NexusNexus
What it's about
Yuval Noah Harari tells the history of information networks, from stories and holy books to bureaucracies, newspapers and the internet, and argues that more information doesn't make people wiser: networks can spread truth or build order, and often choose order. He then turns to artificial intelligence, the first technology that can make decisions and create ideas by itself, and what it could mean for democracy.
Why it's worth reading
It spent months on the New York Times lists and was a Goodreads Choice finalist. Harari is a clear, provocative big-picture thinker.
You'll love it if you liked
Empire of AI: Dreams and Nightmares in Sam Altman's OpenAI
The Structure of Scientific Revolutions
Fire Weather: A True Story From a Hotter WorldGood to know
Its warnings about AI are speculative. It's long, with many historical examples.
By the numbers
- Readers64 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller56 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz19 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
- #129 of the 198 history books we rank
- #167 of the 481 new books we rank
- #948 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
True story
More by Yuval Noah Harari
Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind
Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow
21 Lessons for the 21st CenturyIf you like this, read next
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Everything Is Tuberculosis
Challenger: A True Story of Heroism and Disaster on the Edge of Space
Native Nations: A Millennium in North America
A Day in the Life of Abed Salama: Anatomy of a Jerusalem Tragedy
The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du BoisExplore the best-of lists
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Quick answers
Is Nexus worth reading?
Yes. It spent months on the New York Times lists and was a Goodreads Choice finalist. It ranks #948 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 73.5 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Nexus about?
Yuval Noah Harari tells the history of information networks, from stories and holy books to bureaucracies, newspapers and the internet, and argues that more information doesn't make people wiser: networks can spread truth or build order, and often choose order. He then turns to artificial intelligence, the first technology that can make decisions and create ideas by itself, and what it could mean for democracy.
How long does it take to read Nexus?
About 13 hours (529 pages), or about 4 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Nexus?
If you liked it, try Empire of AI: Dreams and Nightmares in Sam Altman's OpenAI by Karen Hao, The Structure of Scientific Revolutions by Thomas S. Kuhn or Fire Weather: A True Story From a Hotter World by John Vaillant.