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Sapiens: A Graphic History #2
Sapiens: Os Pilares da Civilização
E se há 12 mil anos os humanos tivessem caído numa armadilha da qual nunca mais conseguiram sair? Sapiens: Os Pilares da Civilização nos explica como de caçador-coletor nômade o Homo sapiens converteu-se em sedentário. Esta é a história de como o trigo tomou conta do planeta, de como um casamento improvável entre um deus e um burocrata criou os primeiros grandes impérios do mundo, e de como a guerra, as epidemias, a fome e a desigualdade social se tornaram para sempre uma parte da condição humana.
Neste segundo volume da adaptação ilustrada de Sapiens: Uma Breve História da Humanidade para novela gráfica, Yuval Noah Harari, em parceria com o escritor David Vandermeulen e o ilustrador Daniel Casanave, faz-nos uma vez mais viajar através dos séculos, investigando uma das maiores transformações da história: a Revolução Agrícola e as suas inesperadas consequências para a sociedade humana.
Ilustrado a cores, original e cheio de humor, este livro é indicado tanto para quem quer continuar o diálogo iniciado no livro original quanto para apresentar o universo e as ideias de Noah Harari a novos leitores, curiosos pela história e pela ciência, e pelo que tem sido o longo e agitado percurso do ser humano até aos dias de hoje.
Neste segundo volume da adaptação ilustrada de Sapiens: Uma Breve História da Humanidade para novela gráfica, Yuval Noah Harari, em parceria com o escritor David Vandermeulen e o ilustrador Daniel Casanave, faz-nos uma vez mais viajar através dos séculos, investigando uma das maiores transformações da história: a Revolução Agrícola e as suas inesperadas consequências para a sociedade humana.
Ilustrado a cores, original e cheio de humor, este livro é indicado tanto para quem quer continuar o diálogo iniciado no livro original quanto para apresentar o universo e as ideias de Noah Harari a novos leitores, curiosos pela história e pela ciência, e pelo que tem sido o longo e agitado percurso do ser humano até aos dias de hoje.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2021
574 people are currently reading
9,749 people want to read
About the author
Yuval Noah Harari
57books37.5kfollowersProfessor Yuval Noah Harari is an Israeli historian, philosopher, and the bestselling author of Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind, Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow, 21 Lessons for the 21st Century, and the series Sapiens: A Graphic History and Unstoppable Us. He is considered one of the world’s most influential public intellectuals working today. Born in Israel in 1976, Harari received his Ph.D. from the University of Oxford in 2002. He is currently a lecturer at the Department of History at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and a Distinguished Research Fellow at the University of Cambridge’s Centre for the Study of Existential Risk. Harari co-founded the social impact company Sapienship, focused on education and storytelling, with his husband, Itzik Yahav.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 463 reviews
May 15, 2024
In a Nutshell: Not as good as the first graphic novel. Almost at the same level as the original work. Loads of assumptions and generalisations mixed in with the facts. Good for those interested in the topic, as long as you don’t blindly believe everything herein.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Even if you haven’t read ’s , you surely would have heard about it. It took the reading world by storm a few years ago and became a seminal work on the anthropological, sociological and technological evolution of humankind.
Sapiens was divided in four sections. Each section is now being adapted to a graphic novel. The first two books are already out, and the third one is due to release in October 2024. ‘The Pillars of Civilization� is the second graphic novel of this series, based on section II of the nonfiction work, covering the agricultural revolution.
I had only liked ‘Sapiens� and enjoyed the first graphic novel, ‘�, a lot more. This book turned out to be a mixed bag like the original.
Woohoos:
� Great effort at turning the nonfiction work to a graphic format. It’s not easy to turn nonfiction into a proper graphic novel with a fictional frame story handling the factual reveals.
� Professor Saraswati, the Indian scientist who assists YNH in exploring the past, makes a welcome reappearance from the first graphic novel. She is the only character I actually love in this series.
� The guest appearance of some actual historical people and their interaction with the modern characters is quite interesting to read.
Hmmms:
� All the plusses and minuses of the original work are carried forward in this graphic version. It is insightful, yes. And also, a comprehensive account of how the agricultural revolution altered human living. However, the content ignores all propositions that don’t support YNH’s hypotheses. So unless you are an aware reader, you might blindly believe everything you are being fed through this novel. Caveat lector.
Grrrrs:
� Seeing a graphic representation makes assumptions seem like facts, which is very dangerous in a world already struggling with fake information.
� Theories are seen only as black or white, with no potential grey area. For example, there’s a long rant about how societal changes ensured that only men came to power and women were subdued everywhere. But how does historical patriarchy and the belief in male superiority explain royal lineages where queens have ruled, or that some societies were actually matrilineal? No answer at all. Historical queens aren’t even mentioned in the book. Another example is how the life of hunter gatherers is romanticised, with nary a comment on the struggles they faced prior to the development of human settlements. There are many such half-baked declarations that generalise without listing disclaimers or exceptions.
� Too many characters. YNH and Prof. Saraswati, along with Doctor Fiction, were enough! Why have so many more fictional characters for a nonfiction topic? (The next graphic novel is going to have even more new characters � yikes!)
� The story flow is quite cluttered and clunky this time around, unlike the first book.
� It’s tough to respect nonfiction works where the biases of the author come into play and present a lopsided view of history. Personal opinions should be kept away from scientific nonfiction, else the result seems prejudiced and hence flawed.
� Somehow, the content this time seems overly pessimistic. Hardly anything beneficial is mentioned about the development of human society thanks to the agricultural revolution. It’s very easy to point out the problems in the current social construct, but the positives also cannot be ignored.
In short, I didn’t like this as much as I did the first graphic novel. The overly inductive reasoning was much more apparent this time around. Somewhere towards the end of this work, Yuval’s character says: “When scientists don’t know something, it’s better to admit ignorance than to invent an imagined version of history.� Oh, the irony of this line!
I’d still recommend this version, though not enthusiastically. If you are apprehensive of reading lengthy nonfiction works but are curious to see why ‘Sapiens� is so applauded, the graphic novel series offers a wonderful bridge between the two. There are plenty of valuable learning points herein, but keep your thinking caps on as well. Just because the book is acclaimed doesn’t mean that the book is accurate; it is still one person’s opinion, after all. In other words, this graphic novel offers food for thought, but chew well before ingestion. 😉
2.25 stars.
Check out my reviews for the earlier books in the ‘Sapiens� series:
Sapiens:
/review/show...
Sapiens: A Graphic History, Volume 1 - The Birth of Humankind: /review/show...
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Connect with me through:
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Even if you haven’t read ’s , you surely would have heard about it. It took the reading world by storm a few years ago and became a seminal work on the anthropological, sociological and technological evolution of humankind.
Sapiens was divided in four sections. Each section is now being adapted to a graphic novel. The first two books are already out, and the third one is due to release in October 2024. ‘The Pillars of Civilization� is the second graphic novel of this series, based on section II of the nonfiction work, covering the agricultural revolution.
I had only liked ‘Sapiens� and enjoyed the first graphic novel, ‘�, a lot more. This book turned out to be a mixed bag like the original.
Woohoos:
� Great effort at turning the nonfiction work to a graphic format. It’s not easy to turn nonfiction into a proper graphic novel with a fictional frame story handling the factual reveals.
� Professor Saraswati, the Indian scientist who assists YNH in exploring the past, makes a welcome reappearance from the first graphic novel. She is the only character I actually love in this series.
� The guest appearance of some actual historical people and their interaction with the modern characters is quite interesting to read.
Hmmms:
� All the plusses and minuses of the original work are carried forward in this graphic version. It is insightful, yes. And also, a comprehensive account of how the agricultural revolution altered human living. However, the content ignores all propositions that don’t support YNH’s hypotheses. So unless you are an aware reader, you might blindly believe everything you are being fed through this novel. Caveat lector.
Grrrrs:
� Seeing a graphic representation makes assumptions seem like facts, which is very dangerous in a world already struggling with fake information.
� Theories are seen only as black or white, with no potential grey area. For example, there’s a long rant about how societal changes ensured that only men came to power and women were subdued everywhere. But how does historical patriarchy and the belief in male superiority explain royal lineages where queens have ruled, or that some societies were actually matrilineal? No answer at all. Historical queens aren’t even mentioned in the book. Another example is how the life of hunter gatherers is romanticised, with nary a comment on the struggles they faced prior to the development of human settlements. There are many such half-baked declarations that generalise without listing disclaimers or exceptions.
� Too many characters. YNH and Prof. Saraswati, along with Doctor Fiction, were enough! Why have so many more fictional characters for a nonfiction topic? (The next graphic novel is going to have even more new characters � yikes!)
� The story flow is quite cluttered and clunky this time around, unlike the first book.
� It’s tough to respect nonfiction works where the biases of the author come into play and present a lopsided view of history. Personal opinions should be kept away from scientific nonfiction, else the result seems prejudiced and hence flawed.
� Somehow, the content this time seems overly pessimistic. Hardly anything beneficial is mentioned about the development of human society thanks to the agricultural revolution. It’s very easy to point out the problems in the current social construct, but the positives also cannot be ignored.
In short, I didn’t like this as much as I did the first graphic novel. The overly inductive reasoning was much more apparent this time around. Somewhere towards the end of this work, Yuval’s character says: “When scientists don’t know something, it’s better to admit ignorance than to invent an imagined version of history.� Oh, the irony of this line!
I’d still recommend this version, though not enthusiastically. If you are apprehensive of reading lengthy nonfiction works but are curious to see why ‘Sapiens� is so applauded, the graphic novel series offers a wonderful bridge between the two. There are plenty of valuable learning points herein, but keep your thinking caps on as well. Just because the book is acclaimed doesn’t mean that the book is accurate; it is still one person’s opinion, after all. In other words, this graphic novel offers food for thought, but chew well before ingestion. 😉
2.25 stars.
Check out my reviews for the earlier books in the ‘Sapiens� series:
Sapiens:
/review/show...
Sapiens: A Graphic History, Volume 1 - The Birth of Humankind: /review/show...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connect with me through:
|| || || || ||
December 18, 2021
The Agricultural Revolution really kicks humanity down the slippery slope to tangled bureaucracy, hegemony of the elites, classism, racism, and sexism. Wheat is the ultimate big bad!
Harari and his collaborators really dig deep into the fictions upon which our history and our present social order is constructed, ripping away the pseudoscience and myths to get at what the science really supports.
Not as mind-blowing as the first volume -- which motivated me to read the big book from which this series is adapted -- but still very good even if the lessons seem a little more repetitive and simplified. A lot of time is spent on the Hindu caste system and U.S. slavery, making me a little curious how the Israeli author would apply some of his reasoning and deconstruction to the current state of his nation.
Harari and his collaborators really dig deep into the fictions upon which our history and our present social order is constructed, ripping away the pseudoscience and myths to get at what the science really supports.
Not as mind-blowing as the first volume -- which motivated me to read the big book from which this series is adapted -- but still very good even if the lessons seem a little more repetitive and simplified. A lot of time is spent on the Hindu caste system and U.S. slavery, making me a little curious how the Israeli author would apply some of his reasoning and deconstruction to the current state of his nation.
August 31, 2021
I feel like this one was a bit less history and a bit more sociology and cultural theories. I didn't care for it quite as much. I did appreciate the part about how human society is organized by a slew of complex fictions. That was an incredible window into society and how it operates and I think it's changed how I view societal rules and orders. I'm excited about part three and hope it's more historical and anthropology based like volume one.
May 10, 2022
is a fascinating exploration of human social organisation, from the transition from nomadic to agricultural societies through to the struggle for gender and racial equality in the twenty-first century.
Author explores themes including:
- The "paradox of plenty": the way that the transition from nomadic to primary agricultural societies created a vicious cycle whereby humans had more children, so had to produce ever more food, requiring more workers and so on.
- How early societies tended to measure "success" in terms of quantitative output, rather than qualitative experience, which has clear parallels in modern economics.
- The concept of "imagined order", including drawing a comparison between the Babylonian Code of Hammurabi (c.1750-5BCE) and the US Declaration of Independence (1776), both intended as documents creating a social order, and both based upon particular belief systems. Both could be viewed as examples of an "imagined order", under which the violent enforcement of social order may be justified.
- The related concept of "intersubjective reality", which exists in the shared imagination of millions of people, and is the necessary basis for intangibles such as laws, human "rights", belief in deities, nations, corporations and money.
- The importance of information, both its communication and effective storage, to human civilisation, including an exploration of the development of writing and numerical systems in different parts of the world.
- The development of systemic discrimination on the basis of sex, race, age etc., based on imagined hierarchies and perpetuated by vested interests.
and 's adaptation of the original text () into an illustrated graphic novel format makes the subject matter accessible to a wider audience, in particular middle-grade and high-school aged students. I felt that this was mostly successful, although as an adult reader, I occasionally found the content a little contrived. I should add that I haven't read widely within the graphic fiction format, so am perhaps not the best judge.
Overall, I found many of the concepts raised fascinating, and well-explained within a practical context. This book would provide a fantastic basis upon which to launch further study into human civilisations and the human impact of organisational systems and historical "advances".
Author explores themes including:
- The "paradox of plenty": the way that the transition from nomadic to primary agricultural societies created a vicious cycle whereby humans had more children, so had to produce ever more food, requiring more workers and so on.
- How early societies tended to measure "success" in terms of quantitative output, rather than qualitative experience, which has clear parallels in modern economics.
"The discrepancy between evolutionary "success" and individual suffering may well be the most important lesson we can learn from the agricultural revolution." (p.61)- The "luxury trap": the phenomenon whereby achieving goals and sufficiency often doesn't produce happiness and satisfaction, but instead an expectation and want for more.
- The concept of "imagined order", including drawing a comparison between the Babylonian Code of Hammurabi (c.1750-5BCE) and the US Declaration of Independence (1776), both intended as documents creating a social order, and both based upon particular belief systems. Both could be viewed as examples of an "imagined order", under which the violent enforcement of social order may be justified.
- The related concept of "intersubjective reality", which exists in the shared imagination of millions of people, and is the necessary basis for intangibles such as laws, human "rights", belief in deities, nations, corporations and money.
- The importance of information, both its communication and effective storage, to human civilisation, including an exploration of the development of writing and numerical systems in different parts of the world.
- The development of systemic discrimination on the basis of sex, race, age etc., based on imagined hierarchies and perpetuated by vested interests.
and 's adaptation of the original text () into an illustrated graphic novel format makes the subject matter accessible to a wider audience, in particular middle-grade and high-school aged students. I felt that this was mostly successful, although as an adult reader, I occasionally found the content a little contrived. I should add that I haven't read widely within the graphic fiction format, so am perhaps not the best judge.
Overall, I found many of the concepts raised fascinating, and well-explained within a practical context. This book would provide a fantastic basis upon which to launch further study into human civilisations and the human impact of organisational systems and historical "advances".
January 1, 2023
Best takeaway in volume two of the series is that the Feminist Revolution changed the world without killing anybody.
January 16, 2022
Just completed the second installment of the graphic adaptation of Sapiens. Being a sincere admirer of Harari's writing style, I was eagerly waiting for the book. Although based on the bestselling book, the graphic team took its creative freedom to make it even better. It should also be noted that while the first part was largely based on archeological & anthropological findings, this book is more rooted in sociology, philosophy and history. Around 12000 BCE, bands of Sapiens, settled in different part of the earth, independently discovered farming to achieve food security. This 'agricultural revolution' completely transformed the interaction between humans and nature, male and female and between pastoralist and agriculturists.
The book is split into 4 parts
Little crop of horrors
Of myths and men
Into the labyrinth
The cabinet of Doctor Fiction
This book also features several popular historical figures like Thomas Jefferson, Margaret Thatcher, Franz Kafka, John Lenon as characters. The main protagonists Dr Saraswati, Harari himself, Joey, Detective Lopez are also present from the first installment. They sometime switch timeline and interact with the historical figures. The caste inequality of India and the racial inequality of the USA are elaborately described and analyzed. Harari showed how religion and science were evoked to justify the discrimination. Harari's support for feminism and veganism is also reflected in this book.
The book is hardbound, colorful, tad bit heavy and the quality of page is too good. Any lover of graphic novel and history would not want to miss this book.
The book is split into 4 parts
Little crop of horrors
Of myths and men
Into the labyrinth
The cabinet of Doctor Fiction
This book also features several popular historical figures like Thomas Jefferson, Margaret Thatcher, Franz Kafka, John Lenon as characters. The main protagonists Dr Saraswati, Harari himself, Joey, Detective Lopez are also present from the first installment. They sometime switch timeline and interact with the historical figures. The caste inequality of India and the racial inequality of the USA are elaborately described and analyzed. Harari showed how religion and science were evoked to justify the discrimination. Harari's support for feminism and veganism is also reflected in this book.
The book is hardbound, colorful, tad bit heavy and the quality of page is too good. Any lover of graphic novel and history would not want to miss this book.
December 14, 2021
Harari considers himself a philosopher as well as a historian, and Volume 2 of this excellent series is mostly philosophy. The idea is that individual human lives became more miserable during and after the agricultural revolution, even as that revolution meant there were a lot more human lives brought into existence than hunter-gatherer societies could ever have supported. His logic leaves me unconvinced, but it's interesting to think about.
January 30, 2022
Schimbând puțin registrul, volumul se axează pe partea sociologică și culturală a ultimilor 12.000 de ani a istoriei omenirii, atunci când omul a căzut în capcana sedentarismului ce l-a forțat să muncească la câmp zi de zi. De asemenea, Harari aduce în discuție și felul în care gândirea și sentimentele omului au fost îngrădite de mituri și povești și cum mereu trebuie să credem în vreun ideal, fie el bun sau rău.
„O serie de decizii triviale menite să umple câteva stomacuri și să aducă puțină securitate au avut efectul cumulat de a-i sili pe oamenii arhaici să-și petreacă zilele trudind neîncetat.�
„Nu există ieșire din ordinea imaginată. Dacă dărâmi zidurile închisorii tale și alergi spre libertate, alergi de fapt în curtea mai spațioasă a unei închisori mai mari.�
„O serie de decizii triviale menite să umple câteva stomacuri și să aducă puțină securitate au avut efectul cumulat de a-i sili pe oamenii arhaici să-și petreacă zilele trudind neîncetat.�
„Nu există ieșire din ordinea imaginată. Dacă dărâmi zidurile închisorii tale și alergi spre libertate, alergi de fapt în curtea mai spațioasă a unei închisori mai mari.�
March 19, 2023
It feels like reading Sapiens again, but with double the fun, wit and amazement. The graphics are superbly done and shows the genius of whole Sapiens team.
June 7, 2022
El ensayo de Sapiens es una obra que tan pronto salió a la luz me llamó mucho la atención. Hasta ahora no había tenido la oportunidad de leerla, pero cuando catalogué su versión gráfica en la biblioteca no dudé y un segundo y me llevé los dos tomos prestados. A diferencia del ensayo original, nos encontraremos una versión adaptada para todas las edades, en formato cómic y con un vocabulario accesible para los más jóvenes.
Lo que más me ha gustado de este libro, más allá de su contenido, del que hablaremos más adelante, es cómo mezcla la ficción gráfica con los hechos que se trata de narrar. El autor, acompañado de su sobrina, asistirá a varias conferencias sobre biólogas, antropólogas y arqueólogos donde se explica la evolución de la especie.
Para leer más:
Lo que más me ha gustado de este libro, más allá de su contenido, del que hablaremos más adelante, es cómo mezcla la ficción gráfica con los hechos que se trata de narrar. El autor, acompañado de su sobrina, asistirá a varias conferencias sobre biólogas, antropólogas y arqueólogos donde se explica la evolución de la especie.
Para leer más:
March 8, 2024
Though there is less humor in this book, it is equally as good as first volume. Really love the interactive version in telling hard conversations.
June 23, 2022
The Pillars of Civilization is a less satisfying follow-up to the first volume, though it still makes me want to read the prose version. The heavy hitter here is the reveal that the agricultural revolution was a bad thing. People getting more food and settling down? Awful! For pleasure, that is. Which I can get behind. I'd like more time for pleasure, sure.
Besides that idea, the author returns to some old favorites from the first volume, namely that everything is fiction. He really hammers this point home, moving to caste systems, racism, and sexism to prove his point. Or rather, to have the random police officer and "Doctor Fiction" superhero prove his point. I was even less enamored with the framing stories in this volume. Skip the weirdos and just give me the facts? I'm not a child, nor is this book for children.
There's a real sense of repetition here that I'm not sure I felt with the first volume. Despite the big ideas, The Pillars of Civilization was kind of a dull read.
Besides that idea, the author returns to some old favorites from the first volume, namely that everything is fiction. He really hammers this point home, moving to caste systems, racism, and sexism to prove his point. Or rather, to have the random police officer and "Doctor Fiction" superhero prove his point. I was even less enamored with the framing stories in this volume. Skip the weirdos and just give me the facts? I'm not a child, nor is this book for children.
There's a real sense of repetition here that I'm not sure I felt with the first volume. Despite the big ideas, The Pillars of Civilization was kind of a dull read.
November 8, 2021
So much information packed into graphic novel format. Would recommend going through this slowly to absorb everything. As with the first, makes me want to read/listen to the original text.
3.5
Thanks to NetGalley/Edelweiss and the publisher for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.
3.5
Thanks to NetGalley/Edelweiss and the publisher for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.
February 17, 2023
(3.5 stars) Sapiens: A Graphic History, Volume 2 continues the story of mankind, this time keying on the Agricultural Revolution and its aftermath. It’s very interesting stuff, including the thought that myths and fictions govern our lives. Countries, organizations, politics, religion…all are made up constructs, without which life would be too chaotic.
July 9, 2022
İlkinden daha fazla beğendim. Anlatım çok güzel, kurgu çok iyi ve çizimler sizi yormadan akıp gidiyor.
August 17, 2022
Coerente na boa fórmula do volume 1 (Sapiens: A Origem da Humanidade (Novela Gráfica, vol. 1).
February 23, 2023
Why can't we all learn about history through graphic novels! Such a pleasure. I did like volume 1 better. This one was a little all over the place with the characters and visual narratives it chose to help convey the text's information - but those things are also what makes it fun to read. Definitely a fascinating reminder/zoom-out about humans and the problematic myths we all subscribe to to cooperate. and a HOT take on the agricultural revolution (it was the worst!). Lots of focus on racism in America and the caste system in India...curiously silent about the actions of the author's home country.
February 11, 2023
Dit deel is voor mij meer vanuit een sociologisch perspectief dan uit een historisch. Vooral in de tweede helft van het boek.
May 27, 2024
As insightful as the first volume of the graphic adaptation of this non-fiction bestseller, this second volume deals mostly with the development of human civilization(s).
Is it interesting? Absolutely. The graphic style is identical to the first cvolume for obvious reasons - I liked it, but didn't love it.
Several pieces of information were repeated over and over, which I found unnecessary and irritating. Was it to drive home a message or to remind forgetful readers that this bit is important? I do not know, but it made me like the book considerably less.
Nevertheless a good book for those who enjoyed the first volume, or who are really interested in how earlier humans built their societies.
Is it interesting? Absolutely. The graphic style is identical to the first cvolume for obvious reasons - I liked it, but didn't love it.
Several pieces of information were repeated over and over, which I found unnecessary and irritating. Was it to drive home a message or to remind forgetful readers that this bit is important? I do not know, but it made me like the book considerably less.
Nevertheless a good book for those who enjoyed the first volume, or who are really interested in how earlier humans built their societies.
March 28, 2022
Interesting overview, with emphasis on the word "overview." I would have liked an even deeper dive into his source material & the messy weeds of history. He pushes a narrative/ argument, for sure: humans make up fictions as a means to achieve desired hierarchies. It has the feel of pop anthropology, leaving me to wonder how many actual scientists/social scientists are reading and agreeing with Harari's work.
The final chapters � astute, but not novel � were my favorite: a discussion of the impacts of our cognitive development of time, capitalism, happiness, and the future of humans.
The final chapters � astute, but not novel � were my favorite: a discussion of the impacts of our cognitive development of time, capitalism, happiness, and the future of humans.
May 30, 2024
Terkaget-kaget baca buku ini, karena banyak anggapan, teori, gagasan besar, bahkan ajaran agama yang selama ini telah menjadi landasan peradaban selama ribuan tahun kayak dijungkirbalikkan habis-habisan. Peradaan dideskonstruksi, dipecah-pecah sesuai pemahaman seorang ahli biologi, ahli antropologi, ahli sejarah, dan entah ahli apa lagi. Tidak hanya karakter di buku ini yang kaget, saya pun kaget disodori gagasan betapa selama ini peradaban manusia dipertahankan oleh sesuatu yang FIKSI. Penulis memang berani banget menyebut banyak gagasan besar di dunia (mulai dari Deklarasi Kemerdekaan Amerika, Hukum Hammurabi, bahkan sejumlah kitab suci) sebagai fiksi.
Tetapi, fiksi ini pula yang menjadikan segala sesuatu tetap teratur di tempatnya. Fiksi inilah yang berhasil menjalin sebuah tatanan dan dapat mempersatukan miliaran orang dalam satu kesatuan solid, entah itu berupa ajaran agama atau kepercayaan, sistem politik, atau HAM. Termasuk kepercayaan fiksi bahwa selembar kertas yang kita sebut dengan uang (dengan nilai intrinsik tak seberapa) dapat ditukar dengan semangkuk bakso atau seuntai kalung berlian! Bayangkan jika orang-orang sudah tidak lagi mau mempercayai konsep uang sebagai alat pembayaran yang sah, hasilnya adalah kekacauan.
Memang agak berat tema buku ini. Dibutuhkan pemikiran yang sanggaaaaatttt terbuka untuk membacanya. Ketika segala sesuatu dinilai secara empiris, berdasarkan bukti ilmiah dan terukur, nilai-nilai baik dan salah menjadi tidak berlaku. Kita bisa meneliti gen dan kromosom dalam DNA manusia, tapi mustahil untuk menilai sesuatu itu baik atau kurang baik atau bahkan keliru secara empiris. Jadi tidak heran kalau homoseksualitas dianggap wajar di buku ini (kaget juga pas baca ending buku ini dan Harari menulis "Kepada suami tersayang ...") dan sejumlah ajaran agama dibilang fiksi. Untuk ukuran sebuah buku bestseller, Sapiens memang buku yang berani!
Di akhir buku, lewat Doctor Fiction, Harari menuliskan bahwa FIKSI itu tetap dibutuhkan agar dunia eh peradaban tetap bisa berjalan sebagaimana adanya. Hanya saja, kita dan generasi saat ini punya tanggung jawab untuk membuat Fiksi yang lebih baik di masa depan.
Tetapi, fiksi ini pula yang menjadikan segala sesuatu tetap teratur di tempatnya. Fiksi inilah yang berhasil menjalin sebuah tatanan dan dapat mempersatukan miliaran orang dalam satu kesatuan solid, entah itu berupa ajaran agama atau kepercayaan, sistem politik, atau HAM. Termasuk kepercayaan fiksi bahwa selembar kertas yang kita sebut dengan uang (dengan nilai intrinsik tak seberapa) dapat ditukar dengan semangkuk bakso atau seuntai kalung berlian! Bayangkan jika orang-orang sudah tidak lagi mau mempercayai konsep uang sebagai alat pembayaran yang sah, hasilnya adalah kekacauan.
Memang agak berat tema buku ini. Dibutuhkan pemikiran yang sanggaaaaatttt terbuka untuk membacanya. Ketika segala sesuatu dinilai secara empiris, berdasarkan bukti ilmiah dan terukur, nilai-nilai baik dan salah menjadi tidak berlaku. Kita bisa meneliti gen dan kromosom dalam DNA manusia, tapi mustahil untuk menilai sesuatu itu baik atau kurang baik atau bahkan keliru secara empiris. Jadi tidak heran kalau homoseksualitas dianggap wajar di buku ini (kaget juga pas baca ending buku ini dan Harari menulis "Kepada suami tersayang ...") dan sejumlah ajaran agama dibilang fiksi. Untuk ukuran sebuah buku bestseller, Sapiens memang buku yang berani!
Di akhir buku, lewat Doctor Fiction, Harari menuliskan bahwa FIKSI itu tetap dibutuhkan agar dunia eh peradaban tetap bisa berjalan sebagaimana adanya. Hanya saja, kita dan generasi saat ini punya tanggung jawab untuk membuat Fiksi yang lebih baik di masa depan.
November 4, 2021
Volume 2 of Sapiens wasn't as engaging as the first for me. The first half of this graphic novel felt way too heavy-handed in its negative portrayal of the agricultural revolution. I got the point but it was getting too repetitive. I liked the second half of the novel much better when it dives into culture and the myths/fictions of society that result in inequalities and hierarchies. I'll probably still pick up Volume 3 and read until the end. Overall, it was a quick, easy read. Can't say that I learned anything new exactly but it was a nice reminder about societal constructs. The agricultural revolution stuff was interesting but I was getting tired of being told how bad it was for humanity.
November 26, 2021
Informative graphic novel but not quite as strong as Volume 1. I also felt this book was more opinion-based than scientific. Overall, this graphic nonfiction series offers food for thought and poses many ideas and questions worth pondering and considering. Thank you to Harper Perennial for the gifted copy. This is my honest review.
January 23, 2022
This second volume of our illustrated story as a species is twice as ambitious, complex, and fun to read. I can't wait to read the third release scheduled for the end of the year.
April 6, 2022
Ein leicht verständliches und unterhaltsames Werk, um seine soziale und gesellschaftliche Kompetenz zu schulen.
March 31, 2023
Druga część równie interesująca co pierwsza. Wymagająca skupienia opowieść graficzna po której zbyt długim czytaniu zaczyna parować mózg xd
December 31, 2021
En esta segunda parte de Sapiens. Una historia gráfica Yuval Noah Harari continúa su viaje a lo largo de la historia de la especie para desvelar los grandes hitos que han moldeado a nuestra especie y que lentamente la han llevado a ser la especie dominante del planeta —dominante claramente en el sentido ecológico de la palabra�.
Con respeto al primer volumen, este que lleva por subtítulo Los pilares de la civilización no presenta grandes cambios en cuestión de estilo, narración o recursos usados por los autores: acá de nuevo nos encontramos con su sobrina Zoe, la doctora Saraswati, la Doctora Ficción y la detective López que acompañan a Yuval en la narración, también está presente la inserción del cómic de Bill & Cindy para ejemplificar la cotidianidad de cada una de las épocas que ha vivido sapiens, la inserción de algunos recortes de periódicos y anuncios publicitarios ficticios con el fin de hacer hincapié en los elementos más contundentes de la narración.
El volumen —que sigue en gran medida la segunda parte del ensayo original� comienza abordando el tema de la revolución agrícola y todos los grandes cambios que trajo para la especie. Harari coloca este hito de nuestra historia como un punto de inflexión, pues luego de este muchas de las cosas que vinieron luego fueron inminentes, casi automáticas y consecuencia de lo más inmediatamente anterior de nuestra historia. Con la revolución agrícola vino un cambio también en la mentalidad de sapiens pues por primera vez y gracias a que tenía que cuidar sus cultivos hoy para comer mañana, se preocupó por el futuro; preocupación que perdura hasta nuestros días y que ha decantado en la crisis de ansiedad tan frecuente entre los contemporáneos.
Luego de la revolución agrícola vino la escritura, los ordenes imaginados, la burocracia, los números, los discursos de segregación, el género y otra cantidad de elementos —todos ellos realidades imaginadas� que fueron introduciéndose dentro de las civilizaciones para hacer viable que millones de individuos pudieran vivir dentro de la misma muralla sin matarse. En serio que este libro no es apto para personas que entren en crisis muy fácil o que no estén listas para sentirse incómodas por un momento con su realidad. Este libro tiene la capacidad de sacudirte, de abrirte los ojos y ponerte a mirar sin poder alejar tu vista de todo lo que ha hecho sapiens a lo largo de 2.5 millones de años para llegar a donde está hoy. Esto no es mitología, esto no son creencias; es una colección de los hechos comprobados sobre el paso de sapiens sobre la faz de la Tierra.
Como en el primer volumen, acá hay menciones a la cultura popular regadas por varios sitios. Ellas mismas son un deleite y engalana muy bien una obra sobre la historia de la única especie —por ahora� que es capaz de hacer obras de arte, escribir libros y construir grandes estructuras con fines no habitacionales. De los acá presentes los que más me gustaron fueron la aparición de Kafka, que durante un tramo de la narración hace de abogado de Yuval, el cual no parece darse cuenta de quién es él y una corta, pero muy contundente alusión a El Señor de los Anillos.
Mis más sinceras felicitaciones al equipo que está detrás de esta versión gráfica del libro de Harari, pues como lo dije en la reseña del primer volumen, me parece un reto muy grande e interesante el poder plasmar en el lenguaje gráfico un ensayo que cubre con mucho lujo de detalle la historia de nuestra especie. Ya espero con ansia el tercer volumen de la serie, pues según el adelanto del final del presente volumen, promete mucho.
Algo que me marcó mucho de la lectura y que me quedó retumbando en la cabeza es el hecho de asimilar que todo privilegio por pequeño que sea es consecuencia de algún acontecimiento azaroso, nada más.
Con respeto al primer volumen, este que lleva por subtítulo Los pilares de la civilización no presenta grandes cambios en cuestión de estilo, narración o recursos usados por los autores: acá de nuevo nos encontramos con su sobrina Zoe, la doctora Saraswati, la Doctora Ficción y la detective López que acompañan a Yuval en la narración, también está presente la inserción del cómic de Bill & Cindy para ejemplificar la cotidianidad de cada una de las épocas que ha vivido sapiens, la inserción de algunos recortes de periódicos y anuncios publicitarios ficticios con el fin de hacer hincapié en los elementos más contundentes de la narración.
El volumen —que sigue en gran medida la segunda parte del ensayo original� comienza abordando el tema de la revolución agrícola y todos los grandes cambios que trajo para la especie. Harari coloca este hito de nuestra historia como un punto de inflexión, pues luego de este muchas de las cosas que vinieron luego fueron inminentes, casi automáticas y consecuencia de lo más inmediatamente anterior de nuestra historia. Con la revolución agrícola vino un cambio también en la mentalidad de sapiens pues por primera vez y gracias a que tenía que cuidar sus cultivos hoy para comer mañana, se preocupó por el futuro; preocupación que perdura hasta nuestros días y que ha decantado en la crisis de ansiedad tan frecuente entre los contemporáneos.
Luego de la revolución agrícola vino la escritura, los ordenes imaginados, la burocracia, los números, los discursos de segregación, el género y otra cantidad de elementos —todos ellos realidades imaginadas� que fueron introduciéndose dentro de las civilizaciones para hacer viable que millones de individuos pudieran vivir dentro de la misma muralla sin matarse. En serio que este libro no es apto para personas que entren en crisis muy fácil o que no estén listas para sentirse incómodas por un momento con su realidad. Este libro tiene la capacidad de sacudirte, de abrirte los ojos y ponerte a mirar sin poder alejar tu vista de todo lo que ha hecho sapiens a lo largo de 2.5 millones de años para llegar a donde está hoy. Esto no es mitología, esto no son creencias; es una colección de los hechos comprobados sobre el paso de sapiens sobre la faz de la Tierra.
Como en el primer volumen, acá hay menciones a la cultura popular regadas por varios sitios. Ellas mismas son un deleite y engalana muy bien una obra sobre la historia de la única especie —por ahora� que es capaz de hacer obras de arte, escribir libros y construir grandes estructuras con fines no habitacionales. De los acá presentes los que más me gustaron fueron la aparición de Kafka, que durante un tramo de la narración hace de abogado de Yuval, el cual no parece darse cuenta de quién es él y una corta, pero muy contundente alusión a El Señor de los Anillos.
Mis más sinceras felicitaciones al equipo que está detrás de esta versión gráfica del libro de Harari, pues como lo dije en la reseña del primer volumen, me parece un reto muy grande e interesante el poder plasmar en el lenguaje gráfico un ensayo que cubre con mucho lujo de detalle la historia de nuestra especie. Ya espero con ansia el tercer volumen de la serie, pues según el adelanto del final del presente volumen, promete mucho.
Algo que me marcó mucho de la lectura y que me quedó retumbando en la cabeza es el hecho de asimilar que todo privilegio por pequeño que sea es consecuencia de algún acontecimiento azaroso, nada más.
October 28, 2023
This was the second volume of graphic novels adapted from the excellent book by Mr. Harari. This is another adaptation that was different if you compare it to the book because obviously, the formats are different. So these books are targeted more towards probably the younger readers. But the ideas in the book were poignant and hard-hitting and so they are here. A few people had the issue that India wasn't mentioned much in the first volume well enjoy India is a major part of this volume but you won't be happy with it because it's obviously, discussing the problems. Many Americans would take issue with this book and this volume but history is history it's not a mystery. So till then Keep on Reading.
I have always loved comics, and I hope always to love them. Even though I grew up reading local Indian comics like Raj Comics, Diamond Comics, or even Manoj Comics, now's the time to catch up on international and classic comics and Graphic novels. I am on my quest to read as many comics as I can. I love comics to bits, may the comics never leave my side. I loved reading this and love reading more, you should also read what you love and then just .
I have always loved comics, and I hope always to love them. Even though I grew up reading local Indian comics like Raj Comics, Diamond Comics, or even Manoj Comics, now's the time to catch up on international and classic comics and Graphic novels. I am on my quest to read as many comics as I can. I love comics to bits, may the comics never leave my side. I loved reading this and love reading more, you should also read what you love and then just .
December 29, 2021
Effectively expands on concepts introduced in the first volume, even if it isn’t quite as engaging.
I really enjoyed the first book, but I didn’t agree with the significance it assigned to fictions, and I was confused by the way the author was using the term. This book delved much deeper into the concept of fictions and successfully convinced me of their importance. I feel like I have a much better understanding of the concept than I did after the first book, which introduced the concept as something important without really explaining why.
I thought about giving this book an extra star because of that, but I gave it the same rating I did the first because the first one kept my attention better. I’m not sure if the characters and framing devices were less interesting in this one or if I’m just less interested in the period of history it covers.
Regardless, I continue to enjoy the series. I love it when nonfiction is approachable like this.
I really enjoyed the first book, but I didn’t agree with the significance it assigned to fictions, and I was confused by the way the author was using the term. This book delved much deeper into the concept of fictions and successfully convinced me of their importance. I feel like I have a much better understanding of the concept than I did after the first book, which introduced the concept as something important without really explaining why.
I thought about giving this book an extra star because of that, but I gave it the same rating I did the first because the first one kept my attention better. I’m not sure if the characters and framing devices were less interesting in this one or if I’m just less interested in the period of history it covers.
Regardless, I continue to enjoy the series. I love it when nonfiction is approachable like this.
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