Sapiens. Volume 1. La nascita dell'umanità. Graphic Novel

Sapiens: A Graphic History #1

by David Vandermeulen (Illustrator), Daniel Casanave (Illustrator), Yuval Noah Harari

Il primo volume della versione illustrata del bestseller internazionale sulla storia dell'uomo.

In un mondo alluvionato da informazioni irrilevanti la lucidità è potere. Ma come si fa a cogliere il quadro generale senza perdersi in un’infinità di rivoli e dettagli? Facciamo un passo indietro e guardiamo davvero al quadro generale: la storia della specie umana. Sapiens. La nascita dell’umanità è la storia di come una scimmia insignificante divenne la signora della Terra, capace di scindere il nucleo di un atomo, volare sulla Luna e manipolare il codice genetico della vita.
Una squadra di ricercatori – Prehistorik Bill, Dr. Fiction, la detective Lopez – capitanati da Yuval Noah Harari in persona guida il lettore a esplorare il lato selvaggio della storia. L’evoluzione umana viene reinventata come un reality show televisivo; il primo incontro tra Sapiens e Neanderthal è raffigurato attraverso i capolavori dell’arte moderna; l’estinzione dei mammut e delle tigri dai denti a sciabola è raccontata come un giallo.
L’adattamento di Sapiens. Da animali a dèi in forma di graphic novel è una rivisitazione radicale e profondamente divertente della storia dell’umanità a partire dal longseller internazionale che ha venduto 16 milioni di copie in 60 lingue. Il tono umoristico è pensato per catturare l’interesse di chi finora ha preferito tenersi alla larga da scienza e storia. Ecco l’occasione giusta per cambiare idea.

Genres: Nonfiction, Graphic Novels, History, Science, Comics, Bande Dessinée, Anthropology

245 pages, Hardcover

First published October 7, 2020

Reviews

[Liong · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari.

Now there is a full-color illustrated book version that is simple and easy to understand.

Attract more people to read, especially young people and children.

I like this book.

Waiting for volume 2, 3...

[Jennifer ~ TarHeelReader · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think many of us are familiar with the best selling nonfiction title, Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind, by the same author, and this is its graphic novel counterpart. I have not read the former and really enjoyed my time with the latter. The illustrations are detailed, beautifully colored, informative, and add to the experience. Anthropology was one of my majors in undergrad, and I loved revisiting those topics and also the newer research that’s been discovered/uncovered since I last studied. I think the graphic novel is a great crossover for both adults and younger readers in learning about a most fascinating topic.

I received a gifted copy.

Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader

[Sarah ♡ (let’s interact!) · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favourite books of all time, in graphic novel form, works incredibly well. This is only the first volume, its quite a sizeable book even at 250 pages but is a quick and enjoyable read.

Often humorous, it is a great look into the history of humankind (as its predecessor was). Just with, of course, a lot more lively and vibrant illustrations.
This is possibly the most entertaining way to learn about history, even for somebody who may have not been interested enough to pick up the original book or was intimidated by its length.

This would make an ideal starting point for the younger generation to learn about the history of humanity too. The first part depicts Yuval himself educating his young niece Zoe by taking her to meet biologist Professor Saraswati. There are a whole host of characters who take us through various parts of the beginning of human history, such as Prehistoric Bill.

Very excited for Volume 2! And I hope “Homo Deus” - Harari’s second book about the future of humanity - is also put into the graphic novel format in the near future.

[Rama Rao · Rating 1 out of 5]

An incomplete and inaccurate graphic history of life

Teaching kids to impart knowledge relies on project-based learning (PBL), graphic illustrations, video materials and other tools. After reading this book with the star-studded “positive” comments from Barack Obama, Bill Gates, and Natalie Portman, we learn that a good marketing strategy works for sales, but not for knowledge to be gained.

It is an exciting journey through ancient times to discover the images, paintings, habitats, and pottery, left by our ancestors. But historical evidence for our ancestry also comes from paleo-biological studies of fossils. Interweaving recent discoveries, maps, and illustrations. Evolution tells the story of our origins. This book is narrated with an inquisitive child, an educator, a cop, and author Harari about our origins. There are several instances of inaccuracy and unscientific facts in this book, the examples are: Only homo sapiens can change their social system, and behavior in all animals is determined by their genetic system; homo sapiens had a cognitive revolution that made them different from other animals; and humans are still adapted to hunter-gather lifestyle. The last few pages are devoted to boring narratives of Diprotodons, the largest marsupials whose extinction was brought about by humans.

This book which brings life in 245 pages of illustrations miss out on critical historical facts. For example, there were five mass extinctions of life on the planet including the last event called the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event that occurred 66 million years ago. This wiped-out dinosaurs, and it was critical in creating geophysical conditions for the rapid evolution of mammals. The book barely mentions the relationship between humans, Neanderthals and Denisovans. There is genetic evidence for interbreeding with at least four archaic hominin species that included Neanderthals and Denisovans. The continental drift in the late Triassic Period (which lasted from approximately 251 million to 199.6 million years ago), the supercontinent of Pangea fragmented, and the continents began to move away from one another to the current structure creating new opportunities for species evolution.

The book has several cases of cultural insensitivities. The story is supposed to be narrated by a character referred to as Professor Saraswati, apparently referring to Hindu Goddess Saraswati of knowledge and learning who is depicted as a fat Indian lady with a large tilak on the forehead. The book also refers to birth of Christianity and Islam but do not refer to Hinduism, the oldest faith in the world. The earliest hymns of the sacred scriptures of Rig-Veda were written in 1700 B.C.E. They not only connect mankind to worshiping God, but also represent some of the finest poetry ever written in an ancient language.

[Jon Nakapalau · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best GN I have read this year. A wonderfully fanciful examination on sapiens and how we came to be where we are today. This GN adaptation of the ground breaking book by Yuval Noah Harari takes us on a trek back in time to discover how we became the dominant species on the earth. Adapted with many clever interpretations; rare combination of a fun and informative read!

[Rosh · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had read and reviewed the original Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind long back. But a recent query in a Facebook group on whether this graphic version was suitable for a 12 year old got me thinking if I could share this book with my teenager, so I pushed this up right to the top of my TBR. If you want my opinion on the content of the original nonfiction work, please click HERE. This review is only about the graphic version, whether it does justice to the original, and its suitability for younger readers.

It is not an easy job to take a nonfiction tome such as Sapiens and adapt it to a graphic version. So I must appreciate the efforts of the author, the storyboard artists, illustrators and editors who would have worked on this graphic version. They have done a fabulous job.

𝗗𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝘁 𝗱𝗼 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹?
Sapiens, if you remember, had four sections: The Cognitive Revolution, The Agricultural Revolution, The Unification of Humankind, and The Scientific Revolution. This first graphic volume covers the first section of the cognitive revolution.

To make the topic transit successfully from text to graphic, many interesting characters have been added to the narration. This serves the purpose aptly as the storyline doesn't become monotonous or too intense for younger readers.

The book does its best to be inclusive with characters from various backgrounds, including a saree-clad Professor Saraswati who is next only to Harari himself in terms of character scope. Even keeping aside any personal national pride, I loved the portrayal of her character. She rocked the cool grandma approach, and younger Indians will definitely bond with her character.

𝗜𝘀 𝗶𝘁 𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 "𝗵𝗲𝗮𝘃𝘆"?
Well yes, the book is heavy for a graphic novel, but considering what Sapiens was, this is perfect for those who want an insight into it without struggling through the intense content. Especially for those who aren't too crazy about nonfiction, this graphic novel will be a great way to know Harari's theories.

At the same time, seeing his theories visually makes them all the more concrete in your head, and you might tend to forget that all his theories are heavily reliant on his assumptions. Adult readers might be able to filter out the chaff from the wheat; youngsters might take his version as an accurate representation of the past. So the content is still relevant, but to be taken with a pinch of salt, just like in the original book.

𝗗𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗹𝘆?
The illustrations are A-grade, no doubts about that. I never thought an intense book such as Sapiens could be represented so interactively. But mainly because of the rich variety of characters, the illustrations add a pizzazz to the book.

Overall, I think I enjoyed this book even more than Sapiens primarily because of the illustrations and characters. To visualise the original content in this graphic version was a thrilling experience, and to do so along with Professor Saraswati was simply enthralling!

𝘗𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘭 𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘦:
1. One of the characters talks of people sleeping around, adultery, and gossip about crushes in front of Harari's young niece in a couple of the story panels.
2. There is nudity in the illustrations. Nothing vulgar. Just that in a couple of panels, the pubic area of human males and females is depicted. There are some panels with breasts shown.
These two points aren't to drive you away from sharing the book with your children, but just so that you can make an informed decision of when you want to share it with them.

𝗦𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗜 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗺𝘆 𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗻?
Whether to share it with your children or not is an individual choice, and there's no right or wrong age for this. After all, these decisions can't be standardised and depend on the age, reading level, comprehension level, and exposure of the kids to such topics. But I hope this post has made things a bit easier for you in taking that decision.


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[Ulysse · Rating 2 out of 5]

Harari tells us we are mammals who gossip.

That what has given us supremacy over every other species on earth is our ability to talk behind each other’s backs.

Bad-mouthing people is our way to survive.

Stories forge communities, communities become nations and nations attack other nations because each one believes its own story to be the only true story.

We also specialize in destroying, by merely breathing, any eco system that has had the misfortune to make our acquaintance.

Harari puts homo sapiens on trial for mass murder and concludes that everyone, without exception, is guilty.

That's right folks, we’re all of us rotten to the core and so very, very BAD.

How depressing.

Call me a Neanderthal but sometimes I wish I’d been born a flower so I wouldn’t have to bad-mouth certain books.

[Rod Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow! There are some mind-blowing concepts masterfully laid out in this history of the rise of mankind as a species, from the critical roles of gossip and cooperation in our success to the delusional lies that form the bedrock of our social constructs to our ability to initiate ecological disasters long before the industrial age and global warming.

I can't wait for Volume Two; I want to read the original book from which this is adapted.

[Ιωάννα Μπαμπέτα · Rating 5 out of 5]

Εξαιρετικό graphic novel για μικρούς και μεγάλους. Μαθαίνεις πολλά χωρίς να κουράζεσαι. Νομίζω πως θα έχει ενδιαφέρον ακόμα και γι’ αυτούς που γνωρίζουν πολλά πράγματα για τη γέννηση του ανθρώπου. Εγώ είχα σκόρπιες γνώσεις οπότε το βιβλίο, εκτός απ’ το ότι ήταν διασκεδαστικό, με βοήθησε να εμπλουτίσω τις γνώσεις μου και να βάλω κάποια πράγματα σε τάξη στο μυαλό μου.
Τώρα το πήρε ο έφηβος γιος μου και δεν το έχει αφήσει από τα χέρια του.

[Parvaneh · Rating 4 out of 5]

اصلا دوست نداشتم تموم بشه :( کتاب شیرینی بود ،میشه گفت خلاصه ایی از کتاب انسان خردمند بود،نقاشی های داخل کتاب رو خیلی دوست داشتم خیلی زیبا همه چیز به تصویر کشیده شده بود،احتمالا بعد ها دوباره سراغش برم و بعضی ها قسمتش ها را دوباره بخونم

[Diz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a beautifully produced graphic novel that tells part of the story of the rise of humankind. It is based on the author's book on the same topic. I particularly liked the art style used here, which gave the content a sense of fun and wonder.

There was one thing that felt a bit off, though. On the back cover of the book there are some blurbs from noted anthropologists Natalie Portman, Chris Evans, and Bill Gates, and from academic journals such as Sunday Express and Financial Times (I'm being sarcastic here). I would have felt more confident about the accuracy of the material in this book if these blurbs were from actual experts in the fields being covered.

[laurel [the suspected bibliophile] · Rating 4 out of 5]

A brief history of the history of human kind, specifically the rise of homo sapiens and the fall of the five other species of humans in the era of the cave man.

I've been meaning to read the source material for quite some time, as I want to know more about the history of humankind, so this was a nice primer. I was engrossed and learned a bunch, and I'll definitely be tuning into the second volume...and the book.

While it was highly intriguing and very informative, I'm not sure who the audience was intended to be. Children, due to the presence of Yuval's niece Zoe? If so, the font was too small, too much and the drawings not the best. Additionally, some of the concepts were a bit too much for a child. Adults? Then some of the framing devices were a little...juvenile.

I definitely was not a fan of the artwork, although that might be polished up by the time this thing actually hits the shelves.

However, I did learn a lot, and I learned that while researchers know an awful lot, there is an awful lot they don't know as well.

But what they do know is that homo sapiens have always impacted the areas they enter on a biological, ecological and geographic level. Where humans tread, other species die.

I received this ARC from NetGalley for an honest review

[Helen | readwithneleh · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just finished this last night and it just reaffirmed my love for graphic novels. l’ve had the original book, the source material for this graphic novel, on my TBR for a few years now and haven’t gotten around to reading it and it’s not surprising why. While I love non-fiction, the subject matter is complex so I was intimated and apprehensive about picking it up. But, here it is now available in the most approachable way —illustrated and with fun characters to help guide the reader through the information.

As expected, some parts were dense and I had difficulty reading through it all. Even in graphic novel format, it was a lot to take in, especially when the small font was living in big blocks of copy.

However, I did find this book really fascinating and informative. I found myself reciting facts out loud to my husband multiple times. The illustrations and page layouts were also interesting and educational. And while the editing of content could’ve been a bit better, overall, I thought this was an impressive and fun introduction to the birth of humankind.

I would recommend this for both young adults and adults alike. In the beginning it felt targeted towards children, but as I read on it was clear it was made for a wider audience. I can also see this book not being for everyone, specifically those with a strong faith. For background, I was raised in a Christian home and still consider myself one, but one that is more progressive and spiritual. I did not find this book offensive at all, but just wanted to call it out. I’d still recommend this to those of all faith because it talks about human cognitive abilities and how religion came to existence.

[Adele · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sapiens has some interesting information. Unfortunately I was already at least somewhat familiar with most of it. That might have been okay, but the book is so repetitive. Here is just one example. On page 173 the Yuval character says, "So when scholars claim they know what ancient foragers believed, it often tells us more about the scholars' own preconceptions than about stone-age religion!" Then on the very next page Father Klüg says about interpreting cave paintings, "It's like an inkblot test -- it tells us more about modern researchers' mindsets than the original painters' religious beliefs!" And I am not even counting the previews and summary recaps, of which there are a ton.
The book is still thought-provoking, but some of the thoughts I had didn't improve my opinion. I found the use of the Egyptian pyramids as an example of "cooperation" off-putting. Technically I suppose it is, but ... I also got tired of reading references to the Cognitive Revolution when I didn't feel we had been provided with a satisfying explanation of what exactly it was, so I googled it. I feel the book presents this theory as generally, if not universally, accepted, but I found that other models have been offered, and according to Wikipedia, some of the proponents of some other theories have suggested the Cognitive Revolution theory reflects Eurocentric bias (Behavior Modernity Wikipedia article)
Anyway, not really my cup of tea.

[André Oliveira · Rating 5 out of 5]

As good as the original book. Waiting for part 2!

[Flor ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Genial !!
Me pareció muy entretenido y a la vez interesante.
Lo recomiendo ! 👏🏼👏🏼

[neverblossom · Rating 5 out of 5]

Update 300621

5 sao tuyệt đối!!!

Sapiens – Lược sử về loài người phiên-bản-sách-chữ hẳn đã không còn xa lạ với chúng ta, tuy nhiên, Sapiens bản graphic history này lại là một “bước tiến” mới mẻ, hấp dẫn và đầy tính sáng tạo.

Ấn tượng trước hết khi tiếp xúc với cuốn sách này là nó… bự quá thể, bự hơn rất nhiều so với bản chữ, và đẹp rụng rời, cả về mặt hình thức cho đến nội dung. Ngoài sử gia Yuval Noah Harari – tác giả gốc của cuốn sách, Sapiens bản graphic history còn có sự tham gia của họa sĩ người Pháp Daniel Casanave cũng như tác giả hoạt hình người Bỉ David Vandermeulen nên càng được đầu tư kỹ lưỡng, chỉn chu hơn về mặt hình ảnh. Bạn nào khoái sách ngập tràn minh họa thì đảm bảo sẽ mê tít quyển này cho xem, vì thực sự nét vẽ và màu sắc trong cuốn sách đẹp điên đảo luôn. Ôi chao, yêu từ cái nhìn đầu tiên.

Vẫn bám sát kiến thức của bản sách chữ, song, Sapiens bản graphic history sẽ giúp chúng ta dễ dàng thu nạp kiến thức và nhớ được lâu hơn vì cuốn sách này được trình bày y hệt một cuốn comic, bao gồm những nhân vật hay những thông tin được lồng ghép khéo léo qua những cuộc hội thoại giữa các nhân vật. Cảm giác như thể chúng ta đang đọc truyện tranh chứ chẳng phải đọc một cuốn non-fiction “khô khan” nữa. Ngoài ra, điểm đặc biệt gây hứng thú cho người đọc phải kể đến cách mà tác giả truyền tải thông tin tới độc giả thông qua các tình huống rất hay ho và đậm đà tính sáng tạo, chẳng hạn như việc để các nhân vật chính tham dự một phiên tòa xét xử, một cuộc hội thảo, hay thậm chí, “ném” họ lên phi thuyền du hành về quá khứ để tìm hiểu gốc rễ của loài người.

Tuy mang hình thức của một cuốn comic, nhưng Sapiens bản graphic history cũng là cuốn sách “nặng” về nội dung. Không những đề cập đến nguồn cội của loài người mà các yếu tố chính trị (kha khá ngụ ý về cựu tổng thống Donald Trump), các tin về COVID-19 hay vấn nạn giết hại động vật hoang dã cũng được đưa vào sách. Phải chia sẻ thành thật rằng lần đầu trong cuộc đời đọc non-fiction mà tớ bị mê hoặc đến thế, cảm tưởng một vùng đất tri thức mới được khai hoang trong não mình, cứ liên tiếp lật giở trang không dừng lại luôn vì cuốn quá trời. Lập luận trong Sapiens vô cùng sắc bén và thuyết phục, nhất là ở chương cuối “Những kẻ sát nhân liên lục địa”, cũng là chương mà tớ thích nhất trong cả quyển sách.

Nhìn chung, Sapiens - Lược sử về loài người bản graphic history là một cuốn sách CỰC đáng để bạn đầu tư, một cuốn tư liệu đáng giá mà ta sẽ giở đi giở lại nhiều lần. Chắc chắn Sapiens sẽ giành một vé trong list “Best books of 2021” của tớ. Omega Plus thầu bộ Sapiens này xịn quá, rất mong chờ tập 2! Highly recommend cho mọi người, quất liền các bạn tôi ơiiiiii!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[britt_brooke · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was hyped for this graphic history, but sadly found it massively disappointing. The way the story is laid out, with the author as a character who appears on 90% of the pages, was cheesy and weird. It was like reading a boring, overzealous textbook. There’s some good information, but this medium fell flat. Such a bummer. I wish I’d read the original book instead.

[Arnoldas Rutkauskas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Harari'o perskaitęs esu viską nuo pradžios iki pabaigos. O čia dar komiksas irgi apie viską: Sapiens atsiradimą, evoliuciją, prisitaikymą, genų mutacijas, juridines fikcijas ir Žemės naikinimą. Nuostabi grafinė novelė su nepamirštamu ironijos, sarkazmo ir velniškos tiesos prieskoniu! Dievinu.

[Bárbara Rodrigues · Rating 4 out of 5]

Temas complexos são apresentados de forma engraçada. Interessante e muito acessível.

[Kavitha Sivakumar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved this graphic version of the novel. This could be said as dramatic and interactive version where Yuval takes his niece Zoe to experts in various fields to explain the history of humankind. Right on to the second book of this series.

[Justine · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really cool nonfiction graphic novel adapted from Harari's bestselling Sapiens. This was a really interesting and accessible read, but it did feel a little like it didn't know who its audience was. On the one hand, the illustrations and framing of the book were incredibly kid-friendly (superheroes, magic shows, explaining concepts to his young niece, etc.), but the concepts he was working through were pretty complex! I definitely was under the impression that this book would be more appropriate for young readers, but I think most of it may fly right over their heads.

[Su · Rating 4 out of 5]

Since my sis read this book, I have been wanting to read. But I am threatened by a great degree after giving a thought about how big the book is. Now, this is just perfect. Give me anything in graphic novel, I will read!

[Luka · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well done, nicely illustrated, just prefer the book version since it expounds on some ideas that are only glanced over in the comic. But for people who don't want to bother with the book version/are younger, this is very cool.

[Wojciech Szot · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ta książka ma wszystkie cechy książki, której nie chce mi się nawet otwierać. Po pierwsze absolutnie niezachwycajacą, brzydką okładkę nawiązującą do słynnej książki słynnego intelektualisty-celebryty, który z komiksami mi się kompletnie nie kojarzy, a do tego wszystkiego… znowu mam czytać o “narodzinach ludzkości”? Mimo wdzięczności, że wydawca nadesłał dzieło, odłożyłem na stertę “książki dla dzieciaków, do przeczytania po tym jak przeczytam już wszystkie smutne książki o Holokauście i kilka tych, które wydaje się, że nie są o Zagładzie, a i tak są”. TO BYŁ BŁĄD. To jest doskonałe!

Pod tą naprawdę okropną okładką czai się jeden z najlepszych komiksów “inforozrywkowych”, jakie w życiu przeczytałem. Otóż Harari z pomocą Vandermeulena i Casanave zaprasza nas na wielka przechadzkę po początkach rodzaju ludzkiego. I jest to opowieść wrażliwa na współczesność, bo wcale nie będzie tak, że wielkim przewodnikiem po wszystkim będzie izraelski celebrytointelektualista, a naukowczynie i badacze z różnych kultur, którzy mówić będą i do dziewczynek i do chłopców, a w efekcie do każdego z nas. Zatem jest to komiks równościowy, lewacki, nie bójmy się tego sformułowania, a do tego erudycyjny ikonograficznie na tyle, że nawet niedoszły absolwent historii sztuki (ja) czasem musiał znaleźć wyszukiwarce odpowiedź na pytanie “skąd ja to kojarzę”? Wielokrotnie autorzy nawiązują do dzieł sztuki z całej naszej historii i robią to przezabawnie, z reszta humoru w “Sapiens” znajdziecie wystarczająco dużo. Wystarczająco, co znaczy, że nikt tu na siłę nie będzie nas gilgotał, ale co jakiś czas wprawiał w radosny acz nienachalny rechocik.

Co najbardziej zaskakujace, Harariemu i pomocnikom udało się w “Sapiensie” rozprawić z różnymi teoriami dotyczącymi wyjątkowości człowieka, a gdy już jego rozmówcy zgadzają się, że jakimś sposobem “homo sapiens” wygrał w ewolucyjnym wyścigu, pokazują że skutki tego są fatalne. Gdy większość “przyrody” ewoluuje sobie spokojnie przez tysiące lat, tak “homo sapiens” dokonał wręcz przewrotu w swoim zachowaniu w ciągu kilkudziesięciu tysięcy lat. Skutki tego są różne - np. skłonność do bólu pleców (mamy za ciężkie mózgi), ale też wywoływanie wojen (musimy udowadniać dominację).

Człowiek w wizji Harariego jest bohaterem tragicznym - słabym i kruchym, ale przebiegłym i mądrym dzięki wspólnocie, którą tworzy dzięki mitologii i plotce. To są podstawy współczesnej antropologii, więc nic tu zaskakującego nie znajdziecie (no może poza dowodzeniem tego, że spółki z ograniczoną odpowiedzialnością to byty o podobnym statusie ontologicznym, co ciało Chrystusa pod postacią hostii). Ale to co zachwyca w “Sapiensie” to bogactwo form komiksowych - od inforozrywki, czyli takiego komiksu gdzie ktoś coś opowiada i mamy wykresy, tabelki, obrazki w zabawnej formie, przez przygodowe historie retro, po dyskretne aluzje do historii samego komiksu i superbohaterszczyzny. Każdy znajdzie w tej książce coś dla siebie, a to sprawia, że będziecie go sobie w domach wyrywać z rąk. Ja kwiczałem momentami z radości i musiałem dzielić się co zabawniejszymi fragmentami ze znajomymi, co mi się rzadko zdarza, bo ja dużo czytam i nie chcę stracić tych kilku ludzi, którzy jeszcze ze mną wytrzymują.

Dodam, że rysunkowo narobili się autorzy potwornie, to jest niesamowita robota, piękne kolory, świetne i ciekawe kadry, a do tego… pamiętacie taki obrazek pokazujący rozwój ewolucji “homo”? Od małpy, przez erectusa po człowieka wyprostowanego? Postaci na takim rysunku były zawsze pokazywane z profilu i do tego raczej były to postaci męskie. A co, gdyby pokazać je całopostaciowo od przodu? I jeszcze wymieszać przedstawione płci? I do tego jeszcze przypomnieć, że to wszystko bzdura i w pewnym momencie na Ziemi większość z tych gatunków żyła obok siebie, choć niekoniecznie w zgodzie? Właśnie taki jest komiks Harariego i spółki - pokazujący, że zostaliśmy nauczeni pewnych ogólnych prawd, z których bardzo trudno nam wyjść.

Dodam, że dla mnie jako człowieka od języka i słowa bardzo ważne są fragmenty dotyczące funkcji plotki jako spajającej wspólnotę (tu kapitalne nawiązanie graficzne do twóczości Normana Rockwella) i fikcji jako jedynego sposobu pozwalającego na komunikacje i rozumienie świata w tak dużej wspólnocie, jaką tworzy homo sapiens. Czy można żyć bez fikcji? Zobaczcie, co ma na ten temat do powiedzenie Yuval Noah Harari i jego siostrzenica Zoe. Czekam na kolejny tom ich przygód, bo nigdy by mi się nie chciało przeczytać tylu książek o teoriach antropologicznych i socjoekonomicznych, których skrót tu dostałem. No i jak to jest graficznie opowiedziane, proszę Państwo. Państwo sami zobaczą gdzieś w necie plansze. A potem już tylko do księgarni i “pod choinkę”. A potem udajemy, że to dla potomka kupione, a my tak z ciekawości tylko podczytujemy. Przez cały dzień.

[Keerthini S · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sapiens - Volume One : The Birth of Humankind

I was always a fan of history. So, I decided to try reading Unstoppable Us, an interesting book about history by the author of Sapiens, Yuval Noah Harari. When I finished it , I was astonished on how he was able to make a nine year old understand complicated theories, so I immediately decided to read his other books and that's how I began Sapiens volume one. I found it extremely captivating to read. It shows how an insignificant ape became the ruler of the planet Earth and accomplished extraordinary things. It also explains how Homo sapiens outlasted other human species, what corporations are? and many more things. Yuval Noah Harari has managed to keep Sapiens fun and full of humour, while covering many important facts. Sapiens also spoke of the extinction of megafauna (big animals) like mammoths and of a few smaller animals such as dodos. The illustrations of the book were colourful and beautiful. They gave meaning to the book. Sapiens was a fascinating book and can be read by both children and adults.

[Ajith Ashokkumar (LordOfBooks) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Couple of years before I read the real Sapiens book. But later on I forgot the events and important points mentioned in that book. When I heard about this graphic version, I was eagerly waiting to buy this one.
My sister presented me this amazing treasure. It was a completely different experience. The author has used illustrations and cartoons to explain the concepts in a very easy way. Even small kids can easily understand the way the author presented this book. It was like a fun ride. I highly recommend, every child should read this book, at least our upcoming generation should have some knowledge about where we actually came from. The importance of knowing our whereabouts will help the future generation to be less racist, they should not fight in the name of caste, color etc.

[Elfo-oscuro · Rating 5 out of 5]

no esperes unos dibujos grandiosos pero cumplen con su objetivo de mostrar bien claro de lo que hablan. Lo mejor del libro esta en sus enseñanzas que ya pudimos ver en la novela "De animales a dioses" de Yuval Noah Harari. Aqui incluso los ejemplos son como los que menciona en el libro pero esta bastante gracioso el modo en que lo han hecho. Como comic divulgativo se merece las 5 estrellas y ese creo que era su objetivo.
Un placer haber vuelto a leer a Yuval Noah Harari aunque sea en novela gráfica

[Aqsa · Rating 5 out of 5]

What's better than Sapiens- the novel???
SAPIENS - THE GRAPHIC NOVEL!

Absolutely funny, absolutely mind-expanding, absolutely brilliant!

Putting images on Good Reads reviews is a hard process, otherwise would've shared snapshots of its illustrations.

Also, even though their pictures definitely speak a thousand words, I think it is better to read the Sapiens novel before beginning this one, so that you realise the arguments and context more deeply.

[Tuti · Rating 3 out of 5]

beautifully illustrated and coloured graphic novel about the development of homo sapiens and its conquering of the planet. interesting facts about how homo sapiens groups lived and how they migrated from africa all over the world, which was always associated with mass death of large mammals - continuing up to the present time. attractive and interesting enough to be read at any age.