Humankind (Bregman) - Book Reviews

Book Reviews
Bregman's argument is simple but radical: Most people are good, and we do ourselves a disservice by thinking the worst of others. Bregman argues that believing in human kindness is a foundation for lasting social change.
USA Today


Bregman never loses sight of his central thesis, that at root humans are "friendly, peaceful, and healthy."… There's a great deal of reassuring human decency to be taken from this bold and thought-provoking book and a wealth of evidence in support of the contention that the sense of who we are as a species has been deleteriously distorted.… It makes a welcome change to read such a sustained and enjoyable tribute to our better natures.
Guardian (UK)


Fascinating…. I enjoyed Humankind immensely. It's entertaining, uplifting, and very likely to reach the broad audience it courts…. This book might just make the world a kinder place.
Daily Telegraph (UK)


Bregman's book is an intervention in a centuries-old argument about the moral nature of human beings…. Humankind is filled with compelling tales of human goodness. The book will challenge what you thought you knew…. Bregman's book is a thrilling read and it represents a necessary correction to the idea that we are all barely disguised savages.
Times (UK)


Bregman's assertion that you and I (and everyone else) is basically a good and moral being is the breakthrough thinking we've been looking for…. [During this pandemic] despite the news reports of those breaking the rules, the vast majority of us (over 80 percent) are doing the right thing…. But we've done it because it's the right thing to do. It's impossible to underestimate what this means for our collective sense of self. We're ready to stretch our do-gooder muscles.
Forbes


[An] intriguing survey of politics, literature, psychology, sociology, and philosophy.… This intelligent and reassuring chronicle disproves much received wisdom about the dark side of human nature. Readers looking for solace in uncertain times will find it here.
Publishers Weekly


(Starred review) Fascinating…. Convincing…. Bregman turns to solutions… schools in which teachers assume that students want to learn, and local governments in which citizens exert genuine power wisely…. A powerful argument in favor of human virtue.
Kirkus Reviews