Guns, Germs, and Steel, by Jared Diamond

November 11th, 2011

by Meredith Nudo

Although my focus lay primarily with reading and reviewing education-themed reads, I'll be branching out and taking suggestions for educational books as well as ones that should enjoy a beefcakier role (or a role period) on syllabi everywhere. Jared Diamond's Pulitzer-winning inquiry into why human societies develop at vastly different rates and the establishment of hegemonies, colonialism and imperialism as a result came highly recommended. While Guns, Germs, and Steel certainly blipped on my literary radar a few times, I had yet to pick it up until a Mr. Jeffrey A. Ellis-Lee contacted us via his Twitter and offered it up as a book well worth exploring. My brother actually read this for a high school class almost a decade ago, so I know it's being used in at least one school. Probably more than that as well!

I'm about as much of an authority on anthropology, science, ancient history and geopolitics as an infant is on everything that isn't sleeping, screaming, barfing and pooping, so I can't comment on accuracy. And since I came into Guns, Germs, and Steel pretty late, there's nothing really new or exciting or sexy I could add to the discussion. What I AM qualified to discuss is its accessibility, efficacy and provocativity. Qualities which, I believe, it undeniably harbors.

Guns, Germs, and Steel sets out to answer some extremely difficult questions about humanity's past and how it eventually came to mold the future. Specifically, the following: "Why did wealth and power become distributed as they now are, rather than in some other way? For instance, why weren't Native Americans, Africans, and Aboriginal Australians the ones who decimated, subjugated, or exterminated Europeans and Asians?" (15). While finding the answers probably hasn't plagued the anthropological, historical or scientific communities, mainstream audiences could certainly benefit from knowing what they do. Put simply, it all pretty much relates back to geography. The race towards advanced technology, animal and plant domestication and sedentary societal structure all hinged on a region's climate and biomass. Diamond rejects outdated, xenophobic and downright racist perceptions regarding the superiority of certain peoples and points out that the entirety of human civilizations can be distilled down to who enjoyed the cream of the geographical crop. In particular, he details exactly why Eurasia's (which he considers one continent) largely latitudinal layout proved more advantageous than the more longitudinal ones of Africa and the Americas; it boasted a wider range of flora and fauna for domestication.

There were moments when some of the content seemed way too advanced for little ol' visual-and-liberal-arts-degrees me, but in general I'm pretty sure most audiences will be able to follow the majority of Diamond's points. Because unfortunate vestiges of racial superiority perspectives continue poisoning minds even today – thanks, imperialism! – I think Guns, Germs, and Steel should continue to receive attention and accolades in high school and college classrooms. It boasts enough proof that people are equal – opportunities, however, are not. And as long as many continue believing otherwise, such science needs spreading.

Bibliographic Information

Diamond, Jared M. Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies. New York: Norton, 2005.

Guns, Germs, and Steel was suggested by Jeffrey A. Ellis-Lee, so big thanks to him! If you have any suggestions for future book reviews, feel free to contact me at mnudo (at) oedb (dot) org! I'm emphasizing reads about college and college life, so try to stick with those particular themes. Thanks!

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