Scientist Jared Diamond attempts to answer a question posed by a New Guinean friend: Why do folks of European origin seem to have the most cargo? Literally. Diamond explores the historical patterns across all inhabited continents, focusing on the domestication of food and livestock; the corresponding evolution of infectious diseases; the spread of writing, metallurgy and tool technologies; and society's evolution from small tribes to far-reaching kleptocracies. I can't vouch for his science, but his arguments are thoughtful and make Guns, Germs, and Steel a very compelling read.

Havi Hoffman