A Short History of Nearly Everything

The ultimate eye-opening journey through time and space, A Short History of Nearly Everything is the biggest-selling popular science book of the 21st century and has sold over 2 million copies.

''Possibly the best scientific primer ever published.'' Economist
''Truly impressive...It''s hard to imagine a better rough guide to science.'' Guardian
''A travelogue of science, with a witty, engaging, and well-informed guide'' The Times

Bill Bryson describes himself as a reluctant traveller, but even when he stays safely at home he can''t contain his curiosity about the world around him. A Short History of Nearly Everything is his quest to understand everything that has happened from the Big Bang to the rise of civilization - how we got from there, being nothing at all, to here, being us.

Bill Bryson''s challenge is to take subjects that normally bore the pants off most of us, like geology, chemistry