A collection of notes from books read on history.

Guns, Germs, and Steel, Jared Diamond

This book explores the question of why some regions of the world developed and expanded faster than others.

Notes - Guns, Germs, and Steel

The Evolution of God, Robert Wright

This book sees how religion evolved alongside humans, from hunter gatherer tribes to civilizations. Emphasis on the monotheist Abrahamic religions.

Notes - The Evolution of God

The Great Leveler, Walter Scheidel

Historical analysis of wealth inequality in societies, and their seemingly inevitable rebalancing that tend to point back to one of four “levelers”: mass mobilization warfare, transformative revolution, state failure, and lethal pandemics. Interestingly, a trend that has occured consitenly in historical records is the fact that the more peaceful a society, the higher wealth inequality within its population.

Notes - The Great Leveler

Civilization, Niall Ferguson

Clear and compelling historical account of why Western civilization pulled ahead of other competing civilizations.

Notes - Civilization