Book Review: Germs, Guns and Steel
- Marcelo Serafim
- May 10, 2023
- 2 min read
"Germs, Guns, and Steel" is a book by Jared Diamond that explores the reasons behind the differences in human development around the world. According to Diamond, the availability of certain resources and environmental conditions led some societies to develop faster and become more successful than others.
One of the main arguments of the book is that geography played a significant role in the development of human societies. Diamond contends that societies with access to domesticable plants and animals had a greater chance of developing agriculture and settling in one place, while societies without these resources remained hunter-gatherers and moved around more frequently.
Another key factor in the success of some societies, according to Diamond, was the development of writing and the ability to store and transmit knowledge. Societies with a written language were able to accumulate knowledge and pass it on from generation to generation, giving them an advantage over societies that relied solely on oral tradition.
Diamond also discusses the impact of disease on human history.
He argues that the close proximity of people and animals in some societies led to the spread of diseases that caused devastating epidemics, wiping out entire populations and leaving survivors vulnerable to new infections. This, in turn, affected the course of history and the development of societies.
Overall, "Germs, Guns, and Steel" provides a fascinating perspective on the factors that contributed to the success or failure of human societies throughout history.
Questions:
What is the main argument of "Germs, Guns, and Steel"?
How did geography play a role in the development of human societies?
What advantage did societies with a written language have over those that relied on oral tradition?
How did disease impact human history according to Diamond?
What does "Germs, Guns, and Steel" offer readers?
Verb of the day:
Contend - to argue or assert a point; to struggle or compete. (Example: Diamond contends that geography played a significant role in the development of human societies.)
Vocabulary:
Domesticable - capable of being domesticated, tamed, or cultivated for human use.
Hunter-gatherers - people who subsist by hunting, fishing, and foraging wild plants and animals.
Epidemics - a widespread occurrence of an infectious disease in a community at a particular time.
Devastating - causing great damage or harm.
Accumulate - to gather or collect gradually over time.
Phrasal verb: "Pass on" - to transmit or convey something to someone else.
English idiom: "Get the ball rolling" - to start something, to initiate a process or action.
English Grammar Tip:
When using the past tense, it is important to use the correct form of the verb. Regular verbs end in -ed, while irregular verbs have a different form altogether. For example, "walk" becomes "walked" in the past tense, while "go" becomes "went". It is important to memorize the irregular forms of verbs to avoid errors in speaking and writing.
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