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A Short History of Nearly Everything: Special Illustrated Edition

A Short History of Nearly Everything: Special Illustrated Edition

  • Hardcover
  • Author: Bill Bryson
  • Publisher: Broadway
  • Release Date: November 2005
  • ISBN-10: 0767923227
  • ISBN-13: 9780767923224
  • List Price: $35.00

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Summaries and Customer Reviews provided by Amazon

Summary

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, beloved author Bill Bryson 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.

Customer Reviews

Average Rating: Score = 4.5 Score = 4.5 Score = 4.5 Score = 4.5 Score = 4.5

Less fun with the beautiful pictures

Rating: Score = 4 Score = 4 Score = 4 Score = 4 Score = 4

Bill Bryson, best known for his humorous travel writing, goes completely out of character with this book. As he tells us in the introduction, he was curious how it is that people figured out all the science that is presented in textbooks as fact - - the age of the Earth, the nature of dinosaurs, radioactivity, or whatever.

This book is the result. The title is a bit of misnomer, since it's really a short history of two different things: the history of life on earth, and the history of the natural sciences. Since the natural sciences are trying to figure out the history of life on earth, the book mostly works, but there is some narrative tension between the two different histories.

Bryson is a very skilled writer, though science writing isn't remotely close to his usual genre. Amazingly, he pulls it off. He explains science surprisingly well, and gets a good story out of it too.

The original version (which I haven't read) would be a pretty fast read, I think. This version has lots of pictures. The pictures have lengthy captions, much like an article in _National Geographic_. This slows the reader down, and makes the book seem more like a textbook. With all the illustrations, then, I think this was less fun than it should have been.

It's still a surprisingly good book, and I think that if I'd read the original version I'd probably have given it five stars. Because the illustrations weakened the narrative, this version earns only four stars. The production values are great, and it's a beautiful book.

A biography of the universe

Rating: Score = 5 Score = 5 Score = 5 Score = 5 Score = 5

The most amazing thing about this book is that it manages to live up to its title! Bryson covers a whopping amount of material in just under 600 pages - discussing everything from the expanse of the universe to the confines of a single cell. And he does a more than admirable job. Scientific technicalities are presented in a highly readable manner through the smart use of analogies. His chapter on the solar system, for example, left me with an infinitely more vivid picture of the make-up of our planetary neighbourhood than a dozen other science textbooks would have. Full credit to Bryson as well for writing with a boldness and authority that belies the author's background as a non-scientist.

Many reviews have labelled the book as "a rough guide to science". The book offers so much more. It is really a biography of the universe - a an elegant blend of scientific fact, history and lovely anecdotes that makes everything come to life. Nearly everything at least.

Science 101 -- Perfect book

Rating: Score = 5 Score = 5 Score = 5 Score = 5 Score = 5

I can't believe that I didn't buy this book 4 years ago and read this. This book is absolutely perfect who is interested in knowing why things work the way it works, but hasn't spent the time in college to learn the Physics, Chemistry, Geology, Astronmoy and other plethora of sceinces. It also provides a lot of scientific facts, but in a manner that one remember more easily than trying to memorize for a test. The book is not only written for grown-ups, but also for kids who can get a better understanding of basics of science much more than what they learn in school.

After reading the book, history combined with its associated science and discoveries, makes it clear that one doesn't have to be super-brilliant to invent or discover new things or concepts, but the eagerness and discipline can make many of us Eisteins and Newtons, or should I say Mandelevs. Even if one think they are too old for that, if kids come read this book, they may get the confidence to be one who discover the origin of our universe?

Great book! Bill Bryson is humorous in his writing as well, and similar to his other books, this one gets a "Five Star" rating as well.

Wow, that's interesting

Rating: Score = 5 Score = 5 Score = 5 Score = 5 Score = 5

Got the original from the library and took it back after the second chapter. I had to buy my own copy. Then I found out there was an Illustrated Edition and it was well worth the extra money. There are some really dull parts just like a chemistry course so the illustrations carry you through to the more intrigueing parts. I read it about three times. You don't have to start at the beginning, it's all interesting.

A Short History of Nearly Everything

Rating: Score = 5 Score = 5 Score = 5 Score = 5 Score = 5

This is a very informative book, which can be a very useful reference for kids' scientific education.