Yuval Noah Harari facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Yuval Noah Harari
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| יובל נח הררי | |
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Harari in 2024
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| Born | 24 February 1976 Kiryat Ata, Israel
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| Known for | Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind (2011) Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow (2015) 21 Lessons for the 21st Century (2018) Nexus: A Brief History of Information Networks from the Stone Age to AI (2024) |
| Spouse(s) | Itzik Yahav |
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| Institutions | Hebrew University of Jerusalem |
| Thesis | History and I: War and the Relations between History and Personal Identity in Renaissance Military Memoirs, c. 1450–1600 (2002) |
| Doctoral advisor | Steven Gunn |
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Yuval Noah Harari (Hebrew: יובל נח הררי; born in 1976) is a well-known Israeli historian and writer. He teaches history at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Harari is famous for his books that explore the history of humankind and what the future might hold.
His first popular book, Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind (2011), became a bestseller. It was based on his university lectures about world history. He has also written other popular books like Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow (2016), 21 Lessons for the 21st Century (2018), and Nexus: A Brief History of Information Networks from the Stone Age to AI (2024). His writings often discuss big ideas like human freedom, awareness, and how stories have shaped human development.
In Sapiens, Harari talks about a "cognitive revolution" that happened around 70,000 years ago. This was when Homo sapiens (our species) became the main human group on Earth. We developed language and complex societies. He explains how farming and later the Scientific Revolution helped humans gain control over their environment. Harari also looks at what might happen in the future. He suggests that humans might create new forms of life that could surpass us.
Contents
Early Life and School
Yuval Noah Harari grew up in Kiryat Ata, Israel. He was one of three children in a secular Jewish family. His father was an engineer, and his mother was an office administrator. Harari learned to read by himself when he was only three years old.
From age eight, he attended a special class for gifted children in Haifa. He started studying history and international relations at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem when he was 17.
Harari earned his first degree (BA) from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in 1998. He focused on medieval history and military history. He then went to the University of Oxford in England, where he completed his PhD in 2002. While at Oxford, he was inspired by the work of historian Jared Diamond.
Career and Books
Harari has written many books and articles. Some of his earlier academic works include Special Operations in the Age of Chivalry, 1100–1550.
Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind
His book Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind was first published in Hebrew in 2011. It came out in English in 2014 and has been translated into many languages. The book covers the entire story of human history. It starts from the early days of Homo sapiens in the Stone Age. It then moves through major changes like the development of farming and the scientific revolution.
The Hebrew version of Sapiens became a bestseller in Israel. Many people found it interesting and thought-provoking. It offers a broad look at human civilization.
Ideas on the Future
In 2016, at the Davos Forum, Harari shared an idea about the future. He suggested that new technologies, like the Fourth Industrial Revolution, could divide humanity. He thought there might be a small group of "improved humans" and a large group of "useless people." He believes that power will belong to those who control advanced computer programs, called algorithms.
He further explained his ideas in an interview in 2017. He said that combining machine learning and biotechnology could allow humans to create new life forms. These might include cyborgs (part human, part machine) or super-humans. He believes that in the future, the main products will be bodies, brains, and minds, not just food or clothes. He also thinks that these new powers will likely be controlled by a few powerful countries, like the USA and China.
Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow
Harari's next book, Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow, was published in 2016. This book explores what the future might be like for Homo sapiens. It suggests that humans might try to achieve happiness, live forever, and gain God-like abilities. The book looks at different ways this could happen based on past and present trends.
One idea Harari discusses is dataism. This is a way of thinking where people believe that "big data" (huge amounts of information) is the most important thing. A review in The New York Times Book Review called it "essential reading" for those who think about the future.
21 Lessons for the 21st Century
His book, 21 Lessons for the 21st Century, came out in 2018. This book focuses on current issues and challenges facing the world today. It covers topics like fake news, terrorism, and climate change.
Books for Younger Readers
In 2020, the first part of a graphic novel version of Sapiens was published. It is called Sapiens: A Graphic History – The Birth of Humankind.
In 2022, Harari released Unstoppable Us: How Humans Took Over the World. This book is a "Story of Human History — for Kids." It covers the same ideas as Sapiens but in simpler language for a younger audience. This book is the first of four planned volumes in the series.
Awards and Recognition
Harari has received several awards for his work. He won the Polonsky Prize for "Creativity and Originality" twice, in 2009 and 2012. In 2011, he won the Moncado Award for excellent articles in military history. He was also chosen for the Young Israeli Academy of Sciences in 2012.
Sapiens was on The New York Times Best Seller list for 96 weeks in a row. In 2018, Harari gave a TED Talk as a digital avatar, which was a new way to present.
In 2017, Homo Deus won a German Economic Book Award. This award recognized it as the most thoughtful and important economic book of the year. Harari has also spoken at the World Economic Forum in Davos in 2018 and 2020.
Personal Life
Yuval Noah Harari is married to Itzik Yahav. Yahav is also Harari's personal manager. Harari lives in a suburb of Tel Aviv, Israel.
Harari practices Vipassana meditation. He started in 2000 and says it has changed his life. He meditates for two hours every day. Each year, he goes on a meditation retreat for 30 days or more, in silence. He believes meditation helps him focus and gain insight for his writing.
Harari is also a vegan. He says this choice came from his research, especially his understanding of the dairy industry. As of 2021, he did not have a smartphone, but in 2023, he mentioned owning one for travel and emergencies.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Harari and his husband donated $1 million to the WHO (World Health Organization). They did this through their social impact company, Sapienship. Harari has also expressed his views on political matters in Israel.
Published Works
- Renaissance Military Memoirs: War, History and Identity, 1450–1600 (2004)
- Special Operations in the Age of Chivalry, 1100–1550 (2007)
- The Ultimate Experience: Battlefield Revelations and the Making of Modern War Culture, 1450–2000 (2008)
- Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind (2014)
- Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow (2016)
- Money: Vintage Minis (2018)
- 21 Lessons for the 21st Century (2018)
- Sapiens: A Graphic History, Volume 1 – The Birth of Humankind (2020)
- Sapiens: A Graphic History, Volume 2 − The Pillars of Civilization (2021)
- Unstoppable Us, Volume 1 − How Humans Took Over the World (2022)
- Sapiens: A Graphic History, Volume 3 − The Masters of History (2024)
- Unstoppable Us, Volume 2 − Why the World Isn't Fair (2024)
- Nexus: A Brief History of Information Networks from the Stone Age to AI (2024)
See also
In Spanish: Yuval Noah Harari para niños
