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A Short History of Nearly Everything August 5, 2005
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It's the kind of stuff that you'd be expected to learn in an introductory course if majoring in any of these topics in college, but Bryson makes it so easy to read, so breezy that I just soaked it up and didn't want to put the book down. He has a marvelous style that makes all these topics approachable and lets you take something away from each of them without resorting to nasty formulas or tedious memorization. One of the other things I particularly like is that this book is equal parts history of science and history of scientists. Bryson injects every chapter with lively descriptions of the men and women behind the science, giving us amusing exposures to their foibles, eccentricities, and character. I highly recommend this book to anyone with even a passing interest in ...well, ANYTHING. I'd also love to see a sequel or similar treatment for the social sciences like psychology, sociology, anthropology, etc.
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Tags: Bill Bryson, Book Review, Nonfiction
Comments
Posted by David on August 5, 2005 11:06 PM:
I read this book a few months ago. A coworker of mine listen to it on audio and kept jabbering about it so I picked it up at B&N. I agree with you that I liked the realism Bryson adds to his coverage of influential people. At the end of the day, they're no different than any of us and deal same quandries life brings us all: relationships, getting along with others, and maintaining our social status. I think the book has the makings of a new reality TV show or maybe a daytime drama hosted by KCET.
Posted by Bethany on August 6, 2005 9:40 PM:
If you enjoyed this book, I recommend that you read/listen to some of Bryson's other books. In A Sunburned Country and A Walk in the Woods are particular favorites of mine. But they're all fantastic books, really. The guy could make a roll call funny. (Wait, Ben Stein already did that...)
Posted by Jamie on August 6, 2005 10:04 PM:
Yeah, I already have In A Sunburned Country in my queue. Like you say, Bryson strikes me as the kind of guy that could take almost any topic and make it interesting. I mean, if he can make geology fascinating...