Guns, Germs, and Steel

Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies, New Edition
by Jared Diamond

Truly, it’s absolutely fascinating, and the most thorough case I’ve yet seen for the preeminence of environmental factors in determining the evolution of a given society. I’ll warn you: it’s not for the faint of heart (or the short of attention span!). It’s chock-full of answers to the questions you’ve always asked yourself about how society came to be as it is, in very practical, earth-bound terms. This is not a philosophical walk in the woods, this is a down-to-earth explanation of historical realities. Highly recommended!