The Dawn of Everything
A New History of Humanity
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Narrated by:
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Mark Williams
About this listen
"An all-encompassing treatise on modern civilization, offering bold revisions to canonical understandings in sociology, anthropology, archaeology and political philosophy that led to where we are today."—The New York Times
A dramatically new understanding of human history, challenging our most fundamental assumptions about social evolution—from the development of agriculture and cities to the origins of the state, democracy, and inequality—and revealing new possibilities for human emancipation.
For generations, our remote ancestors have been cast as primitive and childlike—either free and equal innocents, or thuggish and warlike. Civilization, we are told, could be achieved only by sacrificing those original freedoms or, alternatively, by taming our baser instincts. David Graeber and David Wengrow show how such theories first emerged in the eighteenth century as a conservative reaction to powerful critiques of European society posed by Indigenous observers and intellectuals. Revisiting this encounter has startling implications for how we make sense of human history today, including the origins of farming, property, cities, democracy, slavery, and civilization itself.
Drawing on pathbreaking research in archaeology and anthropology, the authors show how history becomes a far more interesting place once we learn to throw off our conceptual shackles and perceive what’s really there. If humans did not spend 95 percent of their evolutionary past in tiny bands of hunter-gatherers, what were they doing all that time? If agriculture, and cities, did not mean a plunge into hierarchy and domination, then what kinds of social and economic organization did they lead to? The answers are often unexpected, and suggest that the course of human history may be less set in stone, and more full of playful, hopeful possibilities, than we tend to assume.
The Dawn of Everything fundamentally transforms our understanding of the human past and offers a path toward imagining new forms of freedom, new ways of organizing society. This is a monumental book of formidable intellectual range, animated by curiosity, moral vision, and a faith in the power of direct action.
A Macmillan Audio production from Farrar, Straus and Giroux
©2021 David Graeber and David Wengrow (P)2021 Macmillan AudioListeners also enjoyed...
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Critic reviews
Short-listed, Orwell Prize, 2022
Long-listed, Barnes and Noble Best New Books of the Year, 2021
Long-listed, NPR Best Book of the Year, 2021
Long-listed, Amazon.com Best Books of the Year, 2021
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- Narrated by: Peter Ganim
- Length: 19 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
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A landmark work from the intellectually auspicious author of Orientalism, this book explores the long-overlooked connections between the Western imperial endeavor and the culture that both reflected and reinforced it. This classic study, the direct successor to Said's main work, is read by Peter Ganim ( Orientalism).
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BRAVO, AUDIBLE!! WE NEED MORE SAID!! REAL BOOKS!!
- By AnthonyStevens on 02-27-11
By: Edward Said
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Olmecs
- A Captivating Guide to the Earliest Known Major Ancient Civilization in Mexico
- By: Captivating History
- Narrated by: Duke Holm
- Length: 2 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
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Did you know the Olmecs might have been the first people to introduce writing? The first people who managed to elevate themselves to civilized life were the Olmecs. But they remain relatively unknown. In this new captivating history audiobook, you will discover the truth about the earliest known civilization in America.
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Olmecs
- By Elle on 11-12-18
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Battling the Gods
- Atheism in the Ancient World
- By: Tim Whitmarsh
- Narrated by: James Langton
- Length: 10 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
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Long before the European Enlightenment and the Darwinian revolution, which we often take to mark the birth of the modern revolt against religious explanations of the world, brave people doubted the power of the gods. Religion provoked skepticism in ancient Greece, and heretics argued that history must be understood as a result of human action rather than divine intervention. They devised theories of the cosmos based on matter and notions of matter based on atoms.
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We have a history as long and as rich as any relig
- By Glencannnon on 08-13-19
By: Tim Whitmarsh
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Irrationality
- A History of the Dark Side of Reason
- By: Justin E. H. Smith
- Narrated by: Jeff Harding
- Length: 13 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
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Discovering that reason is the defining feature of our species, we named ourselves the “rational animal”. But is this flattering story itself rational? In this sweeping account of irrationality from antiquity to today - from the fifth-century BC murder of Hippasus for revealing the existence of irrational numbers to the rise of Twitter mobs and the election of Donald Trump - Justin Smith says the evidence suggests the opposite.
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A good brain workout
- By ThomasC on 04-09-19
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The Fall of Rome
- And the End of Civilization
- By: Bryan Ward-Perkins
- Narrated by: Roger Clark
- Length: 7 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
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In The Fall of Rome, eminent historian Bryan Ward-Perkins argues that the "peaceful" theory of Rome's "transformation" is badly in error. Indeed, he sees the fall of Rome as a time of horror and dislocation that destroyed a great civilization, throwing the inhabitants of the West back to a standard of living typical of prehistoric times. Attacking contemporary theories with relish and making use of modern archaeological evidence, he looks at both the wider explanations for the disintegration of the Roman world and also the consequences for the lives of everyday Romans.
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best book ever on Fall of Rome
- By james m. on 01-30-22
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Orientalism
- By: Edward Said
- Narrated by: Peter Ganim
- Length: 19 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
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This landmark book, first published in 1978, remains one of the most influential books in the Social Sciences, particularly Ethnic Studies and Postcolonialism. Said is best known for describing and critiquing "Orientalism", which he perceived as a constellation of false assumptions underlying Western attitudes toward the East. In Orientalism Said claimed a "subtle and persistent Eurocentric prejudice against Arabo-Islamic peoples and their culture."
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We're lucky to have this on audio
- By Delano on 02-27-13
By: Edward Said
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Mesoamerican History: A Captivating Guide to Four Ancient Civilizations That Existed in Mexico
- The Olmec, Zapotec, Maya and Aztec Civilization
- By: Captivating History
- Narrated by: David Patton, Duke Holm
- Length: 11 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
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If you want to discover the captivating history of Mesoamerica, then check out this four-in-one audiobook. You'll learn all about the Olmec, Zapotec, Mayan, and Aztec people.
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Excellent....clear, absorbing.
- By Mu'adh Kameel Bishara on 11-17-18
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The Faith Instinct
- How Religion Evolved and Why It Endures
- By: Nicholas Wade
- Narrated by: Alan Sklar
- Length: 12 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
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For at least the last fifty thousand years, and probably much longer, people have practiced religion. Yet little attention has been given, either by believers or atheists, to the question of whether this universal human behavior might have an evolutionary basis. Did religion evolve, in other words, because it helped people in early societies survive?
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If you're religious or into religion read this
- By Adam on 08-16-10
By: Nicholas Wade
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The Outline of History
- Being a Plain History of Life and Mankind
- By: H. G. Wells
- Narrated by: Bernard Mayes
- Length: 44 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
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Having coined the phrase "the war that will end war," H. G. Wells was disillusioned by the World War I peace settlement. Convinced that humanity needed to awaken to the instability of the world order and remember lessons from the past, the author of science-fiction classics set out to write about history. Wells hoped to remind mankind of its common past, provide it with a basis for international patriotism, and guide it to renounce war.
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Loved it
- By Eric on 05-07-15
By: H. G. Wells
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The Lies That Bind
- Rethinking Identity
- By: Kwame Anthony Appiah
- Narrated by: Kwame Anthony Appiah
- Length: 7 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
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We all know how identities - notably, those of nationality, class, culture, race, and religion - are at the root of global conflict, but the more elusive truth is that these identities are created by conflict in the first place. In provocative, entertaining chapters, Kwame Anthony Appiah interweaves keen-edged argument with engrossing historical tales and reveals the tangled contradictions within the stories that define us.
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Not full of SJW nonsense
- By Frank on 10-22-18
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Anaximander
- And the Birth of Science
- By: Carlo Rovelli
- Narrated by: Roy McMillan
- Length: 5 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
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Over two millennia ago, the prescient insights of Anaximander paved the way for cosmology, physics, geography, meteorology, and biology, setting in motion a new way of seeing the world. His legacy includes the revolutionary ideas that the Earth floats in a void, that animals evolved, that the world can be understood in natural rather than supernatural terms, and that universal laws govern all phenomena. In this elegant work, the renowned theoretical physicist Carlo Rovelli brings to light the importance of Anaximander’s overlooked influence on modern science
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Father of Science
- By Darwin8u on 10-31-24
By: Carlo Rovelli
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The Invention of Sicily
- A Mediterranean History
- By: Jamie Mackay
- Narrated by: John Lee
- Length: 7 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
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Sicily has always acted as a gateway between Europe and the rest of the world. Fought over by the Phoenicians and Greeks, the Romans, Goths and Byzantines, Arabs and Normans, Germans, and the Spanish and the French for thousands of years, Sicily became a unique melting pot where diverse traditions merged, producing a unique heritage and singular culture. In this fascinating account of the island from the earliest times to the present day, author and journalist Jamie Mackay leads us through this most elusive of places.
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Wonderful overview of Sicily
- By jay lazier on 01-28-24
By: Jamie Mackay
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What listeners say about The Dawn of Everything
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- AnaM
- 01-02-22
Interesting topic, mixed value
First I’ll rate various aspects, then provide my take.
Research in this book was 10/10. Well researched and had a sizable list of cited sources and authors.
Writing was 5-6/10. At various points I zoned out for a minute and the author was still belaboring the same point without adding anything new or interesting. Concision is not something this point does well, and it’s also bad at signposting where the author is going with things.
Voice performance 10/10. I was impressed that the reader got all the academic words and even the french terms correct. Engaging way to listen to it.
Analysis was a 6/10.
Let me preface by saying I disagree with the central thesis of the book, namely that egalitarian models of human society which existed previously can be emulated today. With that bias aside, I assess that the authors play fast and loose with their analysis. Several case studies point to of ancient civilizations and basically say: “We don’t see anything hierarchical, therefore we have to conclude they were egalitarian.” Not the case; they need positive evidence to make a positive case for their model. All they’ve done is try to shift the burden of proof onto others.
That being said, there were a lot of subclaims I found interesting and insightful. There are a lot, and I do think some of their better analysis does deserve mention. In particular, I liked their takedown that individuals had to organize into states and that the march to modern nation states was inevitable. Likewise they did a good job of showing that civilization and technological development (agriculture, metallurgy) are not linked.
Overall: 8/10.
The book has a lot of interesting analysis, though the main thrust of it is pretty shaky. The writing could be improved and shortened. Overall I enjoyed, and I thought the audio format was actually a good way to digest it.
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- chetyarbrough.blog
- 03-14-23
RELIVING THE PAST
David Graeber and David Wengrow persuasively reject the view of farming as a critical step leading to tribes, hamlets, villages, cities, and future nation-states. Graber and Wengrow’s archeological research reveal human remains and structures are found in many areas of the world long before any evidence of farming. Their research suggests hunter-gatherer populations created and sustained stable communities with remnants of worship, government rule, and tools for construction, punishment, and defense. These early civilizations knew nothing of or practiced any form of organized farming.
The goal of the author’s research is to find an answer to the question of why inequality plagues civilization. They suggest inequality is (in part) created by the myth propounded by stories like the bibles’ garden of Eden. The myth of original sin and redemption sets many precedents for inequality and redemption through good works. Their archaeological research suggests the plague of inequality has never been cured because history and archaeological evidence shows civilization wobbles between extremes. First, there is the altruism of sharing benefits of life with everyone. Second is the realism of what is mine is mine. Graeber and Wengrow argue there is history and archeological evidence proving both extremes exist but the second prevails more than the first. It would seem the first is more likely to preserve humanity, and the second to end it.
This is not light reading or listening, and it remains a speculative story of civilizations’ growth, and organization. It seems a more careful examination of archeological evidence than the farming explanations from different authors like Fukuyama, Diamond, Pinker, and Harari.
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4 people found this helpful
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- Anonymous
- 11-23-21
Listen to the Sample First!
Several reviewers have complained about the reader; I think he’s fine. You don’t have to believe me, or the critical reviewers - just listen to the sample before deciding. It would be a shame to miss out on this excellent book based on someone else’s subjective evaluation.
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3 people found this helpful
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- G.F.F.
- 11-07-22
An enlightening read
I got so much more out of reading this book than I imagined I would. There is such a wealth information, much of it seldom if ever presented, packing every chapter. Both meandering and expertly pointed, I never hit a point of boredom or confusion throughout. The innovative perspectives presented here have energized and excited my own ideas of cultural norms, political and social forms and even my own thought patterns. I will be referencing and recommending this book for years to come.
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- Randy Lopez
- 01-17-22
Interesting and challenging
New look at old topics , synthesizing the latest findings and clues across multiple disciplines and thousands of years. Thought provoking and raising new questions but hardly a completely convincing picture of anything other than man's mental and moral plasticity. We are what we choose to be.
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- Ted Lapis
- 11-25-21
Many Surprising Observations
This presentation provides refreshing observations on human behavior, accenting segments of our history that have largely been obscured. I’m looking forward to listening to this work again.
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- Daniel
- 02-13-22
Groundbreaking!
This well-researched work cleverly challenges widely-held assumptions about the relationship between history and anthropology.
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- Orson Boyce
- 10-11-22
A new way of looking at history and the future.
A deep dive into what forms a society can take. The concept that people can govern themselves gives new thought about how to think about government
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- Steve S.
- 09-23-22
Absolutely fascinating!!!!
This book provides an amazing study of the origins of society full of accounts of peoples most of us have not even known the existence of over many many thousands of years. It challenges everything that has generally been taught or assumed to be correct concerning the origin of the way we now live and for an old world opens up vistas of optimistic promise for the future.
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- Nicholas
- 05-28-22
This man can’t quit making hits
RIP to a real one. Not really groundbreaking knowledge in the anthropology space but I’ve never seen anyone synthesize the evidence in this way to show that other ways of organizing society are possible.
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