I've been meaning to read this www.gatesnotes.com/Books/Big-History-From-the-Big-Bang-to-the-Present but then found your comment for http://www.amazon.com/Sapiens-A-Brief-History-Humankind/prod... and now after reading the 1-star reviews from both, I want neither.
Good luck on your quest for a "purely subjective read". Every good book out there has its critics. I suggest you read this one and make up your own mind.