Guns, germs, and steel.

Scholar and professor Jared Diamond made a huge splash with this fascinating but controversial book, which argues that geography and environment have almost singlehandedly determined the course of human history. Dig deeper into his contentions with the information inside this invaluable reader's handbook: Why did Europe colonize Africa and Asia rather than the other way around? Why is geography the most important factor in human history? How has the rest of the scientific community received Diamond's theory?

Jared Mason Diamond is an American scientist and author best known for his popular science books.