War by Margaret MacMillan Summary
Overview of War
In "War: How Conflict Shaped Us," renowned historian Margaret MacMillan reveals how warfare fundamentally shaped human civilization. Named a NY Times "10 Best Book of 2020," it captivated H.R. McMaster and George Shultz with its provocative question: What if war isn't an aberration but our natural state?
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Key takeaways
When Violence Became Organized: Understanding Our Oldest Institution
A frozen corpse emerges from a melting glacier in the Alps. Scientists date him to 3300 BCE and name him Otzi. What killed this ancient traveler? An arrowhead lodged in his shoulder tells the story-not an accident, but violence. Across millennia and continents, similar evidence surfaces: mass graves, fortified settlements, weapons buried with the dead. The uncomfortable truth? War isn't some modern invention or temporary madness. It's woven into the fabric of human society itself, as fundamental as language or agriculture. Think of war not as the opposite of peace, but as something entirely different-a distinct form of human organization. What separates war from mere violence is its structured nature: armies, chains of command, strategic objectives. This organization emerged alongside civilization itself. When our ancestors shifted from hunting and gathering to farming, they created something new: property worth defending and resources worth taking. The first cities built walls. The first kings raised armies. And humanity has been locked in this pattern ever since, caught between our capacity for cooperation and our appetite for conflict. Our closest evolutionary relatives mirror this duality. Chimpanzees wage brutal territorial campaigns, patrolling borders and launching coordinated attacks. Bonobos resolve tensions through social bonding and shared resources. We carry both possibilities within us-the question is which we choose to cultivate. But history suggests we're more Hobbesian than we'd like to admit. Life in the state of nature really was "nasty, brutish, and short," and paradoxically, organized violence through powerful states created the internal peace we now take for granted.
The Hidden Engine: How War Shapes Everything
The Stories We Tell Ourselves: Why Nations Fight
The Warrior's Path: Culture, Geography, and the Art of Fighting
When Everything Changed: The Birth of Modern War
Inside the Storm: What War Does to Those Who Fight It
The Unfinished Work: Controlling War's Future
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From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
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