The winner by a clear majority (68% of the votes on the first vote) is Dawn of Everything. I have been listening to it on audiobook and it slaps.

David Graeber and David Wengrow – ‘The Dawn of Everything: A New History of Humanity’. This new book from Graeber and Wengrow seeks to challenge assumptions about human social evolution and narratives of a linear development from primitive brutes to civilised people. Instead, the authors draw attention to the diversity of earlier human societies, arguing that humans had lived in large, complex, and decentralized societies for thousands of years. In doing so, Graeber and Wengrow fundamentally transform both our understanding of the past, and our vision for new ways of organising society in the future.

Schedule

  • Thursday 23rd December - Foreword, Chapters 1 & 2
  • Sunday 2nd January - Chapters 3 & 4
  • Sunday 9th January - Chapters 5 & 6
  • Sunday 16th January - Chapters 7 & 8
  • Sunday 23rd January - Chapters 9 & 10
  • Sunday 30th January - Chapter 11 & Conclusion

How to participate:

You can purchase the book, access it on Perusall, your local library or fly the black flag for the audiobook or book copy.

Additional Announcements

Somebody suggested a great idea of utilizing perusall a bit better. I will make sure to bring in comments from Perusall. I would also encourage everyone to get on perusall at a specific date and time (something that can be worked out perhaps in the middle of the week). If anyone wants to posts about when they'll be reading on perusall, you are welcomed to submit a post HERE, and tag me. I will pin your post. We are also working with the admins to make these events in more tightly connected to the sites' activities and happenings. Also anybody knows how the fuck to use discord, I'm a fucking boomer when it comes to the thing and I could use some help.

  • Phillipkdink [he/him]
    ·
    3 years ago

    :graeber: Oh sheesh I need to hurry up and finish White Skin Black Fuel.

    • RedCloud [he/him]
      ·
      3 years ago

      I started reading that earlier this year but never got around to finishing it, what are your thoughts on it?

      • Phillipkdink [he/him]
        ·
        3 years ago

        I'm early on. I like it and think it has a lot of important critique specifically on how to think about a certain group of people in the west, but think its central weakness is that these forces are not unique to whiteness, like I expect the same type of behaviour in Japan you know? Like it would probably have been more important to focus on Fossil Fascism as a concept than specifically the white supremacy element?

        • RedCloud [he/him]
          ·
          3 years ago

          That's a good point. You'd think with places like Japan or India being some of the biggest polluters and with such a significant histories of ultra-nationalism and ethnic conflict they would warrant some examination in a book about climate change and fascism.

  • MaryBailey [none/use name]
    ·
    3 years ago

    Local library has 55 copies and a 15 week wait for next available lol bitches be reading

  • Llituro [he/him, they/them]
    ·
    3 years ago

    As anyone who's seen me comment here knows, I genuinely love Graeber, but I would recommend people read these two very nice materialist critiques of this book before reading: https://climateandcapitalism.com/2021/12/17/the-dawn-of-everything-gets-human-history-wrong/ That said, I'll be reading this soon too, looking forward to it.

  • CptKrkIsClmbngThMntn [any]
    ·
    3 years ago

    GOOOD choice. Some of you may find it idealist, but that is a sacrifice I am willing to make.

  • RedCloud [he/him]
    ·
    3 years ago

    Also anybody knows how the fuck to use discord, I’m a fucking boomer when it comes to the thing

    Trust me folks, this dude can buttdial like no one else

  • Goadstool
    ·
    27 days ago

    deleted by creator

  • notthenameiwant [he/him]M
    ·
    3 years ago

    Some extracurriculars if anyone wants them: Hour long lecture by Wengrow, that acts an introduction: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pkm-BhtjASs

    Jacobin interview with Wengrow: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5hY2FzdC5jb20vcHVibGljL3Nob3dzLzYxOWJlNWMwNzA1MTM4MDAxYjljODQ3OQ/episode/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5ibHVicnJ5LmNvbS9qYWNvYmluLzgzMDk5NjUzL2Etd29ybGQtdG8td2luLWEtaGlzdG9yeS1vZi1ldmVyeXRoaW5nLXctZGF2aWQtd2VuZ3Jvdy8?hl=en&ved=2ahUKEwiU6a_4rO70AhVNl2oFHe7JCfoQjrkEegQIAhAF&ep=6

    Novara Media interview: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5zb3VuZGNsb3VkLmNvbS91c2Vycy9zb3VuZGNsb3VkOnVzZXJzOjEyNjMzODA3Ni9zb3VuZHMucnNz/episode/dGFnOnNvdW5kY2xvdWQsMjAxMDp0cmFja3MvMTE1ODQ5NDY1OQ?hl=en&ved=2ahUKEwiU6a_4rO70AhVNl2oFHe7JCfoQjrkEegQIAhAU&ep=6

    Review by The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/books/2021/oct/23/the-dawn-of-everything-by-david-graeber-and-david-wengrow-review-inequality-is-not-the-price-of-civilisation

    SRSLY wrong episode: https://srslywrong.com/podcast/242-the-dawn-of-the-dawn-of-everything-w-david-wengrow/

    I'll dig up more when I start reading the book.

  • Blinkoblanko [he/him,they/them]
    ·
    3 years ago

    Trying so hard not to just listen to this entire audiobook in a week. It's really fucking good. I read some Rousseau, Hobbes and Smith in college and this is asking all the questions that I was too drunk and stupid to articulate. Great choice!