ranging examples used to support the thesis are not only compelling but individually fascinating in their own right. The proposition that history can and should be considered from a scientific point of view is also one I thoroughly agree with. The book is engaging, eminently readable and Diamond is clearly a man of broad knowledge and interests and delights in relaying this to his readers. It's hard to praise Guns, Germs & Steel enough.
This book should be on the curriculum for every student of history, anthropology, geography or linguistics. While perhaps not every conclusion is correct in every particular, Diamond's broad thesis that environmental, rather than genetic or cultural, factors are the predominant cause of the broad sweep of human history seems incontrovertible. Moreover, the wide-ranging examples used to support the thesis are not only compelling but individually fascinating in their own right. The proposition that history can and should be considered from a scientific point of view is also one I thoroughly agree with. The book is engaging, eminently readable and Diamond is clearly a man of broad knowledge and interests and delights in relaying this to his readers. It's hard to praise Guns, Germs & Steel enough.
Fantastic set up, chilling description of the Nazi Reich cobbled from the memories and thoughts of those on the outside. let down by a slightly anticlimactic ending, but otherwise superb alternative reality fiction
Fantastic set up, chilling description of the Nazi Reich cobbled from the memories and thoughts of those on the outside. let down by a slightly anticlimactic ending, but otherwise superb alternative reality fiction
Superb. The style in which the story is presented was a little jarring at first, but after fifty pages or so I got used to the idiosyncrasies of the narrator. The book really comes into its own from Part II onwards, with the chaotic exuberance of the fishing trip and the final night on the ward particular highlights.
Superb. The style in which the story is presented was a little jarring at first, but after fifty pages or so I got used to the idiosyncrasies of the narrator. The book really comes into its own from Part II onwards, with the chaotic exuberance of the fishing trip and the final night on the ward particular highlights.
