It took me a whole month to finish Yuval Noah Harari's Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind. I sneaked in the time to read it on my long rides with buses, at the airports while waiting on my next flights, in coffee shops where I couldn't connect to WiFi, in my bed at hostels when I was unable to sleep.

I just couldn't wait to finish it! Not because I did not like the book, but because after spending so many weeks on the road it became too heavy to carry it from one place to another. So after making it through the last few pages this morning, I am happily leaving it on the bookshelf in the hostel that I am currently staying at in Medellín, Colombia, for the next lucky traveller to pick it up.

It's an excellent, provocative book. Definitely one that will make you think a lot about the world that we live in today (e.g., Did the invention of emails do us more harm than good? Is trying to find meaning in life just a form of self-delusion?), but also challenge your current perceptions and views of the human history (e.g., The agricultural revolution might be the "biggest fraud" in history, or "belief in free market is as naive as belief in Santa Claus").

It is a comprehensive read, too. Harari walks us through all the defining periods in the human history and covers pretty much all the controversial topics you can think of. From religion to science to politics to technology to war to economy to happiness... You name it!

Another wonderful thing about this book: it will make you laugh. A lot. Harari is an excellent writer. Every now and then, while presenting one interesting fact/story/argument after another, he will surprise you with random funny comments like this one:

"Mouths, for example, appeared because the earliest multicellular organisms needed a way to take nutrients into their bodies. We still use our mouths for that purpose, but we also use them to kiss, speak and, if we are Rambo, to pull the pins out of hand grenades." — Yuval Noah Harari

What a great way to engage your readers while discussing disputed and complex topics as a "boring" historian!

A highly recommended read, even if it will make you angry and wanting to shout at times.

Kindly,

Neva.