Hace trece mil anos la evolucion de las distintas sociedades humanas comenzo a tomar rumbos diferentes. La domesticacion de los animales y el cultivo de plantas silvestres en China; Mesoamerica y otras zonas geograficas otorgaron una ventaja inicial a los habitantes de esas regiones. Sin embargo; los origenes localizados de la agricultura y la ganaderia son solo parte de la explicacion de los diferentes destinos de los pueblos. Las sociedades que superaron esta fase de cazadores-recolectores se encontraron con mas posibilidades para desarrollar la escritura; la tecnologia o las estructuras politicas; ademas de sobrevivir a germenes nocivos y crear poderosas armas belicas. En este libro; el profesor Jared Diamond demuestra que la diversidad cultural hunde sus raices en las diferencias geograficas; ecologicas y territoriales ligadas a cada caso concreto; y analiza como evoluciono la humanidad y por que unos pueblos avanzaron hacia la civilizacion mientras que otros se quedaron estancados. ENGLISH DESCRIPTION "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.
#97221 in Books iUniverse 2000-09-15Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 8.50 x .87 x 5.50l; .98 #File Name: 0595132642332 pages
Review
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. The Exorcist Scary!By FoxThe Very True story that inspired William Peter Blatty's The Exorcist. which is way scarier then Blatty's book or the 1974 movie. It prove that truth is not only stranger then fiction but way scarier as well. It tell the story of a boy not a girl who became possessed during the 19440's after trying to contact his favorite aunt using what else The Ouija Board. The book gives insight into the Catholic practices of The Right of Exorcism and just why it isn't for the Novice and not anyone except for a trained expert is meant to do it. I highly recommend this. and if your a fan of The Exorcist you'll love this insightful story. I also recommend it to any Christin who wants to learn more about the ongoing fight between God and the Devil.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. A Pretty Good Book (1993 Edition) For The Believer and Non-Believer.By Ronald E. ParsonsThere is much in this book to interest the reader whether he believes in diabolic possession or not. revolves around the difficult exorcism performed on a teen-aged boy. Author Allen is honest about his own background as Roman Catholic turned agnostic; educated by Jesuit priests. is full of Catholicism and Jesuits. Most of the action is centered in St. Louis; Missouri in 1949; at and around Jesuit-established St. Louis University. This reviewer was born and reared in St. Louis and is a graduate of St. Louis U. (Law) and its college prep school. Since reading I have the impression that I might be the only St. Louis U. grad. not to know about the case until now; (2014). gives the general reader a good elementary education about diabolic possession from more than one point of view. The book is easy to read and entertaining. I especially recommend it to readers unacquainted with human possession by the Devil or whatever else the phenomenon might be.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. ChillingBy RichardAs a Roman Catholic; the subject is interesting and the author goes into much detail about the actual "Robbie Mannheim" (alias) case that started outside Wash DC and ended in St Louis. The amount of priests involved and the secrecy kept was politically motivated as the 'modern' church did not want to appear to be going back to medieval times; although those are its roots. This account was so frightening that I could not read it at night; I wound up reading it during daylight. I was surprised at some details; such as the Society of Jesus (Jesuit order) where it takes 15 yrs. to complete fully the training of a Jesuit. They are the scholastic and theological foot soldiers of the church with a rigorous training agenda. Most of the priest involved were Jesuits as well as protestant ministers. The first priest to attempt an exorcism received over 100 stitches from his shoulder to his wrist from a bed spring the boy tore loose during the opening rites. He was never the same mentally after that it seems; having stared into the face of raw evil
