Member Reviews
In <i>Nomads: The Wanderers Who Shaped Our World </i>, Anthony Sattin takes a look at what is known of nomads from past centuries and millennia, as well as reaches out to today’s nomads to show us what nomad life currently looks like. The majority of the book seems to focus on Eurasian nomads, but the last quarter of the book touches on nomads from other continents. This was a fascinating look into nomad life and the way they have impacted settled civilization in times past and present. I recommend checking this out if you are interested in learning more about nomads! The author did a fantastic job narrating his own audiobook.
Many thanks to NetGalley for providing me an audio ARC of this book.
So I am currently the professor of a class on ancient city. I guess I take issue with the theme of the book being “nomads”. Certainly many of the groups mentioned are nomadic, but I think the concept of nomads needs to be more problematized before we proceed with talking about them as a United selection of civilizations. That said, this book is accessible, fun, well-researched. Generally a great non-fiction work. I wouldn’t assign this to a student but I could give it to a dad for Christmas.
Nomads: The Wanderers Who Shaped Our World, written and narrated by Anthony Sattin, is an adult nonfiction book. It explores the transformative and often bloody relationship between settled and mobile societies. The story of the shifting, umbilical connections between these two very different ways of living presents a radical new view of human civilization. From the Neolithic revolution to the twenty-first century via some of the lesser-known Eurasian steppe cultures, the great nomad empires of the Persians, Arabs, Mongols, and Mughals, as well as the mobile native North American peoples, nomads have been a perpetual counterbalance to the power of the settled and their cities. Exploring evolutionary biology and the psychology of restlessness that makes us human, Anthony Sattin's sweeping history charts the power of nomadism from before the Bible to its decline in the present day. Connecting us to mythology and the records of antiquity, Nomads explains why we leave home, and why we like to return again. This is the groundbreaking history of civilization as told through its outsiders.
Nomads is a fascinating read (or listen) and I think the author's enthusiasm for the subject is clear in print or audiobook format. I have always been firm in the belief that history is written by the colonizers rather that giving us a full view of our past, and Sattin explores one aspect of our missing history. I like that he included the way people have looked and and interpreted tales that started as oral tradition, and how the views of mobile versus settled people has evolved and changed just as much as people themselves have. I did feel like certain groups of nomadic people were not included in the book as more than a quick mention, and I have to admit that there were several moments that I completely lost track of where the book was in the timeline and thought we were covering certain periods of time more than once- but I was also listening while driving so very well could have missed something here or there. However, I did feel like I learned a great deal on the subject, and Sattin's interest in the subject mater and his adventures was a bit contagious and I became more and more interested in the topic as I listened to the book.
This work focuses on a group of people often left out of history – nomads. From the Neolithic period to the time of Western Expansion in the United States, this work examines how nomads have always existed and are the counterbalance to established empires. From the Scythians to the Mongols and beyond, these people have played an important and often overlooked role in world history.
This was an interesting work of history that was a fascinating survey of nomadism and its contributions to the world. The author made sure to address the research biases facing this topic, which is largely due to the bias of historical documents (e.g., nomadic women are very rarely mentioned, nomads were often only written about related to bloody conflicts, etc.).
I enjoyed that as the book moved to a new period/people to discuss, the author took a moment to mention what else was happening around the world at that time in different cultures. This was a great way to situate the topic temporally, especially for those of us who have a difficult time recalling dates and their significance. Mythology and fables as relating to nomads (such as Cain and Able or Gilgamesh and Enkidu) were also included throughout the work, and the author used them to discuss the juxtaposition between nomads and the settled, as well as how these tales can inform the way ancient peoples viewed these different lifeways. Similarly, the research of historic scholars such as Ibn Khaldun was also incorporated to inform on this topic.
The main thing I disliked about this work was that it barely discussed nomadism in Australia, the Americas, or Africa. For Australia and America, the nomadism of their indigenous peoples was mentioned briefly and only during the time of Western contact with these peoples. I found this highly disappointing. I imagine the reason for this lack of inclusion could be due to the absence of written documentation, but the author could have found information that has been collected through archaeology and oral histories to inform this section of the work rather than simply framing a brief discussion from the lens of European exploration.
I listened to the audiobook version of this work and quite enjoyed it; I recommend this book to those interested in a historical survey of nomadism that is well researched and informative. My thanks to NetGalley and HighBridge Audio for allowing me to read and review this work.
There is a lot to learn in Nomads and the pacing is done well that you don't feel bored learning. It's a good book to pass the time and walk away with new knowledge.
A somewhat detailed history of the world from an unexpected perspective.
Most of history was passed along via meticulous oral tradition until cuneiform and runes began followed by words on a surface. Please do not mistake a lack of what we call literacy with a lack of intelligence (most of us have a hard enough time re-enacting time periods only a couple of centuries past). Nomads/wanderers are shown from most areas of the globe, but primarily from Eurasia/China/the Mediterranean. This work is extremely readable and I look forward to getting my own permanent copy.
The audiobook is narrated by the author, and you can never go wrong with that! Besides, his voice is pleasant and appropriately pronounced.
I requested and received a temporary audiobook from HighBridge Audio via NetGalley. Thak you!
Did you know that 1 in every 200 men today shares DNA with Genghis Khan?
I really enjoyed this audiobook! First of all, it isn't often that an author can also narrate with such professionalism, so kudos to Sattin. The infomation was engaging, clearly extremely well-researched, and thoroughly explained without getting lost in the weeds or dragging on. I particularly loved the section on Gobekli Tepe. I'm only awarding 4 stars because I did feel that the 2 or 3 penultimate chapters could have been a bit tighter/more on-topic (though they were still interesting) and I really think the whole book could have used much more of the author's personal input in the way the first and last chapters did-- a break in the history for some first person narrative would have been welcome in the denser parts of the middle of the book.
Thanks to NetGalley and RB Media for an ARC of this audiobook.
Nomads took us from nomadic hunter/gatherers to present day van-lifers. While I enjoyed the premise of the book, the historical parts were less historical and more mythical - with a lot of references to the bible. To be fair, the author does preface the book with the fact that nomadic humans didn't leave much behind (like their city counterparts who started documented everything in writing). Because of this, there was a lot of loosely developed theories and stories. Again, this is no fault to the author who was trying to surmise a history based on theories. Overall, it was a fast read that did provide some nuggets of information I enjoyed - in particular the nomadic gene that individuals with ADHD have today. I did a lot of research after learning about that from this book and found it very interesting.
Anthony Sattin had my full attention with his book nomads. I never realized what great impact no mad head on us and we had on them. I also didn’t realize that nomads stretched the whole social genre from the very rich noble man to the lesser affluent the hunters and gatherers. This book is a very buffet of nomads from all over the world. I knew it was something that would interest me but I found it so interesting from archaeological digs to those who just wanted on to something that told the story from history. This is a great book and the narrator did a great job and had such a nice voice. I really enjoyed this book so much! If you love stories that or not told every day you really need to read Anthony Sattin’s Brooke nomads a truly interesting find. I received this book from net galley and the publisher but I am leaving my review voluntarily please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.
Excellent audiobook that kept me company for a solid week going to and from work. Some very interesting passages outlining the importance of Nomads throughout history and how they were always somewhat understood when seen through the lens of our inherent bias. I especially enjoyed the parts the touched on the Nomads of pre-biblical times and late antiquity. Thoroughly enjoyable and I would recommend this one highly. The narration was flawless which also heightened my enjoyment.
Interesting listen, but wasn't exactly what I thought it would be. Will recommend to anyone looking for an anthropological take on nomads throughout history and prehistory.
Definitely not my “normal” reading but I actually enjoyed this. It held a lot of history that I guess I just didn’t realize, things people don’t necessarily discuss. I also like how even older stories have relevance to today’s day and age.
🌀Synopsis
We hear a lot about different leaders and governments in history but what about those that don’t fit? These people had significant impacts on history but are rarely discussed. This book discusses those people but also how their thoughts and actions impact our brains and our actions today.
I was drawn in to learn more of the mysterious nomad empires such as the Scythians, Hittites, Mongols, and more. This delivers on that and in doing so suggests much of what we assume about these roaming warriors is from an understandable smear campaign from their foes, largely European and Chinese. What really makes me glad I read this is the philosophical reflection on the nomadic way of life as an important and perhaps vital if not even redemptive dimension of the human experience. The lack of settlement (materialism) and acceptance of a cyclical reality suggests this way of life more resilient to climate change, less burdensome environmentally, and more about the community than the individual.
Much of these themes are very nicely tied together in a letter written by Benjamin Franklin to Peter Collinson, I believe it is the one dated 9 May 1753:
We had here some years since a Transylvanian Tartar, who had travelled much in the East, and came hither merely to see the West, intending to go home thro’ the spanish West Indies, China &c. He asked me one day what I thought might be the Reason that so many and such numerous nations, as the Tartars in Europe and Asia, the Indians in America, and the Negroes in Africa, continued a wandring careless Life, and refused to live in Cities, and to cultivate the arts they saw practiced by the civilized part of Mankind. While I was considering what answer to make him; I’ll tell you, says he in his broken English, God make man for Paradise, he make him for to live lazy; man make God angry, God turn him out of Paradise, and bid him work; man no love work; he want to go to Paradise again, he want to live lazy; so all mankind love lazy. Howe’er this may be it seems certain, that the hope of becoming at some time of Life free from the necessity of care and Labour, together with fear of penury, are the mainsprings of most peoples industry.
To those indeed who have been educated in elegant plenty, even the provision made for the poor may appear misery, but to those who have scarce ever been better provided for, such provision may seem quite good and sufficient, these latter have then nothing to fear worse than their present Conditions, and scarce hope for any thing better than a Parish maintainance; so that there is only the difficulty of getting that maintainance allowed while they are able to work, or a little shame they suppose attending it, that can induce them to work at all, and what they do will only be from hand to mouth.
The proneness of human Nature to a life of ease, of freedom from care and labour appears strongly in the little success that has hitherto attended every attempt to civilize our American Indians, in their present way of living, almost all their Wants are supplied by the spontaneous Productions of Nature, with the addition of very little labour, if hunting and fishing may indeed be called labour when Game is so plenty, they visit us frequently, and see the advantages that Arts, Sciences, and compact Society procure us, they are not deficient in natural understanding and yet they have never shewn any Inclination to change their manner of life for ours, or to learn any of our Arts; When an Indian Child has been brought up among us, taught our language and habituated to our Customs, yet if he goes to see his relations and make one Indian Ramble with them, there is no perswading him ever to return, and that this is not natural [to them] merely as Indians, but as men, is plain from this, that when white persons of either sex have been taken prisoners young by the Indians, and lived a while among them, tho’ ransomed by their Friends, and treated with all imaginable tenderness to prevail with them to stay among the English, yet in a Short time they become disgusted with our manner of life, and the care and pains that are necessary to support it, and take the first good Opportunity of escaping again into the Woods, from whence there is no reclaiming them. One instance I remember to have heard, where the person was brought home to possess a good Estate; but finding some care necessary to keep it together, he relinquished it to a younger Brother, reserving to himself nothing but a gun and a match-Coat, with which he took his way again to the Wilderness.
Though they have few but natural wants and those easily supplied. But with us are infinite Artificial wants, no less craving than those of Nature, and much more difficult to satisfy; so that I am apt to imagine that close Societies subsisting by Labour and Arts, arose first not from choice, but from necessity: When numbers being driven by war from their hunting grounds and prevented by seas or by other nations were crowded together into some narrow Territories, which without labour would not afford them Food. However as matters [now] stand with us, care and industry seem absolutely necessary to our well being; they should therefore have every Encouragement we can invent, and not one Motive to diligence be subtracted, and the support of the Poor should not be by maintaining them in Idleness, But by employing them in some kind of labour suited to their Abilities of body &c. as I am informed of late begins to be the practice in many parts of England, where work houses are erected for that purpose. If these were general I should think the Poor would be more careful and work voluntarily and lay up something for themselves against a rainy day, rather than run the risque of being obliged to work at the pleasure of others for a bare subsistence and that too under confinement. The little value Indians set on what we prize so highly under the name of Learning appears from a pleasant passage that happened some years since at a Treaty between one of our Colonies and the Six Nations; when every thing had been settled to the Satisfaction of both sides, and nothing remained but a mutual exchange of civilities, the English Commissioners told the Indians, they had in their Country a College for the instruction of Youth who were there taught various languages, Arts, and Sciences; that there was a particular foundation in favour of the Indians to defray the expense of the Education of any of their sons who should desire to take the Benefit of it. And now if the Indians would accept of the Offer, the English would take half a dozen of their brightest lads and bring them up in the Best manner; The Indians after consulting on the proposal replied that it was remembered some of their Youths had formerly been educated in that College, but it had been observed that for a long time after they returned to their Friends, they were absolutely good for nothing being neither acquainted with the true methods of killing deer, catching Beaver or surprizing an enemy. The Proposition however, they looked on as a mark of the kindness and good will of the English to the Indian Nations which merited a grateful return; and therefore if the English Gentlemen would send a dozen or two of their Children to Onondago the great Council would take care of their Education, bring them up in really what was the best manner and make men of them.