WORK A Deep History, from the Stone Age to the Age of Robots

With task and job automation ever more dramatically on the human horizon, James Suzman, a Cambridge University fellow, offers a grand, grandiose yet scholarly history of work, in all its meanings, from humans' beginnings through current times. Nicholas Guy Smith, a charming Brit, provides a clear and measured narration. The text does, however, meander, becoming a bit tedious, even pompous, with sections that attempt to explain humankind's relationship to work through the prisms of archaeology, sociology, psychology, and a host of other disciplines. It's all here for those interested--from hunters' and gatherers' quests for trinkets to today's quests, which include electrically powered vehicles. Nonetheless, listeners will enjoy Smith's solid narration. W.A.G. © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine [Published: APRIL 2021]