
A Short History of Nearly Everything
Failed to add items
Add to basket failed.
Add to wishlist failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Buy Now for £16.99
No valid payment method on file.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
William Roberts
-
By:
-
Bill Bryson
About this listen
Featuring a special introduction written for the audiobook edition and read by the author
A Radio 4 Book Club Selection.
A Short History of Nearly Everything is Bill Bryson's fascinating and humorous quest to understand everything that has happened from the Big Bang to the rise of civilization. He takes subjects that normally bore the pants off most of us, like geology, chemistry, and particle physics, and aims to render them comprehensible to people who have never thought they could be interested in science. In the company of some extraordinary scientists, Bill Bryson reveals the world in a way most of us have never seen it before.
©2003 Bill Bryson (P)2014 Audible, Inc.Editor reviews
Critic reviews
"Stylish [and] stunningly accurate prose....Brims with strange and amazing facts...destined to become a modern classic of science writing." ( The New York Times)
The fact that it's described as a history may suggest that it's all about things that happened in the past and indeed much of the book does cover events from Big Bang through to recent history. But in covering such history it also explains much about how the world is today.
This is a fascinating book that will interest a wide range of people. You don't need to be an expert historian or scientist to understand and enjoy this book. I'd definitely highly recommend it.
A word about the narration also - I've listened to a number of Bill Bryson books narrated by William Roberts and he is always an excellent narrator. The way he narrates the book just adds to what is already an excellent book and ensures that one's interest is not lost for a second.
A history of why the world is like it is
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
There are some gaps in what he included, for example, mathematics, the basis of so much in science, was barely touched on and one would get the impression that only scientists in the West made all the discoveries, whereas we now know that many were already made in China and India, to name but two Eastern Civilizations.
I've see other reviews that have been critical and pointed out errors in the narrative. I detected a few, but generally thought, that for a layman, Bryson did a very good job of covering an enormous sweep of science and making it entertaining.
Entertaining
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Accents...
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Love the book, hate the narrator
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
great but take with a pinch of salt
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Absolutely fascinating
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
amazing
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I read the soft cover 9 years ago, and now decided to relive the awesomeness by listening to the audio ook while doing the daily commute. 9 years ago I believed it was simply the best book I've ever read, I still feel the same now once I finished this audio again.
Bill has a great way of writing, he tells his story in his own way, its an adventure as he guides you factually and lays all his findings on the table. He is definitely one of my favourite writers of our age.
If you have smart friends, or friends who think they are smart or even friends who aren't smart but would like to be I'd highly recommend it. It simply is about everything - life summarised.
Simply the best book I've ever read and heard.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Great second time around
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
It truly makes you appreciate the discoveries and the standard of life we have achieved
My first book!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.