Fascinating.... Lays a foundation for understanding human history.―Bill Gates In this "artful; informative; and delightful" (William H. McNeill; New York Review of Books) book; Jared Diamond convincingly argues that geographical and environmental factors shaped the modern world. Societies that had had a head start in food production advanced beyond the hunter-gatherer stage; and then developed religion --as well as nasty germs and potent weapons of war --and adventured on sea and land to conquer and decimate preliterate cultures. A major advance in our understanding of human societies; Guns; Germs; and Steel chronicles the way that the modern world came to be and stunningly dismantles racially based theories of human history. Winner of the Pulitzer Prize; the Phi Beta Kappa Award in Science; the Rhone-Poulenc Prize; and the Commonwealth club of California's Gold Medal.
#121321 in Books Phillips Patrick 2016-09-20 2016-09-20Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.60 x 1.20 x 6.50l; .0 #File Name: 0393293017320 pagesBlood at the Root A Racial Cleansing in America
Review
56 of 58 people found the following review helpful. A forgotten history that was difficult to faceBy Adam HoustonBlood at the Root is a challenging and important book. As a resident of Forsyth Country; the history related in the book was at times very difficult to face; but it's a story that needs to be told. Growing up here I always thought the stories about the past were more like a racist version of Keyser Söze; but Phillips strips away the ghost stories and puts you face to face with the actual lives that were lived and lost in 1912. Over the last 100 years time and politicians have worked to smooth out the truth and I’m glad Phillips did the hard work of unearthing the past and making us face what really happened.9 of 10 people found the following review helpful. What you didn't know about the History of the South and RaceBy Gail ChurchillI've lived in west GA; Coweta County; most all my life. I first heard the saying that a black person shouldn't be in Forsyth County after dark until the late 70's. I was in my late 20's. Now I understand. This is a great book. I got up in the middle of the night to read it. It puts fiction to shame. I read this on the heels of The Lynching. I was reading Blood at the Root while people were demonstrating in Atlanta; attempting to walk on the downtown connector at night. I can't say enough about how good this is. I highly recommend it.2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. Gripping TruthBy CustomerHistory is often painful and therefore not a "comfortable" read....however; there is a need sometimes for us to read about the past in the hopes that we never allow this to happen again in the future. I knew this would be a sad tale....a moving account of what life was like in a part of the United States that I am unfamiliar with. I couldn't get much work at home completed; because this book demanded that I continue the story to its conclusion. I love the human race and am ashamed that this happened....I highly recommend this book.
