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    A Short History of Nearly Everything
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    A Short History of Nearly Everything
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    A Short History of Nearly Everything
    Audiobook18 hours

    A Short History of Nearly Everything

    Written by David Crane

    Narrated by Richard Matthews

    4/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this audiobook

    One of the world’s most beloved and bestselling writers takes his ultimate journey — into the most intriguing and intractable questions that science seeks to answer.

    In A Walk in the Woods, Bill Bryson trekked the Appalachian Trail — well, most of it. In 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.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherPenguin Random House Audio
    Release dateFeb 4, 2003
    ISBN9780736697958
    Unavailable
    A Short History of Nearly Everything
    Author

    David Crane

    David Crane's first book, ‘Lord Byron’s Jackal’ was published to great acclaim in 1998, and his second, ‘The Kindness of Sisters’ published in 2002, is a groundbreaking work of romantic biography. In 2005 the highly acclaimed 'Scott of the Antarctic' was published, followed by ‘Men of War’, a collection of 19th Century naval biographies, in 2009. His ‘Empires of the Dead’ was shortlisted for the 2013 Samuel Johnson Prize. He lives in north-west Scotland.

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    Reviews for A Short History of Nearly Everything

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    5,309 ratings194 reviews

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    • 5/5
      One of the two best books I have read during the last year!
    • 4/5
      I listened to this book and enjoyed it, some chapters more than others.
    • 5/5
      A very enjoyable, very readable story about what are normally very complicated subjects. If you're at all interested natural history and/or the physical or theoretical sciences, this is the book to pick up (for a lay person obviously, if a professor at CalTech picked this up, might find it to be an enjoyable read, but wouldn't provide any astounding new knowledge).
    • 5/5
      A fabulous book that explores what science knows and the people and circumstances that made those discoveries. It begins with the origin of the universe, the creation of the solar system and earth, and ultimately focuses on humans, how they came to be and what they are made up up. An outstanding survey of most of the major branches of science.
    • 5/5
      "Welcome. And congratulations." These two opening sentences of A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson hooked me the minute I read them. I've had a special place on my bookshelf for A Short History of Nearly Everything for years. Ever since I was in the 4th grade when my teacher introduced me to this book, I have been fascinated by Bill Bryon's book. It is what lead to my fascination with science and helped spur me into reading even more books, some in a the non-fiction genre that I wouldn't have dreamed of reading before A Short History. Personal experience aside, A Short History really is a masterpiece of scientific writing. Bryson has done an absolutely wonderful job writing this book and it truly is a book that everyone should read.The title of the book says it all, in a way. A Short History is the story of how we got to where we are today, not by looking at what empire made war with each other, but by what we have accomplished in science. In that sense, the book isn't really a history of everything, but it captures the entire history of science in one broad, grand stroke. The book covers the beginning of our planet and the birth of science all the way up to the very late 1900s. Bryson tackles all fields of science , from anthropology to quantum mechanics. There is very little he has left out of the book."There seemed to be a mystifying universal conspiracy among textbook authors to make certain the material they dealt with never strayed too near the realm of the mildly interesting and was always at least a long-distance phone call from the frankly interesting." - Bill BrysonThis quote from the book is one that I find very pertinent to the state of scientific writing that most people come across. Bryson does a really good job of avoiding this issue. He manages to present all the information shoved between the covers in a really interesting and amusing way. Yes, there is a lot of stuff in the book, but it never felt like it was too much or boring. In actuality, it was really fun to learn about the world around you and who was responsible for the life you are living today. The topics may not have been covered into the depth needed to say you are now an expert in a field, but in the end, this is a history book, not a college physics textbook.It's that breadth of coverage of A Short History that really makes this book such joy to read. Its very rare that you get a chance to see such a large view of what humanity has accomplished, especially in the realm of science. Bryson was able to really paint a story of the achievements of humanity over the years.Through the writing, it's was easy to follow different events and their impact on things that sometimes don't even seem related at all. But it's also those random little facts about the different scientists or projects that give it the character and the quirk that keep things moving along.A Short History of Nearly Everything is a masterpiece. It takes the most significant scientific achievements throughout history and combines it all into one book a mere 478 pages. It may sound like a lot, but those pages were some of the most intriguing I have ever had the pleasure of reading. It's kept at a level accessible for all, so don't be afraid if you really aren't into science. I've enjoyed the book for many years and I know that many others will be able to find joy in it as well.
    • 4/5
      I picked this book up at the airport, thinking at first that it was a book about human history. I confess I did not know at the time who Bill Bryson is and was blissfully unaware of his widely acclaimed writing record. Obviously, the book turned out to be completely different from what I had expected. Bryson wrote a book about "how we went from there being nothing at all to there being something, and then how a little of that something turned into us, and also what happened in between and since." In short, a story about the natural history of the world and much more. Bryson's accomplishment inspires awe and envy. Here is a person with no scientific background who, driven by an insatiable desire to learn, has mastered biology, astronomy, paleontology, geology, chemistry and much much more, and then translated this knowledge into a readable account of "nearly everything". The New York Times Book Review wrote that A Short History of Nearly Everything "is destined to become a modern classic of science writing" and I fully agree. Bryson succeeds to explain where we came from and how our world works in terms that every person can understand, while at the same time peppering his tale with humouristic anecdotes about the greatest scientists in history: their lives, their mistakes and their feuds.This book is a journey in space and time. It takes the reader from the core of the Earth to the infinite reaches of outer space, and from the beginning of time to the future outlook for our planet. In this journey, Bryson brings home two messages, over and over again. First, how insignificant our lives are in comparison with the age of the world and the forces of nature, especially when we take into account the improbable odds of our very existence. Second, how little we know and understand about how we came about, how our planet works or indeed who and what inhabits it besides us. The book is full of facts which leave the reader open-mouthed; several times I had to re-read a sentence just to make sure I understood the full implication of the facts presented in it.The first thing I did today after finishing the book was to log on to amazon.com to search for other Bryson books and order them. I am looking forward to getting more acquainted with this wonderful writer in the very near future.
    • 5/5
      I had such a great time reading this, it became required reading in our homeschool, and my sons enjoyed it as well! Bill Bryson has a wonderful wit and a gift for reducing the extremely broad scope of science in general to a can't-put-it-down read. He puts the Big Bang, quantum mechanics, genetic and biology, environment, inventions, evolution and so much more in layman's terms and makes it fun at the same time.
    • 4/5
      This book has made me a huge fan of Bill Bryson. Tons of interesting facts packed into an easy read.
    • 5/5
      Despite his reputation for humor, Bryson has written a serious and well-researched account of almost everything we know about our world, from the smallest known particles to the vastness of the known universe. It is heavy reading for non-scientists, but should be read by anyone with the slightest interest in keeping updated on what we know of our world.
    • 5/5
      The Best of Science & History in a well written narrative that paints a comprehensible view on just how lucky we are to even exist and the tremendous progress we have made in science and as a people.
    • 5/5
      Very fun and easy to read. The writing is very accessible and makes complicated matters of science enjoyable and relevant. Bryson keeps it interesting by explaining the natural world through stories of the eccentric discoverers, and explaining why their work mattered then and now, and how it sparked so many controversies that may even remain today.

      The universe and Earth can be unbelievable! I have been better informed on a wider range of topics from this book than probably anything else I have ever read. Often eye-opening and occasionally shocking, I was especially impressed with the vastness of space, the resilience of bacteria, and the instability of climate. There are many common things that we really know so little about.
    • 3/5
      Brilliant and thoroughly readable. So much I didn't know or knew vaguely and mostly incorrectly. I couldn't recount the details, but I was happy to be learning and to be consistently amazed and excited by tidbits and insights.
    • 5/5
      There's no reason this book should be as enjoyable as it is. It's a slightly hodge-podgey account of various discoveries of (mostly) Western science; looking at the list of chapters, you'll probably think there's nothing new you could read on any of these topics. But you'll be wrong. Bryson manages to find interesting details and insights on nearly every subject, and he writes with a dry, likable wit that should draw you in from the first page.
    • 4/5
      This was an interesting book, which I enjoyed reading. I am not sure, though, how many of the facts and "factoids" I'll remember. Some general lessons I will retain are how lucky we are to exist at all, and our ongoing survival is more than pure luck. And, the more we learn about our world, it seems like the more we realize we don't yet know.The main reason I liked this book was Mr. Bryson's writing style. His joy of discovery and sense of wonder as he unraveled scientific mysteries were infectious.
    • 5/5
      great book, great narrator. Excellent "lay"-version of many of the events in our history including earth history. I suppose some, or even much, of the info could be wrong now as we learn more about the universe but I still think this was an awesome book for anyone who is not a real scientist or wants non-technical versions of our history. Highly recommend!
    • 4/5
      Mr. Bryson explores the origins of the universe, the planet, creation of life in a way that is far more interesting than the usual textbook rendition. It was a very fun listen.
    • 5/5
      Wow, amazing book. Fantastic review of scientific milestones, some well known, some not so well known. Humorous and also poignant, it makes me ashamed of the destruction we've caused, and reminds me of how fragile all life is. It should be humbling, how ignorant we really are, yet we believe ourselves entitled. We have a huge ability and responsibility that not nearly enough of us are taking seriously.
    • 4/5
      This is a wonderful scientific read for the layman. It may inspire one to read more in a plethora of areas, as this book succinctly covers A LOT. All the while, Mr Bryson makes this journey of human scientific advancement entertaining, humorous, heartfelt and enlightening. Recommended.
    • 5/5
      Great book. I really enjoyed following the characters and learning about Florence. Meg finally gets to take her trip to Italy and this book detail about her time there and the time it took for her to get there.
    • 3/5
      My least favorite of the Cross series so far. I was a bit bored!
    • 5/5
      As a former lit major, I usually have to be coaxed into reading a science book. But this one caught my attention right away. I probably learned more about various branches of scientific thought, particularly physics, than I had in the last ten years, by reading this book. Which may say a lot about how I should broaden my reading tastes, but I prefer to think of it as a recommendation for this work. Just read it. You won't be bored. You'll be fascinated. And you'll end up with more questions about the way the universe is constructed than you started out with. Books that make you think for yourself always get my vote.
    • 4/5
      Much better than recent novels. Forensic dissection of murder investigations and convictions of four innocent men in small town Oklahoma. The level of blinkeredness, malfeasance and downright deliberate injustice is awe inspiring.
    • 3/5
      It turns out a brief history of everything is really just a brief history of science and Bryson takes the reader on a journey to briefly touch upon the the most important questions and answers science has been able to come up with. I don't find Bryson all that funny or witty, but at least this was a fairly clear discussion of a wide variety of topics. Solid, but nothing special, 3 stars.
    • 5/5
      In my top 5 books of all time. This is purely a science book...except in a way its very ELI5 (explain it like I'm 5) in the way it approaches complicated subjects with Bill Bryson's mastery of writing in an easily approachable way. If you want a book to sit down, lose yourself in, and marvel at the wonders of the universe, Earth, and the human body - look no further. The audiobook read by Bryson is also incredible.
    • 5/5
      Like everything else from Bill Bryson it's darn good. I think I learn something new in most of his books, but this one more so.
    • 4/5
      Finally finished listening to this large book. I love books like these that cover a whole range of scientific materials. And Bryson is a gifted writer, who lends his talents to often difficult subjects, injecting them with historical context and good humor.

      It came out in 2003, so obviously it's a bit dated, and I caught a few spots where some information was out of date. But overall, I loved this book.
    • 5/5
      Thoroughly enjoyed this. Absolutely fascinating and accessible summary of, well, nearly everything. So many new pieces of information floating around my skull and a reinvigorated sense of childish wonder about everything around me and inside of me.
    • 4/5
      Bryson has written a charming history, perfect science for the masses, answering many questions and weaving together his vast range of topics while adding some scintillating anecdotes and some of those really remarkable facts that stick inside your skull like a bit of gum saved for later.
    • 4/5
      I listened to this as an audiobook and the writer's style really worked well for that format. The writing reminded me very much of Douglas
      Adams, coupled with a narrator that reminded me of the narrator from the Hitchhikers Guide BBC series -- just made it very fun.

      Although the title is "A Short History of Nearly Everything", it's really only covers our history from a scientific perspective, describing how we got here. The book covers astrophysics, geology and evolution but if you're looking for more traditional history and politics, then this is not the book for you.

      For most people who already have an interest in the subject, there will be little that is newly revealed in this book. However as light summer reading, refresher material or an audiobook that plays while you cook dinner, it's highly entertaining.
    • 4/5
      Bill Bryson is one of the finest writers around and while he made his name writing acerbic travelogues, "A Short History of Nearly Anything" was his first foray into science writing and a fine foray it was.Covering, if not nearly everything, then more topics than you would think possible in a book this size, and giving shout outs to the good and the great, including Oliver Heaviside, Rosalind Franklin, Isaac Newton and many an English eccentric. The main take away for me was realising that in many cases glory comes to the second person to have an idea, with obscurity going to eh first person to come up with the idea.