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A Short History of Nearly Everything
- Narrated by: Richard Matthews
- Length: 18 hrs and 13 mins
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With his slightly bemused English accent, narrator Richard Matthews sounds completely at home in the material, chatting knowingly and with perfect dry comic timing. For managing to cover the universe and keep it lively, this experience definitely merits as an all-time favorite.
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.
Critic reviews
"Not to be missed." (AudioFile)
"Destined to become a modern classic of science writing." (The New York Times Book Review)
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Bryson Not Reading Makes For a Rare Fail
- By John on 02-28-14
By: Bill Bryson
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Guns, Germs and Steel
- The Fate of Human Societies
- By: Jared Diamond
- Narrated by: Doug Ordunio
- Length: 16 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
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Having done field work in New Guinea for more than 30 years, Jared Diamond presents the geographical and ecological factors that have shaped the modern world. From the viewpoint of an evolutionary biologist, he highlights the broadest movements both literal and conceptual on every continent since the Ice Age, and examines societal advances such as writing, religion, government, and technology.
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Compelling pre-history and emergent history
- By Doug on 08-25-11
By: Jared Diamond
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Shakespeare
- The World as Stage
- By: Bill Bryson
- Narrated by: Bill Bryson
- Length: 5 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
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William Shakespeare, the most celebrated poet in the English language, left behind nearly a million words of text, but his biography has long been a thicket of wild supposition arranged around scant facts. With a steady hand and his trademark wit, Bill Bryson sorts through this colorful muddle to reveal the man himself.
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Too Little, Too Short
- By Charles L. Burkins on 11-30-07
By: Bill Bryson
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The Mother Tongue
- By: Bill Bryson
- Narrated by: Stephen McLaughlin
- Length: 10 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
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With dazzling wit and astonishing insight, Bill Bryson - the acclaimed author of The Lost Continent - brilliantly explores the remarkable history, eccentricities, resilience, and sheer fun of the English language. From the first descent of the larynx into the throat (why you can talk but your dog can't) to the fine lost art of swearing, Bryson tells the fascinating, often uproarious story of an inadequate, second-rate tongue of peasants that developed into one of the world's largest growth industries.
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More satire than history
- By Barbara Kindle Customer on 12-18-15
By: Bill Bryson
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In a Sunburned Country
- By: Bill Bryson
- Narrated by: Bill Bryson
- Length: 11 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
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Every time Bill Bryson walks out the door, memorable travel literature threatens to break out. His previous excursion on the Appalachian Trail resulted in the best seller A Walk in the Woods. Now, we follow him "Down Under" to Australia with this delectably funny, fact-filled, and adventurous performance that combines humor, wonder, and unflagging curiosity. More from Bill Bryson.
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Laugh out loud funny
- By Larry on 06-09-03
By: Bill Bryson
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One Summer
- America, 1927
- By: Bill Bryson
- Narrated by: Bill Bryson
- Length: 17 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
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One of the most admired nonfiction writers of our time retells the story of one truly fabulous year in the life of his native country - a fascinating and gripping narrative featuring such outsized American heroes as Charles Lindbergh, Babe Ruth, and yes Herbert Hoover, and a gallery of criminals (Al Capone), eccentrics (Shipwreck Kelly), and close-mouthed politicians (Calvin Coolidge). It was the year Americans attempted and accomplished outsized things and came of age in a big, brawling manner. What a country. What a summer. And what a writer to bring it all so vividly alive.
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Why 1927?
- By Mark on 10-18-13
By: Bill Bryson
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The History of the Ancient World
- From the Earliest Accounts to the Fall of Rome
- By: Susan Wise Bauer
- Narrated by: John Lee
- Length: 26 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
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This is the first volume in a bold new series that tells the stories of all peoples, connecting historical events from Europe to the Middle East to the far coast of China, while still giving weight to the characteristics of each country. Susan Wise Bauer provides both sweeping scope and vivid attention to the individual lives that give flesh to abstract assertions about human history. This narrative history employs the methods of "history from beneath" - literature, epic traditions, private letters, and accounts - to connect kings and leaders with the lives of those they ruled.
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An Historic Achievement
- By Ellen S. Wilds on 04-25-14
By: Susan Wise Bauer
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Astrophysics for People in a Hurry
- By: Neil deGrasse Tyson
- Narrated by: Neil deGrasse Tyson
- Length: 3 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
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What is the nature of space and time? How do we fit within the universe? How does the universe fit within us? There's no better guide through these mind-expanding questions than acclaimed astrophysicist and best-selling author Neil deGrasse Tyson. But today, few of us have time to contemplate the cosmos. So Tyson brings the universe down to Earth succinctly and clearly, with sparkling wit, in digestible chapters consumable anytime and anywhere in your busy day.
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Disappointing - not much physics
- By Rob Hahn on 07-15-17
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A People's History of the United States
- By: Howard Zinn
- Narrated by: Jeff Zinn
- Length: 34 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
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For much of his life, historian Howard Zinn chronicled American history from the bottom up, throwing out the official version taught in schools - with its emphasis on great men in high places - to focus on the street, the home, and the workplace. Known for its lively, clear prose as well as its scholarly research, A People's History of the United States is the only volume to tell America's story from the point of view of - and in the words of - America's women, factory workers, African-Americans, Native Americans, the working poor, and immigrant laborers.
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Amateur hour in the production booth
- By Thomas on 11-09-10
By: Howard Zinn
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The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid
- A Memoir
- By: Bill Bryson
- Narrated by: Bill Bryson
- Length: 7 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
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Bill Bryson was born in the middle of the American century, 1951, in the middle of the United States, Des Moines, Iowa, in the middle of the largest generation in American history, the baby boomers. As one of the best and funniest writers alive, his is perfectly positioned to mine his memories of a totally all-American childhood for 24-carat memoir gold. Like millions of his generational peers, Bill Bryson grew up with a rich fantasy life as a superhero.
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Fun, but not for squeamish
- By David on 11-30-06
By: Bill Bryson
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A Brief History of Time
- By: Stephen Hawking
- Narrated by: Michael Jackson
- Length: 5 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
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This landmark book is for those of us who prefer words to equations; this is the story of the ultimate quest for knowledge, the ongoing search for the secrets at the heart of time and space. Its author, Stephen W. Hawking, is arguably the greatest mind since Einstein. From the vantage point of the wheelchair, where he has spent the last 20 years trapped by Lou Gehrig's disease, Professor Hawking has transformed our view of the universe. A Brief History of Time is Hawking's classic introduction to today's most important scientific ideas.
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Easily Digestible Presentation of Complex Topics
- By James on 05-19-04
By: Stephen Hawking
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Cosmos
- A Personal Voyage
- By: Carl Sagan
- Narrated by: LeVar Burton, Seth MacFarlane, Neil deGrasse Tyson, and others
- Length: 14 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
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Cosmos is one of the bestselling science books of all time. In clear-eyed prose, Sagan reveals a jewel-like blue world inhabited by a life form that is just beginning to discover its own identity and to venture into the vast ocean of space.
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Over-acting voice actors
- By Seph on 11-09-17
By: Carl Sagan
What listeners say about A Short History of Nearly Everything
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall
- Aaron
- 04-30-05
Engrossing and dazzling
I am a scientist, and I feel that Bryson has a keen eye for what is important. His book is crammed with wonderful concepts and observations from a remarkable breadth of fields. It is always easy to understand, yet consistently mind-boggling. I personally found the stories of scientists' escapades captivating: it is so healthy to be reminded that science is a human endeavor. These stories of ruthlessness and heartbreak along the path of discovery are exactly the things that elevate this book above textbooks. Also, the narrator does a wonderful job of giving the author's words their intended voice, be it profound, tragic, or comic.
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58 people found this helpful
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Overall
- Jody R. Nathan
- 09-14-04
A short history of science & scientists -- GREAT!
I also read the abridged version first; very much enjoyed it, and enjoyed the unabridged version even more. From the beginnings of the universe, to the beginning of life, Bryson has surveyed the history of discovery and the current state of affairs; advising readers of what we know, what we think we know, and what we have no idea about. As a liberal arts major who dropped out of my first (and only) college physics class over 30 years ago, I found the information fascinating and the listen very enjoyable. It is done in chatty stories about not just the science, but the scientists. Who knew, for example, that Newton was apparently mad?
And, it is not just for adults. My 13 year old son, who just started 7th grade, is also listening to the book, and he very much likes it -- my only concern is that he will know more than his teachers by the end of it; and somehow get into trouble. Oh well.
The narrator is very good. Slight British accent is perfect, as the text has a few "Bristish-isms" which makes the whole more charming. While I can't say I listened to the whole 18 hours in one sitting, I can say I did look forward to my next listen. Truly a fascinating and accessible survey of scientific history. Great read.
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11 people found this helpful
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Overall
- Michael
- 05-15-08
Great book
This is really not to be missed book by any scientist or anyone for that matter. Although the book does not (and can't) go into deep scientific details it apropriately describes history behind some of the great inventions and discoveries. You will learn how today's world came to be. The most important thing you will learn in this book is that in most cases the scientist or invention was misunderstood and discredited by scientist's colleagues and other people to maintain the dogmatic status quo. The narration is excellent. Narrator's voice keeps you interested, you won't get bored.
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8 people found this helpful
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Overall
- Amazon Customer
- 09-09-04
Overwhelming
What a great book! I liked it so much I bought the hardback so that I could mark favorite my passages. I highly recommend it for anyone who has the slightest interest in the world around them.
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6 people found this helpful
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Overall
- Chris Bish
- 06-01-08
Wildly Entertaining and Educational Too!
I listened to this book on a long car trip and it made the hours go by quickly. I almost didn't want to leave the car.
Author Bill Bryson makes the history of science fun and pertinent. His wit is great and his examples well chosen. It is extremely hard to write a history like this and make it wildly entertaining, but Mr. Bryson has done it. My hat off to him.
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4 people found this helpful
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- Ricky
- 01-14-09
Favorite book of all time so far.
At this time it is along with another book my all time favorite.
It has SO much content that you will need to listen to it once attentively and then 3-4 more times as it has tons of information.
You here one interesting fact and then you are off to another again.
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3 people found this helpful
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Overall
- Beth M
- 05-11-08
Makes the World Easier to Understand
This is an excellent book for anyone interested in a better understanding of the current scientific explanations for the origins of the universe, our earth, and life. He explains everything in easy to understand language, but does not "dumb down" anything. By the end, one has a much better appreciation for the immense size and complexity of our world and our place in it.
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall
- Cecil
- 02-04-04
Excellent!
One of the best books I have ever read/listened to. I looked forward to my morning commute every day because I knew I would be listening to this incredible story.
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall
- Scott Mueller
- 09-08-04
Probably my favorite sofar...
I'm not sure if it's Bill Brysons writing, or Richard Matthews just superb narration.. most likely a combination of both. This book has been played over and over again on my iPod.
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1 person found this helpful
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- Keller
- 12-17-16
On of my favorite books!
I have read this book twice...so much fun listening for a third. The narrator is wonderful. Very enjoyable.
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1 person found this helpful