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A Short History of Nearly Everything Paperback – September 14, 2004

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4.6 out of 5 stars 2,248 customer reviews
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Product Details

  • Paperback: 544 pages
  • Publisher: Broadway Books; 1st edition (September 14, 2004)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 076790818X
  • ISBN-13: 978-0767908184
  • Product Dimensions: 6.1 x 1.2 x 9.2 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2,248 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #588 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Top Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 starsPerhaps the Best Armchair Scientist Book I've Ever Read
By Eric P. Neff on May 28, 2003
Format: Hardcover
I picked this one up expecting "good". Instead, I got one of the most delightful reading experiences in science that I have ever had. What a wonderful surprise.
Bryson tries to do what most school textbooks never manage to do, explain the context of science in a way that is relevant to the average person. At the beginning of the book, he recalls an event from his childhood when he looked at a school text and saw a cross-section of our planet. He was transfixed by it, but noticed that the book just dryly presented the facts ("This is the core." "This part is molten rock." "This is the crust.", etc.), but never really explained HOW science came to know this particular set of facts. That, he quite correctly points out, is the most interesting part. And that is story he sets out to tell in this book.
Bryson obviously spent a great deal of time and effort developing and checking his facts and presentation. He obviously enjoyed every minute of it too, and it shows. Never have I read a book where the author conveyed such joyful awe of what we have learned as a species (with the possible exception of some of Richard Feynman's books).
My benchmark for this kind of book is usually; How well does it explain modern physics? There are few books out there that manage to explain relativity, quantum mechanics and string theory in a way that doesn't make your eyes glaze over. The Dancing Wu Li Masters by Gary Zukav is the best of the lot in my opinion. While this book did not change my opinion, Bryson's explanations of these mind-bending theories are not only lucid and sensible, they are also full of his telltale tongue-in-cheek side comments and therefore are just plain fun to read.Read more ›
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5.0 out of 5 starsA Man Said to the Universe
By William Holmes VINE VOICE on November 13, 2005
Format: Hardcover
Bryson's "A Short History of Nearly Everything" is beautifully written, very entertaining and highly informative--and now, it is lavishly illustrated as well.

Bryson is not a scientist, but rather a curious and observant writer who, several years ago, realized that he couldn't tell a quark from a quasar, or a proton from a protein. Bryson set out to cure his ignorance of things scientific, and the result was "A Short History of Nearly Everything," which was originally published in 2003.

For readers who are new to science and its history, "A Short History of Nearly Everything" contains one remarkable revelation after another. It is amazing how enormous, tiny, complex and just plain weird the universe is. Learning about "everything" is a humbling experience, and I kept thinking of Stephen Crane's blank verse: "A man said to the Universe: 'Sir, I exist!' 'However,' replied the Universe, 'the fact has not created in me a sense of obligation.'"

Just as engaging as Bryson's story of what we know is the parallel story of how we know it--from the first clever experiments to figure out how much the earth weighs to today's ongoing efforts to describe the origins of the universe itself, it becomes obvious that science is not an answer but a process, a way of learning about a world that always seems to have one more trick up its sleeve.

Whatever else may be said about the universe, Bryson explains that learning about its mysteries is a very human endeavor.Read more ›
1 Comment 254 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No Sending feedback...
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5.0 out of 5 starsAll that stuff we were supposed to have learned, but ...
By David C. Hay on May 11, 2003
Format: Hardcover
I am a big fan of Bill Bryson's travelogues. I was therefore surprised when I cam across this, somewhat more weighty, tome. But I am pleased that I picked it up.
The author says he didn't do very well in science when he was in school because the teachers and texts seemed to be hiding all the good stuff. Now, as an adult, he's gone after the good stuff. And he's the guy to write it so the rest of us can understand. Not only does he write clearly, but he's very good at explaining as much as a normal person can understand (of relativity, for example), while pointing to the stuff that's weird, and setting aside the stuff that you have to be a specialist to understand.
He also is very good at giving credit to people who thought of things but were ignored until someone else came along and took credit. This has happened all too frequently, and it's good for the record to be set straight.
If you too were afraid of science, this is a wonderful book. If you already know a lot of this but just like to read enjoyable writing--it's also a wonderful book.
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5.0 out of 5 starsNot Dumbed down. Gets you very excited about science.
By Trip on October 31, 2003
Format: Hardcover
This book is the type of book that would inspire you to become a biologist or a geologist or an astronomer. From this book you are able to see bits and pieces of famous scientists lives and get a feeling by the end that its not all fun and games but at the same time it soooo very worth it to dedicate your life to the pursuit of furthering the knowledge of your fellow human beings and in some small way pushing our species in a positive direction. From reading this book you find out how all the knowledge from hundreds of years ago has become the basis of where we are today. This is conveyed extremely well to the audience. The other thing which is conveyed so very well is the power and destructive force of mother nature here on earth and in space. Parts of this book read better than seeing an end of the world movie because the author is so good at getting a vivid picture drawn in the reader's minds eye.
This book is so good and so comprehensive I can see myself reading this over again.
Thank you Bill Bryson for your hard, extensive research! Quite remarkable.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 starsA great book for picking up and reading when you only ...

A great book for picking up and reading when you only have a little time. It's interesting and well written.

Published 1 day ago by Carol D
5.0 out of 5 starsGreat book!

Amazing book! Great top level view of the history of nearly everything - biology, chemistry, physics, geology. I'm sure I will read it again sometime.

Published 2 days ago by Bernardo Restrepo Rivas
5.0 out of 5 starsI'm not much of a reader...

...But I love science and I just didn't want to stop reading this.
I was even shocked when I reached the end.

Published 3 days ago by Joshua Tootell
4.0 out of 5 starsFour Stars

Interesting

Published 3 days ago by Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 starsThis is an excellent book, I loveed thee audio versión

This is an excellent book, I loveed thee audio versión, could not get any better. This book is amust for any science lover!!!!

Published 4 days ago by Guillermo Calderon Jmz
5.0 out of 5 starsFive Stars

Very pleased that I could acquire this book in such excellent condition at such a reasonable price.

Published 4 days ago by Lawrence Schlesinger
5.0 out of 5 starsGreat

Best season of BB

Published 5 days ago by BJT
5.0 out of 5 starswe are so insignificant in the scope of the world.

not sure if i loved it or really didnt like it at all. it was long at times, too technical at times, boring at times, but clearly made me think. Read more

Published 5 days ago by Jeffrey Roberts
5.0 out of 5 starsIt will change your perspective on existence

Every page is chock full of fascinating information. I was sad to come to the end of the book but I will read it again and again and learn new things each time. Read more

Published 5 days ago by Don Cooperman
5.0 out of 5 starsFive Stars

Very good overview, especially for those who know nothing about science

Published 6 days ago by DJB42

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