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4.21 AVERAGE
4.21 AVERAGE
challenging
informative
reflective
medium-paced
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
This book is exactly what the title suggests: A Short History of Nearly Everything. Bill Bryson takes us on a long journey that starts with the event of singularity and ends on the dawn of 21st century; all the while covering important events in the history of our planet and of those extraordinary (and some ordinary) individuals thanks to whom we know of such events. The exceptional and unique quality about this book is that it is understandable for anyone with a non-scientific background. It surely helps that the author is occasionally funny and the text keeps the reader captivated.
Some people reviewing this book apparently have a problem with the excessive use of numbers; not realizing of course that all this is done for reader to comprehend things that are otherwise unimaginable.
Some very (read as: not so) smart people have a problem that it isn't scientific enough. Perhaps they need to read the title again. And instead read the research papers and books referenced in the end. One of the main goals of the book is to clearly be understandable for a layman. That is the reason author chose to skim over some concepts, he thought, would be hard to grasp. And also why there are interesting tidbits about the different discoverers and inventors.
Others dislike the apparently know-it-all attitude of the author. This is especially funny since the author has left no doubts that he makes no claims on his own. There is an almost 100 pages bibliography at the end. I am at a loss on imagining what such readers expected otherwise? Perhaps words like "I think so", "In my view", "I am not sure about this but" or maybe "Don't take my word for it but".
Anyways for those who don't have a problem with learning a little history about the planet we live, breathe and will most certainly die on, I highly recommend this book.
Some people reviewing this book apparently have a problem with the excessive use of numbers; not realizing of course that all this is done for reader to comprehend things that are otherwise unimaginable.
Some very (read as: not so) smart people have a problem that it isn't scientific enough. Perhaps they need to read the title again. And instead read the research papers and books referenced in the end. One of the main goals of the book is to clearly be understandable for a layman. That is the reason author chose to skim over some concepts, he thought, would be hard to grasp. And also why there are interesting tidbits about the different discoverers and inventors.
Others dislike the apparently know-it-all attitude of the author. This is especially funny since the author has left no doubts that he makes no claims on his own. There is an almost 100 pages bibliography at the end. I am at a loss on imagining what such readers expected otherwise? Perhaps words like "I think so", "In my view", "I am not sure about this but" or maybe "Don't take my word for it but".
Anyways for those who don't have a problem with learning a little history about the planet we live, breathe and will most certainly die on, I highly recommend this book.
informative
slow-paced
So slow. I enjoy science and I accidently skipped 6 hours and didn't even notice the topic changed -- cause it didnt!
I was going to give this book four stars because Bryson isn't the most dynamic prose-ologist in the world. BUT for the sheer number of times I said "Wow!" "Neat!" or "Honey, listen to this!" I'm giving this book five stars. The fact of the matter is I love this book, it filled me with wonder, gave me perspective and even made me appreciate human beings a little more, because each and every one of us is this miracle of science, intention and luck and we're all made of the stuff of stars.
I mean, did you know that if Earth was the size of a pea (think about your ordinary, everyday, garden variety pea), that Jupiter would be something like a thousand feet away. Longer than three football fields. The solar system is incredibly huge. And that's just our solar system.
That's freaking PERSPECTIVE.
There's a lot of stuff like that in this book. Open to any page and your jaw will drop.
Yeah, I loved it. The Universe, from the cosmically huge to the sub-atomically small is incredibly wonderful.
Live it up.
I mean, did you know that if Earth was the size of a pea (think about your ordinary, everyday, garden variety pea), that Jupiter would be something like a thousand feet away. Longer than three football fields. The solar system is incredibly huge. And that's just our solar system.
That's freaking PERSPECTIVE.
There's a lot of stuff like that in this book. Open to any page and your jaw will drop.
Yeah, I loved it. The Universe, from the cosmically huge to the sub-atomically small is incredibly wonderful.
Live it up.
informative
slow-paced
informative
medium-paced
17 hours on audible combined with some actual reading, but man this was fun if you're a science nerd. Dry and witty and important.
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
adventurous
funny
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced