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Jared Diamond

American scientist, historian, and author · United States · On the map · Writers · Born 1937 · age 89

Jared Mason Diamond is an American scientist, historian, and author. He has written hundreds of scientific and popular articles and books, most notably Guns, Germs, and Steel (1997), which received multiple awards, including the 1998 Pulitzer Prize for general nonfiction.

Jared Diamond is read about 814 times a day, in 53 languages.

A typical day, 30 days to 8 November 2026

The middle day of the days counted, so one week of news cannot move it. The line under it is the last 400 days, one point a day.

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A life in dates

2019“The central principle of Fritz Bauer's career was that Germans should hold judgement upon themselves.”In their wordsJared Diamond, , 2019, page 226-228 (ISBN 978-0-141-97778-2).

Blue Planet PrizeAward2016Humanist of the YearAward2013Wolf Prize in AgricultureAward2012“Perhaps we could benefit by selectively adopting some of those traditional practices. Some of us already do so, with demonstrated benefits to our health and happiness.”In their wordsPrologue, section "Why study traditional societies?"

2011“Religious values tend to be especially deeply held and hence frequent cause of disastrous behaviour.”In their wordsChapter "Why do some societies make disastrous decisions", section "Disastrous values" (Penguin Books, 2011, pages 432-433, .

“Because we are the cause of our environmental problems, we are the ones in control of them, and we can choose or not choose to stop causing them and start solving them.”In their wordsChapter "The world as a polder: what does it all mean to us today?", section "Reasons for hope" (Penguin Books, 2011, pages 521-522, .

“Remember that impact is the product of two factors: population multiplied times impact per person.”In their wordsChapter "The world as a polder: what does it all mean to us today?", section "Reasons for hope" (Penguin Books, 2011, page 524, .

“My hope in writing this book has been that enough people will choose to profit from that opportunity to make a difference.”In their wordsChapter "The world as a polder: what does it all mean to us today?", section "Reasons for hope" (Penguin Books, 2011, page 525, .

2007Dickson Prize in ScienceAwardEnvironment Book PrizeAward2004Groeneveld AwardAward2001Tyler Prize for Environmental AchievementAward1999National Medal of ScienceAward1998Elliott Coues AwardAwardGuggenheim FellowshipAwardInternational Cosmos PrizeAwardPulitzer Prize for General NonfictionAwardRoyal Society Science Books PrizeAward1985MacArthur Fellows ProgramAward1937Born10 September 1937

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In their own words 4

,
Jared Diamond
,
4 statements, newest first

  1. As we shall see in this book's chapters, traditional societies are far more diverse in many of their cultural practices than are modern industrial societies.

    2012 · Prologue, section "Why study traditional societies?", Own words

  2. The societies to which most readers of this book belong represent a narrow slice of human cultural diversity.

    2012 · Epilogue, Own words

  3. If the Easter Islanders couldn't solve their milder local problems in the past, how can the modern world hope to solve its big global problems?

    2011 · Chapter "The world as a polder: what does it all mean to us today?", section "Reasons for hope" (Penguin Books, 2011, page 521, ., Own words

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Awards

Blue Planet Prize2019
Humanist of the Year2016
Wolf Prize in Agriculture2013
Dickson Prize in Science2007
Environment Book Prize2007
Groeneveld Award2004
Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement2001
National Medal of Science1999
Guggenheim Fellowship1998
Royal Society Science Books Prize1998
Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction1998
International Cosmos Prize1998
Elliott Coues Award1998
MacArthur Fellows Program1985

About this person

In 2005, Diamond was ranked ninth on a poll by Prospect and Foreign Policy of the world's top 100 public intellectuals.

Country
United States
Category
Writers
Type
Writer / Author
Status
Living
Dates
Born 1937 · age 89

Where to find them

Websitejareddiamond.orgLinkedInjared-diamondIMDb

The same award as Jared

Michel SerresBoth received Environment Book PrizeDidier Van CauwelaertBoth received Environment Book PrizeAlain CorbinBoth received Environment Book Prize

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Octavia E. Butler61.3 of 100Jon Krakauer60.3 of 100Elizabeth Ann Seton55.3 of 100