A Really Short History of Nearly Everything [Import] (Hardcover)

~ Bill Bryson (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review

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

Product Description

Bill Bryson’s own fascination with science began with a battered old school book he had when he was about ten or eleven years old. It had an illustration that captivated him–a diagram showing Earth’s interior as it would look if you cut into it with a large knife and removed about a quarter of its bulk. The idea of lots of startled cars and people falling off the edge of that sudden cliff (and 4,000 miles is a pretty long way to fall) was what grabbed him in the beginning, but gradually his attention turned to what the picture was trying to teach him: namely that Earth’s interior is made up of several different layers of materials, and at the very centre is a glowing sphere of iron and nickel,
as hot as the Sun’s surface, according to the caption. And he very clearly remembers thinking: “How do they know that?”

Bill’s storytelling skill makes the “How?” and, just as importantly, the “Who?” of scientific discovery entertaining and accessible for all ages. He covers the wonder and mystery of time and space, the frequently bizarre and often obsessive scientists and the methods they used, and the mind-boggling fact that, somehow, the universe exists and against all odds, life came to be on this wondrous planet we call home.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9-12
  
• Hardcover: 176 pages
• Publisher: Doubleday Canada (October 28, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0385666861
• ISBN-13: 978-0385666862
• Product Dimensions: 13.4 x 8.6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,391,359 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Actually Makes Science Fun -- and Funny, October 19, 2009

By	Jaimal Yogis "Author of Saltwater Buddha: a s... (San Francisco) - See all my reviews

I'm still in the section where some very curious British men are developing the science of geology (it started as an elite good ol' boys club that developed into practically a cult). Who'd of thunk this would be a hilarious topic, but it is when Bryson is telling it. I can't say I understood the chapter on how early scientists came up with the exact weight of the earth, but I certainly laughed a lot at their quirky personalities, which to me is a lot more valuable than how to weigh a planet. I'm excited to read the rest of Bryson's work.

By Jaimal Yogis, author of Saltwater Buddha

5.0 out of 5 stars Wow!, July 29, 2009

By	Pierre Gauthier (Montréal) - See all my reviews

I had not realized that this book was destined at a young public when I bought it.

I found it enthralling nonetheless since it presents an outstanding synthesis of up to date information about our universe. Its short length makes it very easy to read and allows the reader to link individual topics with others.

Very pedagogically, a summary is included at the end of each chapter.

Throughout, colour illustrations liven up the text (though some of course are a bit juvenile).

Personally, I consider that the bearded author's cartoon portrait appearing on each summary page is a bit narcissist on his part but that is a minor bother and others may think it humanizes the work.

More importantly, greater care should have been taken in reviewing the book. There are quite a few cases of contradicting data from one page to another. For instance, the word «million» is omitted in the summary for chapter two and the earth's age is stated as 4,550 years!

Nevertheless, this is a highly recommended book . . . and not only for children and teenagers.