A Short History of Nearly Everything

By: Bill Bryson

Narrated by: William Roberts

A Short History of Nearly Everything is Bill Bryson's quest to understand everything that has happened from the Big Bang to the rise of civilization. He takes subjects that normally bore the pants off most of us, like geology, chemistry, and particle physics, and aims to render them comprehensible to people who have never thought they could be interested in science. In the company of some extraordinary scientists, Bill Bryson reveals the world in a way most of us have never seen it before.©2003 Bill Bryson (P)2014 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

"To read Bryson is to travel with a memoirist gifted with wry observation and keen insight that shed new light on things we mistake for commonplace. To accompany the author as he travels with the likes of Charles Darwin on the Beagle, Albert Einstein or Isaac Newton is a trip worth taking." (Publishers Weekly)
"Stylish [and] stunningly accurate prose....Brims with strange and amazing facts...destined to become a modern classic of science writing." (The New York Times)

Good Read

What a great introduction to science. Bryson's great skill is to make a complicated subject enjoyable and easy to understand. Some of the most memorable moments in the book come from the stories of the various scientests detailed. A great read (listen!)

A fascinating insight into (almost) everything...

A great listen and read well by William Roberts. Every chapter was packed full of amazing facts that made me just want to listen on. There were very few dull moments and the highlights more than easily out-weighed these. So much of the book has interested me and made me want to learn more on the many subjects covered in the book. You don't necessarily need any prior knowledge on the subjects and is spoken on a intermidiate level. The unabridged version is great, only I wish it went on for longer! I am anticipating another listen later this year - it's that good.

An incredible read (...listen)

I found it hard to get out of the car while listening to this book. Every part of it was fascinating. This was the first of my Audible books and it will be awfully hard to top. Bryson manages to delve into complex topics but still be funny. William Roberts is wonderful, very easy to listen to. He delivers Bryson's dry wit brilliantly. This book has made me want to learn more about 'nearly everything'. Topics which have the potential to be dull are exciting and intoxicating in this book. If you listen to nothing else, you really need to listen to this. I know I will listen to it many times over.

great precursor to understand the universe

Would you consider the audio edition of A Short History of Nearly Everything to be better than the print version?

yes read and listened prefer to listen

What was one of the most memorable moments of A Short History of Nearly Everything?

too many to list

What about William Roberts’s performance did you like?

easy listening

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Did you know?

Any additional comments?

great starter for anyone wanting to know more about the world and universe

a short history of nearly everything

i enjoyed listening to this book so much...i wrote in the review space.
now that's really saying something!