This book is fascinating. So well written. This book is everything that intrigues us about science without the dry-as-dust teachers droning on about it and making us abhor its very existence.

For my full review, check out my blog: http://tubchairtimes.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/short-history-of-nearly-everything-bill.html

I couldn't put it down! This is the first non-fiction book I can say that about. I wish some of my college professors presented information as well as Bill Bryson. I will definitely be reading more of his books.

This is a very ambitious book by Bryson. He undertakes to explain, well, all major branches of science, and peppers their stories with his whimsy and occasional humour. The history in the title is natural history, not of civilization. His writing is very reachable and clear, and his style doesn't have empty generalizations.

He actually makes high school science subjects extremely interesting, I think, even for non-science minds, and he does this by poignant comments and putting a human face to the discoveries. And I think that last point is the key to this book's success. While it is a history of the discovery of sciences in our natural world, it is just as much a history of the people and their stories that made those discoveries and developed those theories.

I learned a great deal, not only in the specifics of the branches but also in how they connect, which is something you may not get from a show about biology or geology, since he also takes a horizontal view. I also found it entertaining because of his writing style and personal stories.

Bryson takes a look into the history of the earth, universe, the human race, and science in general. In over 450 pages, he manages to give you, well, a brief history of nearly everything involved with these subjects! It's a bunch of interesting facts stringed together with information about those who came up with the facts and what was involved to figure them out. Bryson covers everything from when Earth was created, what's at the centre of the earth, why do volcanoes/earthquakes happen, what are we all composed of, why did the dinosaurs go extinct, what is out there in our universe, how long people have been around, and much much more.

It truly is amazing how recent some of these discoveries are! I guess I take for granted how common knowledge these discoveries are and just assume that we've known about them for a long time. It's also interesting to get the context behind the many discoveries that have shaped our history and learn a little bit about the people who made these discoveries.

This book won't be for everyone. Some will find it too tedious and boring. But if you have a general interest in our history and how things have formed, then you'll enjoy this book. It's not the quickest read, but it is still quite interesting. I did find, however, the chapter on fossils a bit dull, but it moved on fairly quickly. It would be nice to get a compact view on our history in terms of human events to sit alongside this volume.

This is my first time reading a book by Bill Bryson. I've always been facinated by the history of, well... everything! Bill did a great job of putting this book together for just about anyone to understand! Love it and hopefully will read more of his books in the future!

"A Short History of Nearly Everything" will remain on my top ten list of books for a long time to come. I have always found science intriguing, but rarely have the ins and outs of our universe--from the greatest cosmological discoveries to the tiniest microscopic worlds--been explained so well, and so entertainingly. Bryson takes the reader on a trip through almost every aspect of science, introducing us to the great mysteries, wonder, and intrigue that can be found along the way. He also takes the time to talk about the often eccentric and notable personalities that have played major roles in the scientific discoveries we take for granted, and believe me, there were some really strange oddballs out there! Regardless of you level of schooling or scientific training, this book can be picked up and read by everyone--and I think it should be.

Ok, so clearly that's a lie. Because then you would have already read the book, and since you're reading this review.... you see what I mean.

But my point is, it's the only book that has been read by every member of my family. Considering our diverse interests that is quite something.

A Short History of Nearly Everything, by Bill Bryson is a fantastic book. Bryson is a travel writer by trade, but decided that there might just be something interesting about the world and universe in which we live, and so dived into the world of science. He's made science interesting and accessible, unlike all the textbooks that I ever had.

He's done a tremendous amount of research, shows the causal links between what might seem like random acts. There are all kinds of terrific stories about the people involved and how seemingly intelligent 'discoveries' prove to be horribly destructive.

It's an interesting book but not an overwhelming one and so if you wanted to be amazed this summer it would be a great read.

Have fun in the sun!

If you're interested in reading any of my other non-fiction book reviews please check out my blog: thebookhunter.typepad.com/my_weblog

Bill Bryson has produced a comprehensive book "of nearly everything". If you want to know about atoms and molecules, anthropology, Einstein, Darwin, genetics or even the effect of over-fishing the oceans this book has the knowledge you are looking for.

I loved reading about the extinct animals that our world was once blessed to have, can you imagine a sloth tall enough to look into a house's upper window? What a treasure that some people had the mind set to record their observations of these extinct animals, but what a shame that people on whole did not realize the implications of misusing the earth and thereby causing extinction.

One thing I have learned over the years and this book reinforces that theory is that science should be digested with a grain of salt. I use to believe that science was absolute, but as I age I now know that science and its concepts are in constant flux.

A great book I recommend it to all adults and teens that have even the slightest interest in any genre of science.

Before I entered teacher's college, my geography teacher told me that if I only ever read one book in my life, I had to make sure it was 'A Short History of Nearly Everything.' It took a long time before I stumbled upon it in a public library, but I deeply regret not having read it sooner. This is a book that I will read again and again, and will take as many opportunities as I can to work it into my lesson plans. This is the type of book that creates a spark in someone's heart, and makes them hunger for more. After 5 years of university, Bill Bryson inspires in me the same curiosity of the universe and our world as I had when I was a child. Hopefully, it will inspire my students too.

Bill Bryson offers the basics on...well, the history of nearly everything. Much of the subject matter is dry and dense, but his ease of storytelling makes this a fairly easy read. Recommended for anyone who never took chemistry or world history in high school because they thought it was boring.

The first time I read this book, it was amazing. As if I had been existing in the world, not knowing anything of it. The way Mr. Bryson weaves together fact, theroy, and story is wonderful. I learned more from this book on the history of the world, then from any Classroom. I reread this book once a year because I love it and everytime I read it I learn a little more.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. It is essentially a history of science focusing on the people involved more so than the science itself. I have been wanting to read a book like this for a while to get a better understanding of the people who made great discoveries and the times they lived in. It is clear from reading this book that Bill Bryson is not a scientist and I found that often his explanations were clumsy and that he did not understand the science he was trying to explain, but for the most part this was a good thing. It allowed him to move through the scientific theories quickly to focus on the effects those theories had on the world and the people in it.

Bill Bryson's "A Short History Of Nearly Everything" was and is a great read, by a large margin worth the sticker price. However, you should be warned, this book is designed to make you want to research more and more into the topics he has covered, so don't be surprised if you find yourself taking radar images of the mid oceanic ridge after you have finished his geology section.

A great primer for what you can learn on your own and how science classes should have been, the only true flaw in the story is that Bryson tends to be a bit biased in his works, dedicating more time to the topics that he is either experienced with or interested in, he also tends to lay on the trivia aspect a little thick when he is covering the history of the sciences.
That said, it is a great book, i particularly found the later chapters "The restless ape" and "the mysterious biped" to be most enlightening.

If you are trying to get into the science genre, this is the starting book for you.

I had only read one of Bill Bryson's books (A Walk in the Woods) before picking this one up, but it was enough to make me want to read more. I've since recommended it to anyone who will listen! It is written with great humour, offers a wealth of information about every science topic under the sun, along with great anecdotes about the scientists and laypersons who made key discoveries through the ages. It has sent me on a path of wanting to discover more about science.

This book was very interesting. At first I thought why would I really want to read this book, but a friend of mine recommended it for it's simple language and excellent flow from one topic to the next. All the things about science that I never really got in highschool made a lot of sense when I read this book. I had never taken chemistry and so a lot of what he was talking about was new and interesting for me like so many other things in it. Anything that I had previously knew or understood was still interesting because he brought his own viewpoints without really making it his opinion but just a retelling of history and the facts in an easy and likeable way. You should really give this book a shot because it's worth it.

A wonderful, ambitious summary of the universe's history, and perhaps of greater interest, the quirky characters that have shaped natural history and our understanding of it. This was truly a breathing-of-life into what should be awe-inspiring, but is all too often presented in such a fashion as to appear fragmented, cold and sanitized. My regards to Mr. Bryson for yet another formidable work.

i absolutely loved this book. this is the science book that i wish we had to read back in highschool, because you actually enjoy learning about the world around us. informative and funny, clever and down-right interesting.

there is an awful lot of information in this book, but i don't think that is a negative - i simply just re-read it to make sure i absorbed everything. and i enjoyed it just as much the second time 'round.

A book that shows promise, but it just too much. Interesting and funny in parts, but I found myself skipping through a lot of information that I found boring (there is such thing as information overload). Definitely not a book you can pick up for hours at a time, but you can learn some interesting (and useless) information in it.

I read a review for this book back in Jan. and I Was surprised at the reaction it was getting so I had to take a look at it myself. I figured seeing im only 17 it would be right over my head, boy was I wrong. The writer does an amazing job of breaking everything down into the smallest pieces and makes everything as understandable as it can get and most times comical too, just to keep it interesting.

The book is a great 'feel good' read! Bill Bryson has a wonderful narrative tone that is simple, fun and informative to read.

The book is great for the 'scientist' or 'spirtualist' in all of us, either way you come away with a sense of awe for our universe and all living systems within it!

An uplifting & informative read!

r.e