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A review by shanehawk
A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson
5.0
Bryson went all out in this expansive book to cover the history of the universe, stars, planets and just about every science there is in addition to the progression of humans acquiring this knowledge.
It was a bit voluminous and abrasive for me to read as my mind isn’t acclimated to science and I’m more inclined to read Bryson’s adventure books. Nevertheless, this is a fantastic read chock-full of information written in a style less dull than textbooks I had growing up. Side note: some information is naturally outdated as new discoveries have been made in the 14 years after its first publication.
This is a great book for anyone interested in the sciences and wanting to delve into their histories. Bryson is a thorough fella.
Bryson doesn’t shirk his brand of humor and it complements throughout. I’ll leave you with, in my opinion, the book’s funniest footnote:
“The indigestible parts of giant squid, in particular their beaks, accumulate in sperm whales’ stomachs into the substance known as ambergris, which is used as a fixative in perfumes. The next time you spray on Chanel No. 5 (assuming you do), you may wish to reflect that you are dousing yourself in distillate of unseen sea monster.”
It was a bit voluminous and abrasive for me to read as my mind isn’t acclimated to science and I’m more inclined to read Bryson’s adventure books. Nevertheless, this is a fantastic read chock-full of information written in a style less dull than textbooks I had growing up. Side note: some information is naturally outdated as new discoveries have been made in the 14 years after its first publication.
This is a great book for anyone interested in the sciences and wanting to delve into their histories. Bryson is a thorough fella.
Bryson doesn’t shirk his brand of humor and it complements throughout. I’ll leave you with, in my opinion, the book’s funniest footnote:
“The indigestible parts of giant squid, in particular their beaks, accumulate in sperm whales’ stomachs into the substance known as ambergris, which is used as a fixative in perfumes. The next time you spray on Chanel No. 5 (assuming you do), you may wish to reflect that you are dousing yourself in distillate of unseen sea monster.”