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Summary: Science for dummies
Review: I'm a Liberal Arts kind of guy, and science and math always left me cold. Having struggled through those difficult courses in high school, I resolved never to think about that type of thing again. Bill Bryson, however, is my kind of writer: erudite, and witty, with the uncanny knack of taking complicated ideas and conveying them in ways that non-technical people can uhderstand, and enjoy. This book is an excellent example of Bryson at his best, and he gave me a new appreciation of science. I only wish that the textbooks I had used in school were this interesting; I might have embarked upon an entirely different career. If you were like me, and detested science, read this book; I know that you will very quickly change your mind.
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Summary: A layman's guide to the history of the world
Review: I've spent the past few days devouring Bill Bryson's latest work: A Short History of Nearly Everything. It's an incredible read and reinforces how amazing the history of the earth really is. Bill's wit and comedic timing that has made all his previous travel books instant classics is absent, but it has been replaced with an enthusiastic and somber tone that is just as interesting to read. I've enjoyed all his previous books, but I like this one just as much, even though it's a bit of a departure.Bryson took three years to research the book by conducting interviews and reading lots of history and it comes through in the text. You almost feel like you were in the room with Bill, following prominent scientists around, asking newbie questions. Bryson comes off as genuinely enthralled by the subjects at hand and you learn new things along with him. The narrative reminds me a great deal of James Burke's books and Connections TV series. Bryson not only tells the tales of how things came to be, but he's constantly weaving a link between all the various stories and pulling similar themes out. It's a fantastic book and reminds me why I was so enamored by science in school. It also drives the point home many times that we are very, very lucky to be standing here, doing what we do everyday. The chances that the universe came together to enable it are insanely slim for all sorts of reasons as you will quickly find out.
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Summary: Bill Bryson Hits The Target
Review: Bill Bryson's "Short History" was aimed at people like me, I believe; a humanities major who found the sciences an alien universe, incomprehensible to those who hadn't mastered its formulas and jargon. His three years of reading, research and interviewing has resulted in an accessible, educational, entertaining book that tries to answer some of the most fundamental questions, such as where did the universe come from? and what makes humans human? Bryson was interested not only in what the answers to the questions are, but how we found those answers, and who the people were who unlocked these mysteries.
I suspect that those who are well versed in the sciences might find this a bit superficial (after all, the entire story of the universe is a lot to pack into less than 500 pages), but if you're looking to fill in some gaps in your knowledge of our world, this book is for you. Take the journey with Bryson; you'll enjoy the trip.
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Summary: Bryson at his best!
Review: I love Bill Bryson and have enjoyed all of his travel books, especially I'm a Stranger Here Myself and Notes From a Small Island. It surprised me that he had written a book like this but, true to form, he has produced an excellent, well-written, incisive and funny look at the scientific world. This is the kind of book that would make someone who hates science or is indifferent (like me) to actually develop an interest in the subject. Now that's great writing! Too bad textbook writers can't write like this! Excellent book,highly recommended.
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Summary: A brilliant idea in theory...
Review: ...but the preface (the first few paragraphs, no less!) to this expensive tome reads, essentially: "This book is potentially riddled with errors." This is a little like the instructions on a packet of cake mix telling you that, once you're finished, you might not actually have a cake and, furthermore, it will be the fault of the mix, and not your own clumsiness. I'm sorry, Mr Bryson, but if you're going to distill human knowledge down into a few hundred pages, don't introduce it by saying "I am essentially ignorant and this is the product of my quest to erase that ignorance. However, chances are I only got a little bit of it right, so you probably won't want to pay attention to most of it." Just as children acquire bad driving habits from their parents, so too will readers acquire flawed knowledge from this 'Every Person's Big Book Of Stuff'. Mr Bryson's charisma can only take him so far when he tackles a subject like this, and those looking for the humour demonstrated in his excellent travel monologues will be sorely disappointed, and perhaps tempted to have a bit of a cry. Five stars for effort, minus three for execution.
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Summary: Bryson Explains It All For You And Isn't That Fabulous?
Review: I have to admit I ordered the CD blindly--not quite sure what Bill Byrson was going to get up to, and I was pleasantly surprised that the history of science was the agenda. I enjoy science history books and the light-hearted travelogues of Bill's, so this was perfect for me. Bill's other books have a more rambling tone to them and I was very impressed with his logical organization of this vast material. Entertaining and informative as well as an inspiration for further reading (and listening)--thanks, Bill!
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Summary: Bill Bryson: The anti-Hawking............
Review: I've enjoyed every travel book by Bill Bryson so it was an easy decision to snap up A Short History of Nearly Everything and read it soon after it was released. It was also a good decision. Missing, is Bryson's singular wit and comic delivery which makes his travel books so grand. However, I suspect that comedic timing is more of a challenge when one endeavors to explain the universe from the Big Bang to the demise of the Dodo. Be that as it may, Bryson successfully charts in layman's terms the creation of the universe and it's various stages up to and including today. Indeed, with only 480 pages, Bryson does a commendable job of squeezing it all in. And, though his acerbic, sometimes devastating powers of observation found in previous books are absent, he still manages to offer the information in a humorous way. Presenting the scientists and their theories for the perusal of us who, unfortunately, have taken much of it for granted, Bryson shows that there remains much conjecture, ignorance, and complete bafflement surrounding who we are, why we are, and how we got here. As the vast majority of us subconsciously consume much theory as fact, it is illuminating to be reminded occasionally that the human race continues to be a long way from the ultimate answers it strives so valiantly to attain.
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Summary: A fun, accessible science book "for the rest of us"
Review: Bill Bryson wrote this book because he didn't think science should be boring. And in this book, it isn't. There are colorful characters and lots of important material explained in a clear and lighthearted fashion. As always, Bryson writes some of the best prose in the English language and he's always looking to highlight the strange, the bizarre, and the humorous. He's succeeded in writing a science book for "the rest of us" who were previously intimidated by science. With Bryson as guide, we needn't be intimidated any longer. If you have any interest in science, you'll love this book.
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Summary: The Best Book Ever
Review: This book was so amazing. It explains everything so that even a dumb person can kind of understand it (even though no one can really comprehend the universe). After about every 10 pages, I had to stop and think about what the author said because it is so amazing and dumbfounding. This book lets you explore the universe and gives you an understanding of so much that you probably never knew before. If you're not ready to be completely flummoxed through-out the whole book I don't recommend it. But if you are, get ready for the experience of a lifetime.
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Summary: A Short History of Nearly Everything
Review: I read aproximately 100 books a year. This is just about the best book I have ever read. I did not breeze through it as I do most books, but I enjoyed every page. For someone in her 60's who had little science exposure in school, this makes so much "sense" of the universe we live in. What a monumental task Bryson took on and how delightfully he presents present-day knowledge in the various fields of science. Thank you, Mr. Bryson! I have given this book to two 14-yr.-old grandchildren and hope they like it as much as I do.
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