Sapiens

翻开这本《智人》，你会先被一个近乎傲慢的论断抓住：农业革命是'史上最大的一桩骗局'。作者不满足于复述人类如何一步步走向今天，而是执意把'演化成功'和'个体幸福'这两件事分开算账——小麦驯化了人、分娩成了女性的风险、食物链顶端的仓促登顶带来无尽灾难。这种'站在演化面前替具体的人说话'的姿态，正是它最锋利、也最具争议之处。它逼你重新追问：物种的扩张，究竟算不算我们的胜利？需要提醒的是，它的观点并不追求学术上的严密，社科专业者或许会觉得老生常谈；全书重心也偏向前半段，越往后越显松散。但正是这份'敢下判断'的痛快，让它成为一本适合带着质疑来读、而非全盘接受的书。

Dr. Yuval Noah Harari lectures at the Department of History, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. He originally specialized in medieval history and military history, completing his D.Phil. at the University of Oxford (Jesus College) in 2002, and publishing numerous books and articles, including Special Operations in the Age of Chivalry, 1100-1550; The Ultimate Experience: Battlefield Revelations and the Making of Modern War Culture, 1450-2000; “The Concept of ‘Decisive Battles’ in World History”; and “Armchairs, Coffee and Authority: Eye-witnesses and Flesh-witnesses Speak about War, 1100-2000”. He now specializes in World History and macro-historical processes. His most recent book is titled From Animals into Gods: A Brief History of Humankind (originally published in Hebrew under the title A Brief History of Mankind, and now being translated into English and German). The book surveys the entire length of human history, from the evolution of Homo sapiens in Pleistocene East Africa up to the political and technological revolutions of the 21st-century. The Hebrew edition has become a bestseller in Israel. It has generated much interest both in the academic community and among the general public, and has turned Harari into an instant celebrity. YouTube Video clips of Harari’s lectures on the history of the world have been viewed by tens of thousands of Israelis; and he is currently writing a two-weekly column for Ha’aretz magazine. He is also currently giving an online free course with the same title.