Spoiler: What kind of crops and livestock you have paired to your climate over history is a big factor (number of calories you can raise per acre). What kind of livestock you had or didn't have also relates to what kinds of diseases might wipe you out (see Aztecs). And what kinds of raw materials you have available impacts what kind of commerce you can engage in. These factors over time have a huge impact on how civilizations advanced relative to each other.
There's a summary of the book on Wikipedia[2], along with some interesting criticisms.
[1] https://www.amazon.com/Guns-Germs-Steel-Fates-Societies/dp/0... [2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guns,_Germs,_and_Steel
https://www.amazon.com/Guns-Germs-Steel-Fates-Societies/dp/0...
[0] https://www.amazon.com/Guns-Germs-Steel-Fates-Societies/dp/0...
"A Book of Abstract Algebra: Second Edition" by Charles C. Pinter [1].
"How Not to Be Wrong: The Power of Mathematical Thinking" by Jordan Ellenberg [2].
"Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared Diamond [3].
"Introduction to Analytic Number Theory" by Tom M. Apostol [4].
"Algorithmic Puzzles" by Levitin and Levitin [7].
I've also got a 46 books in my Safari Library queue, although only about half a dozen are actually in the in progress state.
In addition to the above, I'm about 3 years behind on Analog, the science fiction magazine. Those are all on my Kindle and I'm slowly trying to catch up.
Recently finished:
"Moonwalking with Einstein: The Art and Science of Remembering Everything" by Joshua Foer [5].
Probably going to pick up soon:
"The Greatest Story Ever Told--So Far" by Lawrence M. Krauss [6]. Flipped through it at a bookstore and there were some very interesting things in it.
[1] https://www.amazon.com/Book-Abstract-Algebra-Second-Mathemat...
[2] https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00G3L6JQ4/
[3] https://www.amazon.com/Guns-Germs-Steel-Fates-Societies/dp/0...
[4] https://www.amazon.com/Introduction-Analytic-Number-Theory-A...
[5] https://www.amazon.com/Moonwalking-Einstein-Science-Remember...
[6] https://www.amazon.com/Greatest-Story-Ever-Told-So-Far-ebook...
[7] https://www.amazon.com/Algorithmic-Puzzles-Anany-Levitin/dp/...
You'll find lots of people saying Diamond has been "debunked" but by that they mean "here's some criticism someone posted online". It's a remarkable work of analysis tracing the causes of human progress over thousands of years.
Here's some books that I read & recommend re: applied systems thinking & ecosystems.
http://www.amazon.com/Permaculture-Principles-Pathways-beyon...
http://www.amazon.com/Edible-Forest-Gardens-2-set/dp/1890132...
http://www.amazon.com/One-Straw-Revolution-Introduction-Natu...
http://www.amazon.com/1491-Revelations-Americas-Before-Colum...
http://www.amazon.com/Guns-Germs-Steel-Fates-Societies/dp/03...
http://www.amazon.com/Collapse-Societies-Choose-Succeed-Revi...
http://www.newsociety.com/Books/D/Decline-and-Fall
http://www.amazon.com/Thinking-Fast-Slow-Daniel-Kahneman/dp/...
http://www.amazon.com/Consciousness-Social-Brain-Michael-Gra...
http://www.amazon.com/Sex-Scratch-Making-Relationship-Rules/...
It boils down to a few basic ideas
1: Native american's had no real concept of quarantine. If someone was sick, the extended family would take care of them. In turn the extend family would become infected, and infect the rest of the village/tribe as they travelled.
2: Europeans lived in cities with much greater population densities. Their immune systems were much more accustomed to dealing with a large variety of infectious agents. Whereas the native americans live is small homogenous villages. With very little exposure to outside influences, other than other tribes/villages.
"Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" by J.K. Rowling [5] (Kindle edition)
2012-06 issue of "Analog Science Fiction and Fact". I'm so far behind the current issue because I switched to an electronic subscription when a few years ago. At the time, it was only available from Barnes & Noble. The Nook app on iPad was pretty terrible, and I don't like reading on iPad in bed, so I fell behind. When it became available for Kindle [6], I switched my subscription to that, and converted my Nook issues with Calibre, and am now working my way through the backlog at a casual pace.
"Logical Chess Move by Move" by Irving Chernev [1].
"Build Up Your Chess 1: The Fundamentals" by Artur Yusupov [2].
"Understanding Copyright Law" by Marshall A. Leaffer [3] (Kindle edition).
"Guns, Germs, and Steel" by Jared Diamond [4] (Kindle edition, via Kindle Owner's Lending Library)
I've also been re-reading "Sherlock Holmes: The Complete Novels and Stories" by Arthur Conan Doyle [7] (Kindle). Generally what has been happening is that a PBS station here has been showing the 1984 British "Sherlock Holmes" TV series with Jeremy Brett as Holmes [8]. I'll watch that, and then often will re-read the corresponding Doyle story.
[1] http://www.amazon.com/Logical-Chess-Explained-Algebraic-Edit...
[2] http://www.amazon.com/Build-Up-Your-Chess-Fundamentals/dp/19...
[3] http://www.amazon.com/Understanding-Copyright-Law-Marshall-L...
[4] http://www.amazon.com/Guns-Germs-Steel-Fates-Societies-ebook...
[5] http://www.amazon.com/Harry-Potter-Half-Blood-Prince-Book-eb...
[6] http://www.amazon.com/Analog-Science-Fiction-and-Fact/dp/B00...
[7] http://www.amazon.com/Sherlock-Holmes-Complete-Stories-Volum...
[8] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sherlock_Holmes_(1984_TV_series...
Or, to take it to an extreme, why is Silicon Valley in California and not Botswana? Do you believe that the people of Botswana are inherently less intelligent? less motivated? less capable?
Or is it their environment which is working against them? Jared Diamond has probably one of the most interesting takes on how these sorts of inequities can arise on a regional level (Germs, Guns, and Steel: http://www.amazon.com/Guns-Germs-Steel-Fates-Societies/dp/03...), but is it such a stretch to imagine that the same sorts of inequities don't exist at smaller scales as well?
http://www.amazon.com/Guns-Germs-Steel-Fates-Societies/dp/03...
Life of Pi
http://www.amazon.com/Life-Pi-Yann-Martel/dp/0156027321
Billions and Billions
http://www.amazon.com/Billions-Thoughts-Death-Brink-Millenni...
The Ancestor's Tale
http://www.amazon.com/Ancestors-Tale-Pilgrimage-Dawn-Evoluti...
Sorry for suggesting so many, I couldn't help myself
http://www.amazon.com/Guns-Germs-Steel-Fates-Societies/dp/03...
[1] https://taylor.town/books
My general advice is to read classics.
[2] https://taylor.town/eschew-the-new
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Here are some audiobooks that I think HN folk would enjoy:
• Guns, Germs, and Steel: https://www.amazon.com/Guns-Germs-Steel-Fates-Societies/dp/0...
• The Anthropocene Reviewed: https://www.amazon.com/Anthropocene-Reviewed-Essays-Human-Ce...
• Snowcrash: https://www.amazon.com/Snow-Crash-Neal-Stephenson/dp/0553380...
• How to Win Friends and Influence People: https://www.amazon.com/How-Win-Friends-Influence-People/dp/1...
• Distrust That Particular Flavor: https://www.amazon.com/Distrust-Particular-Flavor-WILLIAM-GI...
• A Supposedly Fun Thing I’ll Never Do Again: https://www.amazon.com/Supposedly-Fun-Thing-Never-Again/dp/0...
• Surely You’re Joking, Mr. Feynmann!: https://www.amazon.com/Surely-Youre-Joking-Mr-Feynman/dp/039...
• Faster: https://www.amazon.com/Faster-Acceleration-Just-About-Everyt...
• How We Got To Now: https://www.amazon.com/How-We-Got-Now-Innovations/dp/1594633...