Peak Human

What We Can Learn from the Rise and Fall of Golden Ages

Johan Norberg

$45.99

Hardback

Not in-store but you can order this
How long will it take?

Availability Information

We source books from suppliers in Australia and overseas. For books we don't currently have in stock, the time it takes to get them from our suppliers can vary widely - from a few days to a few months - so we check each book with each supplier to determine the expected time it will take to be supplied to us.

We then advise you accordingly. If the time taken to get any book is too long for you, you can let us know and we will cancel or adjust your order, and refund as required.

To find out the anticipated arrival time for specific items prior to ordering, please contact us by phone or email:

Phone +61 2 9264 3111, or 1800 4 BOOKS (1800 4 26657) if outside Sydney:
option 1 Abbey's Bookshop (Crime, History, Science, Kids & more) • info@abbeys.com.au
option 2 Language Book Centre (ESL & Foreign Languages) • language@abbeys.com.au
option 3 Galaxy Bookshop (Sci-fi, Fantasy, Romance, Graphic Novels) • sf@galaxybooks.com.au

QTY:

English

Atlantic Books
01 May 2025

Comparative politics; International economics; Economic history

Golden ages are marked by periods of spectacular cultural flourishing, scientific exploration, technological achievement and economic growth: Ancient Greece gave us democracy and the rule of the law; out of Abbasid Baghdad came algebra and modern medicine, and the Dutch Republic furnished us with Europe's greatest artistic movements. As such, each has unique lessons to teach us about the world we live in today. But, all previous golden ages have proven finite, whether through external pressures or internal fracturing.

In Peak Human, acclaimed historian Johan Norberg examines seven of humanity's greatest civilizations - ancient Athens, the Roman Republic, Abbasid Baghdad, Song China, Renaissance Italy, the Dutch Republic and the Anglosphere - and asks: how do we ensure that our current golden age doesn't end?

By: Johan Norberg
Imprint: Atlantic Books
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Edition: Main
Dimensions: Height: 234mm, Width: 156mm,
ISBN: 9781838957292
ISBN 10: 1838957294
Pages: 512
Publication Date: 01 May 2025
Audience: General/trade , College/higher education , Professional and scholarly , ELT Advanced , Primary
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active

1: Athens - Democrats, Dreamers and Other Deviants 2: Rome - Melting Pot of Marble 3: The Abbasid Caliphate - At the Crossroads of the Universe 4: Song China - On the Threshold of Modernity 5: Renaissance Italy The Rebirth of Law, Literature and Libertas 6: The Dutch Republic - Trade, Toleration and Other Treasures of the Shore 7: The Anglosphere - Industry, Individualism and Impertinence

Johan Norberg is a historian, lecturer and commentator. He is a senior fellow at the Cato Institute in Washington DC and his books have been translated into forty languages. His books include The Capitalist Manifesto, the international bestseller Progress and Open, which was an Economist book of the year. Norberg regularly writes for publications such as The Wall Street Journal, Reason and HuffPost.

Reviews for Peak Human: What We Can Learn from the Rise and Fall of Golden Ages

Clear, colourful and convincing, marshalling evidence from a range of eras and civilisations... The author is often amusing as well as illuminating. * The Economist on OPEN * Johan Norberg's superb book demonstrates, with hundreds of examples, how openness has been the key to the success of our species over 10,000 years and is the secret of prosperity and peace today. * Matt Ridley on OPEN * No person or society is smart enough or wise enough or noble enough to solve the wicked problems of life by themselves. With clarity and grace, Johan Norberg reminds us that openness to things and ideas from others is the only route to well-being. * Steven Pinker on OPEN * An excellent explanation of why capitalism is not just successful, but morally right * Elon Musk on THE CAPITALIST MANIFESTO *