[redgolum]

Part of Germs Guns and Steel I liked. The factor of epidemic diseases causing major culture changes is one thing most historians forget.

However, his flights of fancy bored me, and then it began to dawn on me that Diamond, like so many others, just likes to pontificate on everything. Comment on everything, but really think about little.

[.cnI redruM]

Again, he gives no one credit for intellectual intellect. It's all just deterministic in his opinion. After a few hundred pages, the question that came to my mind is that if the average person makes so little difference in the world, how could you possible justify the expense of paying Dr. Diamond to teach them?

[rlmorel]

I found a more interesting way to look at this. There are some books out there called "What If...' and deal with things like...what if Alexander the Great had been killed in battle, as he nearly was. What if Cortez had been dragged off with the rest of his men and sacrificed, instead of being rescued (as he was in the process of being dragged off) by one of his lieutenants, who was killed rescuing him. Very interesting stuff.

Basically, Jared Diamond thinks America became great by killing all the natives and stealing this wonderful country from them.

I personally think it is our Constitution and capitalist bent that has made this country great. Just my opinion...:)