
The Better Angels of Our Nature: A History of Violence and Humanity
Steven Pinker
'The most inspiring book I've ever read' Bill Gates, 2017
'A brilliant, mind-altering book ... Everyone should read this astonishing book' Guardian
'Will change the way you see the world' Daily Mail
Shortlisted for the Samuel Johnson Prize 2012
Wasn't the twentieth century the most violent in history? In his extraordinary, epic book Steven Pinker shows us that this is wrong, telling the story of humanity in a completely new and unfamiliar way. From why cities make us safer to how books bring about peace, Pinker weaves together history, philosophy and science to examine why we are less likely to die at another's hand than ever before, how it happened and what it tells us about our very natures.
'May prove to be one of the great books of our time ... he writes like an angel' Economist
'Masterly, a supremely important book ... For anyone interested in human nature, it is engrossing' The New York Times
'Marvellous ... riveting and myth-destroying' New Statesman
'A marvellous synthesis of science, history and storytelling, written in Pinker's distinctively entertaining and clear personal style ... I was astonished by the extent to which violence has declined in every shape, form and scale' Financial Times
'An outstandingly fruitful read, with fascinating nuggets on almost every page' Sunday Times, Books of the Year
Product Details
About Steven Pinker
Reviews for The Better Angels of Our Nature: A History of Violence and Humanity
Bill Gates Brilliant, mind-altering...Everyone should read this astonishing book
David Runciman
Guardian
A supremely important book. To have command of so much research, spread across so many different fields, is a masterly achievement. Pinker convincingly demonstrates that there has been a dramatic decline in violence, and he is persuasive about the causes of that decline
Peter Singer
New York Times
[A] sweeping new review of the history of human violence...[Pinker has] the kind of academic superbrain that can translate otherwise impenetrable statistics into a meaningful narrative of human behaviour...impeccable scholarship
Tony Allen-Mills
Sunday Times
Written in Pinker's distinctively entertaining and clear personal style...a marvellous synthesis of science, history and storytelling
Clive Cookson
Financial Times
A salutary reality-check...Better Angels is itself a great liberal landmark
Marek Kohn
Independent
Pinker's scholarhsip is astounding...flawless...masterful
Joanna Bourke
The Times
Selected by the New York Times as one of the 100 Notable Books of 2011
New York Times