Did a search and could not find references to this book and want to mention one of the most fascinating books I have read. If it has been noted earlier, apologies, but still worth bring to the forefront for those who are not aware of it.
The author, Jared Diamond (Pulitzer prize 1998 for this book) explores the question '"People of Eurasian origin... dominate the world in wealth and power." Other peoples, after having thrown off colonial domination, still lag in wealth and power. Still others, he says, "have been decimated, subjugated, and in some cases even exterminated by European colonialists."
WHY?
Wonderful account of Pizaro's conquest of the Inca when he had only about 160 men and faced 80,000 Inca.
Wonderful personal insights. FI, The Inca thought that the Spanish were really stupid because they didn't understand the jungle and decided that with two exceptions, they might as well kill all of them. The exception being the horse trainer - they had never seen horses before, and the barber.
Why save the barber? Well, from observation, he was a very powerful healer!! The men, dirty and bedraggled would enter his tent and emerge looking great! Obviously they could learn from this great Shaman!
Diamond amazed me with his logic and development. I kept saying, "Of course, this makes absolute sense, why didn't I think of this before?"
Wicked interesting, and nearly impossible to put down
http://www.ahshistory.com/wp-content...-AND-STEEL.pdf