A Short History of Nearly Everything

Title: A Short History of Nearly Everything

Author: Bill Bryson

Published in: 2003

Date read: 8th November 2009

Score: 5/5

Genre: Non-fiction, History, Education

Plot: (Warning, may contain spoilers):
"A Short History of Nearly Everything" by Bill Bryson is a non-fiction book that embarks on an ambitious and engaging quest to understand the universe and everything in it, from its very origins to the rise of human civilization. It's not a narrative with a traditional plot or characters in the fictional sense, but rather a sprawling exploration of scientific history and discovery.

Bryson, with his characteristic wit and accessible style, aims to explain how we got "from there, being nothing at all, to here, being us." He begins with the Big Bang, tracing the formation of the cosmos, the birth of our solar system and planet, and the astonishing emergence of life on Earth. He delves into various scientific disciplines, including physics, chemistry, geology, and biology, simplifying complex concepts for the general reader.

Throughout the book, Bryson highlights the pivotal moments, accidental discoveries, and often eccentric personalities of the scientists and thinkers who made ground-breaking contributions to human knowledge. He covers everything from the vastness of the universe and the tiny world of subatomic particles to the history of life, mass extinctions, and the ongoing processes that shape our planet. The "story" is one of scientific progress, the wonders of the natural world, and the sheer improbability of our existence. Bryson also touches upon the ongoing mysteries in science and the potential threats to our planet's future, such as climate change and natural disasters, while emphasizing the fragility and preciousness of life.

Comments:
This book was required-reading when I completed my teacher training course (PGCE) in 2009.I don't think that I would have picked it up otherwise. Once I started, however, I not only had to finish this book, I started a life-long interest in the history of science. How did we get to this level of understanding and how primitive will our current understanding look in 100 years?

Books that we've read by Bill Bryson (1):
A Short History of Nearly Everything (2003)