"The Long View: Our Human Odyssey" is a nonfiction book group that will consider books that are oriented towards helping us understand what we—as humans—are, how we arrived here in evolutionary terms (physical, cultural, etc.), and our place in the world.

We are starting with "A Brief History of Everyone Who Ever Lived: The Stories in Our Genes,"" by Adam Rutherford. Some of the other titles that have come up are:

  • "Guns, Germs, and Steel," by Jared Diamond
  • "Salt: A World History," Mark Kurlansky
  • "The Dawn of Everything," by David Graeber and David Wengrow
  • "The Righteous Mind," by Jonathan Haidt 
  • "Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind," by Yuval Noah Harari


Although only the first book has been scheduled, this list will give you an idea of the type of works that we will read and discuss.

 Since most of these books are considerably longer than the fiction read by our other book groups, we don't think the usual one-book-a-month pattern will work. We are not sure yet what will work, but we will discuss this on 05 March at the first meeting, along with a potential reading list.

 The Long View, which will be limited to 10 people, will initially meet at a member's apartment. As with the other book groups, two seats will be available each meeting for new members. But these details may change as the group itself evolves. 

The group normally meets on the 4th Friday of each month from 3:00 - 4:30 pm.

Note: Historically our book reading groups have been among the most popular activities in WICE, and available spaces often fill quickly. We reserve two places in this group each month for new WICE members. If no new members have signed up four days before the meeting, we will open these seats to all members.

If you would like more information or if you have questions, please email:

literature@wice-paris.org

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UPCOMING EVENTS

  • LM051 "A Brief History of Everyone Who Ever Lived," by Adam Rutherford

    • 05 Mar 2026
    • 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM
    • A member's appt. in the 15th (details after registration)
    • 6
    Register

     "A Brief History of Everyone Who Ever Lived," by Adam Rutherford, is an ambitious and highly readable exploration of human history told through the lens of modern genetics. Drawing on advances in DNA analysis, Rutherford shows how scientists can trace ancient migrations, identify long-lost populations, and reveal just how closely related all humans are—often in ways that upend familiar ideas about race, ancestry, and identity.

    Moving fluidly between deep prehistory and the present, the book introduces key discoveries and personalities in genetics while explaining complex concepts with clarity, humor, and restraint. Rutherford is careful to acknowledge both the power and the limits of genetic knowledge, confronting how such science has been misunderstood or misused, even as it reshapes our understanding of who we are.

    Neither a dry scientific treatise nor a simplistic popularization, A Brief History of Everyone Who Ever Lived blends science, history, and storytelling to illuminate humanity’s shared past. The result is a thoughtful, often surprising account of how a few strands of DNA connect each of us to an immense, intertwined human story—one far older, stranger, and more collective than we might imagine.

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