A Short History of Nearly Everything

By: Bill Bryson

Narrated by: Richard Matthews

THE #1 NATIONAL BESTSELLER • 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.

“Brims with strange and amazing facts . . . destined to become a modern classic of science writing.”—The New York Times

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.©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

“Stylish [and] stunningly accurate prose. We learn what the material world is like from the smallest quark to the largest galaxy and at all the levels in between . . . brims with strange and amazing facts . . . destined to become a modern classic of science writing.”
—The New York Times

“Bryson has made a career writing hilarious travelogues, and in many ways his latest is more of the same, except that this time Bryson hikes through the world of science.”
—People

“Bryson is surprisingly precise, brilliantly eccentric and nicely eloquent . . . a gifted storyteller has dared to retell the world’s biggest story.”
—Seattle Times

“Hefty, highly researched and eminently readable.”
—Simon Winchester, The Globe and Mail

“All non-scientists (and probably many specialized scientists, too) can learn a great deal from his lucid and amiable explanations.”
—National Post

"Bryson is a terrific stylist. You can’ t help but enjoy his writing, for its cheer and buoyancy, and for the frequent demonstration of his peculiar, engaging turn of mind.”
—Ottawa Citizen

“Wonderfully readable. It is, in the best sense, learned.”
—Winnipeg Free Press

“[A Short History of Nearly Everything] is a crash course in the basics of climatology, chemistry, biology, botany, geology and physics. Bryson’s enthusiasm is infectious, his explanations simple. You don’t need to be a rocket scientist to get them.”
—The Citizen’s Weekly

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.