UNSTOPPABLE US, VOLUME 3

Historian Harari’s latest work of middle-grade nonfiction considers what separates humanity—and what unites us.

The first volume in the series explained how humans came to dominate the world, while the second bleakly surveyed oppression and inequity. Though this latest ostensibly focuses on the goal of cooperation, here, too, “the bad guys sometimes win.” Harari addresses Volume 2’s unanswered questions: How do our stories change? How do we balance fear of difference with longing for the unknown? Interspersed among Harari’s commentary, made-up stories feature both fictional characters and real-life historical figures from Rome, Ephesus, and Carthage opining on these and other questions. In Carthage’s huge market, for instance, two youngsters discussing “foreigners” note that language and culture often separate us, but money can surmount differences; everyone trusts its value—though wealth and greed are also fraught with peril. Among the other ideas that Harari effectively simplifies and critically examines are warfare, nationalism, imperialism, religion, and syncretism. He sometimes turns philosophical, noting that people often migrate from place to place—who’s to say “who’s a foreigner and who’s a local”? The author ends somewhat optimistically, expounding on the Buddha’s revelations, encouraging moral liberalism, and praising scientific discovery. Ruiz’s dynamic, colorful compositions, masterly varied point of view, and convincing realism bring ancient cultures closer, matching their appeal to the text’s riveting pace and scope. Many will find inspiration in Harari’s intellectual analysis, presented at a level suitable for open-minded young readers.

More incisive, critical, and engagingly narrated and illustrated stories of our history.