Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fate of Human Societies

[macloudt]

Ebony wrote:

> At least four sources this year led to my clamoring to read "Guns, 
> Germs, and Steel

<snip>

> Quote from Amazon.com--"MacArthur fellow and UCLA evolutionary 
> biologist Diamond takes as his theme no less than the rise of human 
> civilizations.  On the whole this is an impressive achievement, 
with 
> nods to the historians, anthropologists, and others who have laid 
the 
> groundwork. Diamond tells us that the impetus for the book came 
from 
> a native New Guinea friend, Yali, who asked him, ``Why is it that 
you 
> white people developed so much cargo and brought it to New Guinea, 
> but we black people had little cargo of our own?'' The long and 
short 
> of it, says Diamond, is biogeography."  
> 
> I've mostly read this now.  I'd like to discuss it.  Has anyone 
else 
> read it?

:::::Bounces up and down with glee and waves her arm in the air 
Hermione-style:::::

Me!  Me!  Me!  OK, it's been a few years, but I'll happily reread it 
to discuss it.  This is the sort of thing that I studied, so now *I* 
get to use my degree as well :::::waves to Jen P:::::

Anyone else besides us two read it?

Mary Ann
(happy to discuss anything that doesn't involve Bob the Builder, 
Thomas the Tank Engine, or Barbie)