Bill Bryson describes himself as a reluctant traveller: but even when he stays safely in his own study at home, he can't contain his curiosity about ...Show synopsisBill Bryson describes himself as a reluctant traveller: but even when he stays safely in his own study at home, he can't contain his curiosity about the world around him. A Short History of Nearly Everything is his quest to find out everything that has happened from the Big Bang to the rise of civilization - how we got from there, being nothing at all, to here, being us. Bill Bryson's challenge is to take subjects that normally bore the pants off most of us, like geology, chemistry and particle physics, and see if there isn't some way to render them comprehensible to people who have never thought they could be interested in science. It's not so much about what we know, as about how we know what we know. How do we know what is in the centre of the Earth, or what a black hole is, or where the continents were 600 million years ago? How did anyone ever figure these things out? On his travels through time and space, he encounters a splendid collection of astonishingly eccentric, competitive, obsessive and foolish scientists, like the painfully shy Henry Cavendish who worked out many conundrums like how much the Earth weighed, but never bothered to tell anybody about many of his findings. In the company of such extraordinary people, Bill Bryson takes us with him on the ultimate eye-opening journey, and reveals the world in a way most of us have never seen it before.Hide synopsis
Description:Very Good. Great condition for a used book! Minimal wear....Very Good. Great condition for a used book! Minimal wear. Shipped to over one million happy customers. Your purchase benefits world literacy!
Description:Good. 0552151742 covers and corners may show shelf wear used...Good. 0552151742 covers and corners may show shelf wear used books may be missing software and or codes. spirals will show more wear because of nature of book.
Description:Good. Shows some signs of wear, and may have some markings on...Good. Shows some signs of wear, and may have some markings on the inside. Shipped to over one million happy customers. Your purchase benefits world literacy!
Description:Fair. 096573840X Shows moderate to heavy wear. Pages may have a...Fair. 096573840X Shows moderate to heavy wear. Pages may have a moderate amount of highlighting, ect. Used textbooks may not include cd or other accessories. Readable copy; just not pretty.
Description:Good. Dust Cover Missing. Book has a small amount of wear...Good. Dust Cover Missing. Book has a small amount of wear visible on the binding, cover, pages. Selection as wide as the Mississippi.
Description:Ex-library book, large print in good condition. Contains a...Ex-library book, large print in good condition. Contains a moderate amount of highlighting and/or underlining. *NOTE* Stock photo may not represent the actual book for sale.
Description:Good. Former Library book. Shows some signs of wear, and may...Good. Former Library book. Shows some signs of wear, and may have some markings on the inside. Shipped to over one million happy customers. Your purchase benefits world literacy!
I've listened to this in digital, actually more times than I should have, but just love the history of science that he shares with us. Plus really cool knowledge factoids. Plus he's got this subtle sense of humor that is just a joy to read.
Oh, and the provider sent everything as promised, a book ...
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I not only recommended it to a friend, I sent it to him. This is not a book to read in a sitting. It's like a good lecture, you're paying attention, paying attention, paying attention, and then you hear (or read) something that takes you away for a moment. Something that resonates in your experience ...
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An exceptionally fulfilling book that makes the tough sciences fun and easy. Well researched, perhaps a little light for a scientist, but great for the curious layman. Highly recommended.
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