A Short History of Nearly Everything: 2.0
by Bill Bryson
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One of the world's most beloved writers and New York Times bestselling author of A Walk in the Woods and The Body 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 A Sunburned Country, he confronted some of the most lethal wildlife Australia has to offer. Now, in his biggest 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.
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Book Details
- ISBN
- 9780767908177
- Binding
- Hardcover
- Authors
- Bill Bryson
- Publisher
- Crown Publishing Group (NY)
- Published Date
- May 6, 2003
- Language
- English
- Pages
- 576
- Physical Info
- 1.9 in H x 9.3 in L x 6.5 in W (1.86 lb)
Great book with lots of information presented in an exciting and digestible way. Would recommend...
… then you absolutely must read this book to understand how little you actually know. Very well written and extremely informative as Bryson simplifies (as much as humanly possible) many complex concepts about our miraculous universe. The title is true and an impossible task. Yet Bryson does an excellent job as he delivers what his title promises. I highly recommend this book to any aspiring (wannabe) Renaissance Man (or Woman).
Confession: Science and I? We had a complicated relationship in school. Lots of formulas, diagrams that looked like spaghetti, and a general feeling that the universe's secrets were locked behind a very tall, very boring fence. I appreciated the idea of understanding how everything works, but the execution always left me feeling a bit... small and confused.Then I picked up Bill Bryson's "A Short History of Nearly Everything." And suddenly, that fence didn't seem so tall anymore. Instead, it felt like Bryson himself was cheerfully dismantling it, inviting me on the most incredible, mind-bending road trip through time and space imaginable.This book is exactly what it says on the tin, and so much more. It tackles the huge questions – how did we get here? What are we made of? How did life begin? – but does it with such wit, charm, and genuine curiosity that you forget you're learning about things like quantum physics or the vastness of geological time. Bryson has this magical ability to take the most complex scientific concepts and explain them in a way that makes you smack your forehead and say, "Oh! Now I get it!"What makes it truly one-of-a-kind is the human element he weaves throughout. He doesn't just talk about discoveries; he tells you about the often eccentric, sometimes hilarious, and always fascinating people who made them. You get a real sense of the sheer perseverance, accidental luck, and occasional absurdity involved in building our understanding of the universe. It makes the science feel alive and deeply human.Reading this book was a constant source of wonder. Every few pages, I'd stop, jaw slightly ajar, thinking about the incredible journey of a single atom or the sheer improbability of life on Earth. It's profoundly humbling and uplifting at the same time – a reminder of how tiny we are in the grand scheme of things, but also how miraculous our existence is.If you've ever felt intimidated by science, or just want to rekindle that childlike sense of awe about the world around you, do yourself a favor and read this book. It's a masterpiece of popular science writing, a joyful exploration of everything, and the most fun I've ever had expanding my mind. Highly, highly recommend.
Love Bill Bryson’s writing. A lot of research went into this book. I found it interesting and not condescending or too complicated for me to understand. Really answered a lot of questions that I have pondered over the years. If you have time on your hands, put down your phone and step away from your computer and read this book.
Fabulous. Everyone should own a copy. Crash Course Study Skills recommended it because there are so many fantastic citations and sources to build from, and as a student that is incredibly helpful. Also clever and fun to read!
