Best book on the subject I read is Wright's "A Short History of Progress" https://www.amazon.com/Short-History-Progress-Ronald-Wright/dp/0786715472 https://www.

Best book on the subject I read is Wright's "A Short History of Progress" https://www.amazon.com/Short-History-Progress-Ronald-Wright/dp/0786715472 https://www.amazon.com/Short-History-Progress-Ronald-Wright/... Jared Diamond's "Collapse" is in a similar vein, but less cleanly written.