A short life of the author
Yuval Noah Harari (b. 1976) was born on 24 February 1976 in Kiryat Ata, Israel. He studied history at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and earned a PhD in history from Jesus College, Oxford, specialising in medieval military history. He is a vegan and a Vipassana meditation practitioner.
Life and Career
Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind (2011 in Hebrew; 2014 in English) was a phenomenon. Beginning with the Cognitive Revolution 70,000 years ago and ending with the prospect of technologically enhanced posthumans, the book argues that Homo sapiens conquered the planet through its unique ability to create and believe in shared fictions — money, nations, religions, human rights. It sold over 25 million copies, was translated into sixty-five languages, and was recommended by Barack Obama, Bill Gates, and Mark Zuckerberg.
Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow (2015/2016) — about humanity’s future in the age of artificial intelligence and biotechnology — argued that humans are likely to pursue immortality, happiness, and divinity, potentially creating a “useless class” of people whose labour is no longer needed.
21 Lessons for the 21st Century (2018) addressed contemporary challenges: AI, fake news, terrorism, inequality, and the crisis of liberal democracy.
Nexus: A Brief History of Information Networks (2024) explored how information networks — from ancient myths to AI — have shaped civilisation.
Major Works and Themes
Harari writes about humanity at the grandest scale — the species as a whole, over millennia. His great strength is accessibility: he takes complex historical and philosophical ideas and presents them in clear, engaging prose. His critics argue that he oversimplifies, but his influence on public discourse is undeniable.
Key Works
- Sapiens (2011/2014)
- Homo Deus (2015/2016)
- 21 Lessons for the 21st Century (2018)
- Nexus (2024)
Collecting Harari
Sapiens (2014, Harvill Secker UK) brings $20–$50 for fine firsts. The massive print run means copies are abundant.