This new edition of the acclaimed bestseller is lavishly illustrated to convey, in pictures as in words, Bill Bryson's exciting, informative journey into the world of science.

In A Short History of Nearly Everything, the bestselling author of One Summer, confronts his greatest challenge yet: to understand--and, if possible, answer--the oldest, biggest questions we have posed about the universe and ourselves. Taking as his 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. The result 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.

Now, in this handsome new edition, Bill Bryson's words are supplemented by full-color artwork that explains in visual terms the concepts and wonder of science, at the same time giving face to the major players in the world of scientific study. Eloquently and entertainingly described, as well as richly illustrated, science has never been more involving or entertaining.

Item Information Item Information

Format: TradePaperback
Author: Bryson, Bill
ISBN: 9780307885159
Condition: Used
Dimensions: 9.96 x 1.26
Number Of Pages: 624
Publication Year: 2010

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The Way Science Should Be Taught

Greg B. - 5 years 6 months ago

I've read a number of Bill Bryson's travel books and a couple of his more historical titles (At Home, One Summer), but this title initially didn't interest me. Finally, however, needing another Bryson title in my life, I decided to give this one a try. It may now be my favorite of all Bryson's works. A Short History of Nearly Everything is basically an introduction to the sciences and to what we think we know about the universe, from the interstellar level to the atomic level. It's only short in the sense that it offers a 10,000-foot view of its subject matter, and "nearly everything" is nothing more than trademark Bryson irony. But it's informative, delightfully written, witty (of course!), and packed with that aforementioned irony and Bryson's eye for wacky coincidences. Bryson writes from a completely naturalistic worldview, so his musings on the origins of the universe, of life, and of the human race carry no supernatural explanations (but neither does Bryson go out of his way to slam deistic ideas). However, I deeply appreciate Bryson's keen sense of wonder about the world in which we find ourselves. In short, Bryson finds the world intensely interesting, a trait that also drives his travel writings and his historical works. A few representative quotes: Every cell in nature is a thing of wonder. Even the simplest are far beyond the limits of human ingenuity. Every living thing, never forget, is a wonder of atomic engineering. It is rather as if all the ingredients in your kitchen somehow got together and baked themselves into a cake—but a cake that could moreover divide when necessary to produce more cakes. It is little wonder that we call it the miracle of life. It is also little wonder that we have barely begun to understand it. That last quote points to another wonderful feature of Short History: Bryson is willing, again and again, to point out how little we know about the universe, the world, and ourselves. "We don't know" is something of a refrain in the book. Surprisingly, it sometimes comes from scientists, speaking with evident glee about the work yet to be done in their fields. You shouldn't turn to Bryson for a comprehensive textbook on any subject. But for introductory works, I think he's hard to beat. I've often thought he possesses the gift we often crave in our teachers—he makes his subjects interesting by zeroing in on the most relevant stuff, and he makes them fun. This was the seventh Bryson title I have read, and I may well read it again, it's that enjoyable. In any case, I'll be reading more Bryson. I now think that I can count on him to make anything interesting.
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jason S. - 5 years 10 months ago

amazing book and good price through hpb................................

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