“A Short History of Nearly Everything” by Bill Bryson:Bill Bryson is one of my favorite authors, known for his illuminating personal narratives of journeys to such places as the Australian Outback and Appalachia. “A Short History of Nearly Everything” is an equally enlightening sojourn through the history of scientific inquiry, knowledge, and discovery. This book is even more impressive when one considers that Bryson is not a scientist by trade. This not withstanding, “Short History” has depth and breadth, reflecting the years Bryson spent researching the material and impressive even to a scientist such as myself. I’d be willing to wager that even the most widely read students of scientific history will learn much from this pedagogical narrative.
Isaac Newton proclaimed that he saw further only because he was, “standing on the shoulders of Giants.” Using a plethora of anecdotes, Bryson’s work shows that this statement is true of scientific progress in all disciplines.
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