Rating: 
Summary: Much stuff I'd mused over assembled into an enjoyable tome
Review: Probably not a whole lot of stunning new data here, but well-researched, extremely well-written--"So THAT'S what happened to the dinosours!"--segments. Much effort at illustrating how certain early phenomena affected historical events through the ages.I'm a slow reader, but I read through this one in record time. Highly recommend.
Rating:
Summary: Hillarious and Fascinating
Review: A great book for anyone who questions what they learned (or did not learn) in high school. Bryson's sense of humor gracefully and effortlessly tackles everything from nuclear physics to dinosaurs. He also gives a great sense of the people behind the theories-- reminding us that they were eggheads, not gods. Enjoyable from start to finish.
Rating:
Summary: Comprehensive
Review: This tome reminded me of the now classic BBC/PBS science series "Connections" (all three installments) with James Burke. Bryson shows again and again in chapter after chapter how one discovery or observation in mathematics, botany, geology, astronomy, chemistry or any other discipline has a tendency to create knowledge caches that sooner or later lead to fresh discoveries almost anywhere else where there's a quest for scientific truth. I thought he did a very good job in describing advancements in measuring techniques and how they impacted and made possible large breakthroughs later; for example, in looking for constants in distance estimations in deep space, time measurements with carbon and radioactive dating techniques, and time estimates concerning the age of fossils and the age of the earth. I came away with a greater appreciation of not only our planet, but also the painstaking way we have to sweat to have it give up its truths. Lastly, Bryson also incorporates details about the personalities who have made these quests over the last few centuries. Unfortunately, nothing is quite pristine as hatreds, bitter rivalries, and dishonestly with colleagues abounds in all ages. It seems the negative aspects of human nature roll on and it's a miracle anything progresses in science and engineering. But it does despite this festering. I guess this is a positive sign that we might all survive to the next millennium despite ourselves. Anyway, an overall entertaining and informative read!
Rating: 
Summary: A good general science book
Review: Until I read some of the other reviews, I hadn't thought about the title. I knew this was a science book before I read it, but I suppose the title could be misleading. To those who feel somehow tricked, I would suggest that you peruse a book or read reviews before purchasing. Otherwise, this is a good general natural history science book, covering a fairly wide range of topics. Bryson offers the fresh, intelligent perspective of a curious lay person, although the writing is dry at times. At other times, I found myself wishing that Bryson had elaborated more, such as when making the remarkable observation that our world is still in an ice age. Bryson does inspire an appreciation for what we take pretty much for granted - our cosmic luck for the Earth, for any kind of stability and security, and for life itself. But don't I wish we knew more about the beginnings of life, the mass extinctions of species, and the origins, migrations, and development of homo sapiens! But that book, if it is ever written, won't be on the bestseller lists for centuries.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent
Review: It's a book with a little bit on just about all areas of science. Excellent choice for the non-technical. The audio version is read by the author and he does a good job. The style flows very well and is easy to understand. Well worth the money and time.
Rating:
Summary: A Short History of Nearly Everything
Review: Popular writer Bryson turns from geographical to temporal realms to summarize what has happened from the time of the Big Bang to now, especially as it pertains to items of local interest, such as the solar system, earth, life, and humans.
Rating: 
Summary: Waste of money
Review: Should be titled, "A Short History of Nothing". If I wanted a book on Physics and 13th Century History, I would have bought one. Title is very misleading.
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Summary: Games Show Prep
Review: I bought "A Short History of Nearly Everything" because of the recommendations by people who bought "My Fractured Life" by Rikki Lee Travolta. I really ended up enjoying it. It's a different kind of book. It's kind of science, history, and everything academic put in terms that John Doe Americana can understand. I guess I liked it because if felt like a prep course for the "My Fractured Life" chapter on the game show "Jeopardy." Hey, if Bill Bryson can make me understand science and history and actually make it interesting, it's got be good, right? Give it a try.
Rating:
Summary: A highly readable High School Science refresher
Review: Reading the first couple of chapters of this book, I thought "Bryson is trying to pick up the mantle of Carl Sagan." I had read all of Sagan's works back in the late 80's, and Bryson's chapters on astronomy and astrophysics weren't much better, or different. However, Bryson goes further in that he explores all the major branches of science -- geology, biology, physics, paleontology, etc -- in his direct and easily-understandable way. Bryson is a highly readable author, and he is a wonderful companion here. He tells the story of these sciences from a historical standpoint -- how we came to understand the world -- and takes us right to the present day. The bibliography is immense, the research painstaking, and he has obviously spoken to a number of current researchers in their fields. In short, if it's been a while since you went to High School, you would do worse than to pick up this book for a highly readable refresher. Another Amazon reviewer does make a good point. Bryson enjoys recounting science's "dead ends" -- perhaps dozens of stories of discoveries and beliefs that were held for decades, or centuries, that turned out to be completely wrong. Yet he accepts much of today's scientific dogma quite uncritically. As for me, I came away from the book wondering what aspects of our current scientific knowledge may also be dead wrong. If the history of science tells us anything, it should be that we don't really know everything we think we do.
Rating: 
Summary: Some thoughts
Review: If you want to read a very interesting book about historical roots and cultural influences read "The Golden Milestone: Over 2500 Years of Italian Contributions to Civilization," about very influential Romans, Italians and Italian Americans.
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