Jan 2019

Professor Harari is a History Professor at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and a best-selling author.

This book follows on from Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind which was an exploration of where humankind has come from (also highly recommended), showing us where we are heading. Harari does not shy away from brutal discussions around the dangers humanity poses to itself but he does not do so as a pessimist; he does so in a profoundly honest and engaging manner.

He takes the reader with him on an intellectually and emotionally challenging journey of awareness and reflection. Things are moving at breakneck speed today, not least in the world of data, and he argues that ‘our present situation is neither natural nor eternal’. Thus we are coaxed gently towards an irresistible optimism that it is not too late to ‘change that world and create a much better one’.

The modern world often encourages a sense of disenfranchisement in individuals, a sense that we hold no power and are thus unable to have any influence. Harari articulates beautifully how our future is not yet written but if we fail to reimagine a better future, we cannot hope to achieve it. This book goes to the very heart of what it is to be human in these extraordinary times.