One of the Most Fascinating Books Ever

I read a fair amount of non-fiction. But in truth, I tend to skim a ton of if. A lot of non-fiction seems to have padding to fill out from the 100 or so pages that are interesting - and then filler to make it up to a publishable length.

I tend to admire non-fiction that gets to the point. So I was hesitant to read Homo Dues. I mean, I assumed there was about 100 pages of real work in there and it was a fair amount of money. Then, wandering around Barnes and Noble a few days ago I purchased it, thinking I would read it in a couple of weeks on a trip.

But I started it and I am enraptured. I am in awe. I am astounded.

Yuval Noah Harari packs so much into it that I am constantly surprised. Sure, there are plenty of, "well ... of course" moments. But then there are back to back moments where he puts the obvious together and comes up with something completely new.

He is very dismissive of dogma, and in the beginning it reads very anti-religion, don't get me wrong, it is not supportive of religion, but not against religion any more than any other dogma.

But he is also anti-dogma in science and the uncritical acceptance of economic models - which he equates as a type of religion as well.

But I don't want to go down the religious argument, because the book so SO much more than that. He explains clearly so many complex ideas to me that I love it. He explains the stories humans use to create and motivate societies. He makes me question my belief in Democrats vs. Republicans and helps me to understand the other, whether Republican or Catholic or Chinese...

I am about half way through and find it hard to put down. And that is something most non-fiction doesn't do for me.  I love it.