One of the world’s most beloved and bestselling writers takes his ultimate journey — into the most intriguing and intractable questions that science seeks to answer.In A Walk in the Woods, Bill Bryson trekked the Appalachian Trail — well, most of it. In In A Sunburned Country, he confronted some of the most lethal wildlife Australia has to offer. Now, in his biggest book, he confronts his … book, he confronts his greatest challenge: to understand — and, if possible, answer — the oldest, biggest questions we have posed about the universe and ourselves. Taking as territory everything from the Big Bang to the rise of civilization, Bryson seeks to understand how we got from there being nothing at all to there being us. To that end, he has attached himself to a host of the world’s most advanced (and often obsessed) archaeologists, anthropologists, and mathematicians, travelling to their offices, laboratories, and field camps. He has read (or tried to read) their books, pestered them with questions, apprenticed himself to their powerful minds. A Short History of Nearly Everything is the record of this quest, and it is a sometimes profound, sometimes funny, and always supremely clear and entertaining adventure in the realms of human knowledge, as only Bill Bryson can render it. Science has never been more involving or entertaining.
more
Like many of Mr. Bryson’s books, it was extremely informative and entertaining at the same time.
Just loved this book for reminding me of things I knew, but forgotten. So informative and interesting.
This book taught me a variety of little-known facts and filled in some blanks about things I did know. I enjoyed absolutely everything about this book, my first Bill Bryson book, and, in my view, the very best he has ever written.
Not a book for your children … and maybe not even for you if you’re still optimistic about life. But if you’ve ever wanted to really see just how precarious life really is — how accidental it was to begin with, and how easily it can be snatched away — then this is the book to read.
A MUST
Astounding new information on every single page. This book will grow your brain.
Bryson did a great job making all the science easy to understand. Some of it was flashbacks to high school science a lot was new. It’s amazing how much we know about Earth and everything that lives here based on fossils and many random accidental discoveries. It’s also amazing how much we still don’t know.
Bill Bryson has written a well researched book about scientists and their discoveries. He includes scientists involved in studies in biology, zoology, chemistry, geology, physics, and archaeology over several centuries, lacing the accounts with humor.
A wide ranging book that is wonderfully researched and even better told. Bryson has the best honed wit of any current writer and his drollery shines throughout this fun ride of a book.
Excellent!!
Bryson is just GOOD. This isn’t a book with a plot- it’s bits and pieces of history you may (or may not) ever wondered about.
This IS my favorite book.
I am a fan of Bill Bryson’s writing style, and have read everything I could get my hands on.
Bill Bryson is a great writer and his curiosity and sense of wonder at the world are infectious. It’s great science education for those of us who aren’t scientists, but also just plain fun to read.
* Well researched
* Well written
* Informative
* Entertaining
* Easy-to-read
This book is packed with interesting information, presented in an engaging and amusing style.
I love all of Bryson’s travel books, but this book did not do anything for me. I didn’t finish it.
Inspires understanding of physics.
Wow! I don’t have a scientific mind but am reading this for a second time. So much information with backstories and written for the layman. Hard to retain it all the first time so want to see what I can pick up the second time around.
Bill Bryson is an excellent writer able to inform while entertaining