Being Human

How our biology shaped world history

Lewis Dartnell

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Paperback

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English

Vintage
15 October 2024

General & world history; Social & cultural history; Society & Social Sciences; Anthropology; Popular science; Human biology

A unique reframing of human history as shaped by our physical abilities and limitations - by the Sunday Times-bestselling author of Origins

Being Human is history made flesh. It will change the way you see the world.

'Illuminating' TIM MARSHALL 'Refreshing' THOMAS HALLIDAY 'Fascinating' GUARDIAN

We're a wonder of evolution, capable of incredible feats. But we're also deeply flawed. Our bodies and minds often break, fail, and hinder us. To be human is to live with this extraordinary contradiction. So, to understand the course humanity has taken - from prehistoric times through the age of empire and into the modern era - we must understand who, and what, we are.

Lewis Dartnell takes us on a mind-expanding journey across time to show how our biology has determined history. From the epidemic that brought Europe's peasants freedom, to the health deficiency which gave rise to the world's largest criminal organisation, to the cognitive biases that led to military catastrophes in Crimea and Iraq, we see how our unique nature shaped our relationships, economies and societies - and, importantly, how it continues to impact human progress today.

Praise for Origins and The Knowledge-

'Stands comparison with Yuval Harari's Sapiens ... A thrilling piece of big history' SUNDAY TIMES on Origins

'The most inspiring book I've read for a long time' INDEPENDENT on The Knowledge

By: Lewis Dartnell
Imprint: Vintage
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 197mm, Width: 130mm, Spine: 23mm
Weight: 255g
ISBN: 9781529925531
ISBN 10: 1529925533
Pages: 368
Publication Date: 15 October 2024
Audience: General/trade , College/higher education , Professional and scholarly , ELT Advanced , Primary
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active

Lewis Dartnell is an astrobiology researcher and professor at the University of Westminster, and also an Honorary Research Associate at University College London (UCL). He is the author of the bestselling books The Knowledge- How to Rebuild Our World from Scratch and Origins- How the Earth Shaped Human History, which has been translated into 26 languages. He writes for the Guardian, The Times and New Scientist. Copies of The Knowledge exist on the surface of the Moon, and in the Svalbard Global Seed Vault.

Reviews for Being Human: How our biology shaped world history

Always an interesting and engaging writer, Dartnell ... finds fascinating nuggets in familiar stories * Guardian * I’ve always liked Dartnell’s books for their factiness * Sunday Times * [A] revealing survey ... Biology determines more than personal destiny * New Statesman * [A] fascinating lucky dip of a book * Mail on Sunday *