Peak Human: What We Can Learn From History's Greatest Civilizations

Golden ages throughout history share common features: periods of cultural flourishing, scientific exploration, technological achievement, and economic growth. Yet each golden age differs in its beliefs, societies, and global position. Notably, all previous golden ages have ended, whether through external pressures, internal fracturing, excessive hubris, or insufficient caution. Historian and commentator 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—to identify their strengths and weaknesses. His goal is to answer a crucial question: how can we prevent our current golden age from ending? Peak Human presents both a celebration of human progress and a cautionary message against complacency.