A Short History of Nearly Everything

Travel writer Bill Bryson turns to science here, prompted by how little he had learned at school, where textbooks never explained the whys and hows. His account runs from the Big Bang, through geology and evolution, up to the arrival of quantum mechanics, and wants to show not only what scientists know but how they found it out. Topics include the size of the universe and of atoms, the history of life up to modern humans, the danger of a meteorite strike, and volcanic disasters such as Krakatoa and Yellowstone. Much of it recounts researchers' sometimes eccentric habits with humor. It won the 2004 Aventis Prize for best general science book and the 2005 Descartes Prize for science communication.

Mark Manson named it among his 11 best books on science, describing how Bryson begins with the Big Bang and carries the story to the present. Fabrice Grinda also lists it among his recommended books in a profile on his reading habits.