Should you read this book?

No. Don't bother. Unless you wnat some "light" reading, in which case, why not try Netflix or Amazon Prime for some entertainment that's had millions spent on it. This is a speedy read, a cliche, has a little anger at Americans, a little political comment, is full of types, is poorly written (about age 11 - 13 story telling). I can see it as a feel good movie. 

It's well written enough but I don't think I'd trouble you with this one. It's very short and quite beautifully written. It's about an au pair's first foray into life away from her mother, so like, who cares? Some interesting class / privelege insights, and the narrator is complex and often unlikeable.

Yes. You should definitely read this one. Well absolutely definitely the first 40 pages for everyone, and the last 50 or so for nearly everyone. That's the ancient humans (could have spent more of his book on them - really well written, conversational tone) and the future taken care of. And in between? The industrial and the scientific revolutions, and sort of combining lots of history from everywhere into his thesis, in a very entertaining way. It's sort of philosophy, sort of history, and really thought provoking. If I were him, I'd have done a 250 pager on the ancient humans, and the rest of history in his second book.

Yes. Ok I read half this one and fleshing out more detail onto my hazy notion of Ghengis Khan was fascinating - preconception after preconception falling to the floor. Most interesting? Kidnap of women, including his mother by his father, how the Mongol argmy moved (no infantry) - their own supply of food under their saddles. The rules Ghengis Khan had - clever tricks of changing the system so it worked for him, including banning the kidnap of women. Had enough when it moved on to his son, as I was listening to it and I couldn't keep track of the names without seeing them any more.

No. Probably not. Just read lots of reviews of it and literati are raving. I'm not. It ends with the moral of the story ffs. Glad I went there - to Africa in the middle of coups. But not enough plot.