A History of nearly everything is written by Bill Bryson and is the only one of his books that I have read. (So far) He has mainly written travelogues and though I have read a couple of pages of various other books, I really enjoyed this one.
It gives you a ‘short history of nearly everything’ just like it says on the cover! The subjects range from astrology to geology and the discoveries of Einsteins theory of relativity to the explanation of atoms.
Exerpt from the the back of the book: “Bill Bryson describes himself as a reluctant traveller, but even when he stays safely at home he cant contain his curiosity about the world about him. A Short History of Nearly Everything is his quest to understand everything that has happened from the Big Bang to the rise of civilisation – how we got from there, being nothing at all, to here, being us. The ultimate eye-opening journey through time and space, revealing the world in a way most of us have never seen before”
But Bill Bryson does it in such a way that one can Understand it! It is simply written and at times, quite amusingly too. Manages to make history enjoyable and how many writers do you know who have that ability?
I really recommend this book if you fancy topping up your history knowledge and knowing all those bizarre questions they ask you in crossword puzzles, but also if you just fancy understanding some scientific theories which normally, just go over your head.
This book is humerous and entertaining as well as informative. Give it a go, what have you got to loose?