Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human SocietiesGuns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies
Score Modern
What it's about
Why did Europeans conquer the Americas, rather than the other way around? Jared Diamond, who spent decades in New Guinea and around the world, argues that the inequality between societies comes not from differences between people but from geography: which crops and animals could be domesticated, which way continents run, and how germs, metal and writing spread.
Why it's worth reading
It won the Pulitzer Prize and is on TIME's list of the 100 best nonfiction books. It's one of the most influential big-picture histories ever written.
You'll love it if you liked
Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind
The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History
A Short History of Nearly EverythingGood to know
Some historians and anthropologists have criticized its arguments. It's long but clearly written.
By the numbers
- Readers43 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics86 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller35 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #107 of the 198 history books we rank
- #350 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #690 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Thought-provoking, True story
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Quick answers
Is Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies worth reading?
Yes. It won the Pulitzer Prize and is on TIME's list of the 100 best nonfiction books. It ranks #690 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 76.2 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies about?
Why did Europeans conquer the Americas, rather than the other way around? Jared Diamond, who spent decades in New Guinea and around the world, argues that the inequality between societies comes not from differences between people but from geography: which crops and animals could be domesticated, which way continents run, and how germs, metal and writing spread.
How long does it take to read Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies?
About 16 hours (658 pages), or about 5 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What awards has Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies won?
Pulitzer Prize (General Nonfiction) winner (1998).
What should I read after Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies?
If you liked it, try Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari, The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History by Elizabeth Kolbert or A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson.