Peak Human by Johan Norberg

AN ECONOMIST BOOK OF THE YEAR

‘A compelling and timely study of what drove history’s most influential civilisations… the book comes with impeccable timing… An entertaining and informative read for anyone interested in the forces that shape how civilisations progress’ Financial Times
‘Deftly punctures popular misconceptions… Could a history book be more timely?’ The Economist
‘Engaging and persuasive’ New Statesman
‘The best book I have read this year’ Jeremy Hunt

Golden ages are marked by periods of spectacular cultural flourishing, scientific exploration, technological achievement and economic growth: Ancient Greece gave us democracy and the rule of the law; out of Abbasid Baghdad came algebra and modern medicine, and the Dutch Republic furnished us with Europe’s greatest artistic movements. As such, each has unique lessons to teach us about the world we live in today. But, all previous golden ages have proven finite, whether through external pressures or internal fracturing.

In Peak Human, acclaimed historian Johan Norberg examines seven of humanity’s greatest civilizations – ancient Athens, the Roman Republic, Abbasid Baghdad, Song China, Renaissance Italy, the Dutch Republic and the Anglosphere – and asks: how do we ensure that our current golden age doesn’t end?

An engrossing study of seven of history’s greatest golden ages, exploring what set them apart and what we can learn from them today.

About the Author: Johan Norberg is a historian, lecturer and commentator. He is a senior fellow at the Cato Institute in Washington DC and his books have been translated into forty languages. His books include The Capitalist Manifesto, the international bestseller Progress and Open, which was an Economist book of the year. Norberg regularly writes for publications such as The Wall Street Journal, Reason and HuffPost.

07 May 2026
 

Peak Human: What We Can Learn from the Rise and Fall of Golden Ages by Johan Norberg ISBN 9781838957315