A Short History of Nearly Everything

By: Bill Bryson

Narrated by: Richard Matthews

Length: 18 hrs and 13 mins

Publisher's summary

One of the world’s most beloved and best-selling 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 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.

©2003 Bill Bryson (P)2003 Books on Tape, Inc. Published by Arrangement with Random House Audio Publishing Group, A Division of Random House, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Not to be missed." (AudioFile)
"Destined to become a modern classic of science writing." (The New York Times Book Review)

Things I Haven't Heard A Million Times

I listen to a lot of books like this/ watch Nova compulsively so I was happy to hear some new information & an interesting perspective on the familiar stuff. funny at times. narrator is excellent.

Enlightening and eloquent

Would listen to it all again without a doubt. Definitely one to have in your library.

great!

Great book. Natural history. very enjoyable. Great perspectives. Entertaining. recommended to anyone who likes nature and science.

Beautifully told story

Phenomenal portrayal of the big picture of life, the earth, and the cosmos as we know it. Worth a second read/listen.

A joy to listen to over and over again!

This is just an absolute delight. Incredible stories about the origins of, well, us, and everything around us. And everything that there has ever been. Fascinating and full of facts you'll never forget. A treasure trove of wonder!

A book filled with amazement

I first read the book when it came out in print in 2003. I loved it then and had a hard time finishing it because my wife and high school daughter kept taking it every time I set in down. This time I listened to it as I walked the Camino de Santiago across northern Spain. It was the perfect book for those long hot 15-20-mile days across the Meseta. The book ponders the age of the rocks we were walking upon, the bright stars we could see at night, the evolution of life, inventions, and the history of science--in other words, how do we know what we know. It's a crash-course about science. You learn a lot about many things, but in the end, the book is very humbling about what we still don't know. Bryson also paints colorful pictures of the people who made the discoveries. Richard Matthews was the perfect narrator for this with his delightful British accent that comes across as a venerable scholar.

Some old information

It’s not Bill’s fault, but some of this is outdated, in particular Neanderthal genome and interaction with sapiens.

Fascinating book, well written and well spoken

Have owned this one for years and listened to it many times over. Great for long flights or sleepless nights.

nothing is more fascinating than reality

informative, intriguing, at times humorous, and consistently compelling. this book series as a crash course in the major sciences, scientists, and events and discoveries. while it may be difficult to digest and retain it all, you'll undoubtedly learn many new things, reanimate lost memories of formerly forgotten knowledge, and essentially just be a slightly wiser and better informed individual upon completion.

Recommending to everyone

I've had a 2nd hand copy of the hardcover book edition on my shelf of "to read" for awhile, but have been too busy to pick it up. I may take the time now to read it after loving the audio version. It's worth a read, a re-read, and another re-read, at least. so much interesting info packed into one book. Well recited in the audio version here as well--clear and easy-to-listen to voice with good intonation so it keeps your brain involved.