content: The book itself is presented as a broad overview of history, as it would be impossible to paint an accurate portrayal of civilization in a book this size. I'm not well enough versed in history, or biology to make an authoritative judgement as to the validity of the material presented. However if you are looking for something to make you think about the rise of western civilization, this may be it. I read this a couple of years ago now and find that the ideas presented in the book still influence my thoughts. Definitely a worthwhile read. I'm only rating it 4 stars because I feel that some of the arguments aren't sufficiently fleshed out.