I’m sure in this Newest Age of Technology — the one we’ve shaped to fit being mindful during Covid — there are many Book Clubs that have resorted to Zoom Get-Togethers to stay abreast of their latest selections. And, likewise, I imagine that families who have been keeping in touch through the face-to-face possibilities provided by modern technology have also discovered the potential of sharing favorite authors and titles.
Marta and Charlie and I have been conference calling and zooming for a number of years now, but it wasn’t until our cousin Alex sent me two books — a companion set by Yuval Noah Harari and I became “hooked” — that I suggested my son and bonus-daughter might also enjoy them.
Wow! I can’t tell you how much fun our discussions are and how much disparity there sometimes is in our “takes” on whatever we’ve just read. Also, of course, agreement on much of it, and the desire to read more, travel more (well, them, not me so much) and learn more about what he says.
But, first, I should say that, according to the blurb in the front of Sapiens: “Dr. Harari has a PhD in History from the University of Oxford and now lectures at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, specializing in World History. His books, Sapiens, Homo Deus, and Lessons for the 21st Century (which the three of us don’t have yet) have become an international phenomenon.
If you are looking for a new way to consider the present state of of the world and where we might be taking ourselves, I highly recommend Dr. Harari’s books. But — if you want an even richer reading experience — underline the reading and don’t even think “TV” — read them simultaneously with The Outlander by Diana Gabaldon, most especially books 6, 7, and 8 in that series. OMG!
Definitely food for thought. And so meaningful to share thoughts about them with the younger generation!
