WINNER OF THE 2004 AVENTIS PRIZE FOR BEST GENERAL SCIENCE BOOK* AND 2005 DESCARTES PRIZE FOR SCIENCE COMMUNICATION
“Of the billions and billions of species of living things that have existed since the dawn of time, most – 99.9% it has been suggested – are no longer around.”
American-British writer Bill Bryson is probably best known for his travel writing (Notes Of A Small Island, A Walk In The Woods). In A Short History Of Nearly Everything Bryson embarks on his most ambitious trip yet - without having to set foot out of his house. Hidden away in his Yorkshire home, Bryson submerged himself in science texts, books and journals researching for this project for almost three years.
In A Short History Of Nearly Everything, Bryson takes the reader on a journey through time and space - from the big bang to quantum theory as well as the achievements of Newton, Einstein and Darwin - and a few lesser known characters.
What makes this adventure so successful is Bryson’s engaging style which ensures a thoroughly readable book. Perhaps his biggest accomplishment is conveying complex, mind-boggling and often incomprehensible facts into easily digestible nuggets of information (the whole thing may leave you feeling rather insignificant!).
It's a cohesive, insightful read, literally bursting at the seams with information, even those with only a shred of interest in science will surely find putting this book down pretty darn tough. Full of jaw dropping, breathtaking and even terrifying facts, A Short History Of Nearly Everything is literally an achievement of Encyclopedic proportions.
*Bryson donated his £10,000 prize to the Great Ormond Street Hospital
Note: Bryson makes no claim that the book is completely error free, in fact in 560 or so pages there several errors, details of which can be found at:http://www.errata.wikidot.com/0767908171
