Books Like Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind

If you finished Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind and want more of the same, start here. A sweeping account of how a mid-tier ape ended up running the entire planet, told through myths, money, and empires.

What tends to stick with readers is its informative, thought-provoking and big ideas feel. The rare big-idea book that's genuinely fun to read cover to cover. Below are 7 books that carry that feeling in different ways, matched on shared mood, themes and reading experience. Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind is a long, easy-paced read (reading level: easy to follow), so we've noted where each pick is quicker, slower or heavier.

The book you loved

Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind

Yuval Noah Harari

7 books you might enjoy

1.
Guns, Germs, and Steel
Jared Diamond
Guns, Germs, and Steel shares Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind's informative and thought-provoking appeal. Both carry the #big-ideas tag. It's a more demanding read than Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind.
Long · Slow pace · Moderate
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2.
Thinking, Fast and Slow
Daniel Kahneman
Like Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind, Thinking, Fast and Slow is informative and thought-provoking. Both carry the #big-ideas tag. It's a more demanding read than Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind.
Long · Slow pace · Moderate
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3.
Man's Search for Meaning
Viktor Frankl
If it was the thought-provoking side of Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind you loved, Man's Search for Meaning delivers it too. It's the quicker read of the two.
Short · Easy pace · Easy to follow
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4.
Quiet: The Power of Introverts
Susan Cain
If it was the informative and thought-provoking side of Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind you loved, Quiet: The Power of Introverts delivers it too. Both carry the #accessible tag. It runs a bit longer than Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind.
Medium · Easy pace · Beginner-friendly
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5.
Daring Greatly
Brene Brown
Daring Greatly shares Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind's thought-provoking appeal. Both carry the #accessible tag. It runs a bit longer than Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind.
Medium · Easy pace · Beginner-friendly
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6.
Half of a Yellow Sun
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Half of a Yellow Sun shares Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind's thought-provoking appeal. Both carry the #book-club tag. It's a more demanding read than Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind.
Long · Slow pace · Moderate
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7.
The Body Keeps the Score
Bessel van der Kolk
The Body Keeps the Score shares Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind's informative and thought-provoking appeal. The pace is slower than Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind's.
Long · Slow pace · Easy to follow
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