I have to recommend this month A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson. I’ve always liked Bill Bryson’s style anyway. He always writes as if he’s sitting in your lounge and talking to you. He has a very controlled and effective voice.
This book is packed with facts and information. I doubt there is any fake news. Every fact is verifiable. And there is at least one fact on every line. It’s a long read, coming in at 672 pages in the paperback. So, a heck of a lot of facts, then.
Bryson’s research has been thorough. It isn’t just regurgitated knowledge. He has visited places and talked to people as well.
There’s quite a bit to be worried about: will Yellowstone Park blow any minute – it’s long overdue? How many more animals will become extinct? The rate at which that happens, and to plants as well, is alarming. And will we be one of the victims? What’s going to happen to the climate? Are we actually coming to the end of an ice age and will the planet get too warm for us?
He covers so many topics: space, the ocean, genetics, evolution, particle physics, and many, many more.
Very pertinent of course was the chapter on diseases and viruses and he all but predicted what is happening now.
In many ways it’s a terrifying read. There is so much that can go wrong and there was so much chance involved in life being able to form. Yet there is nothing here that would challenge or reinforce any religious belief.
It is also awe-inspiring. This life, fragile as it is, is worth celebrating.
You have to admire the amount of work Bryson has put into this. There is so much there I think I may have to read this book again.
Grab your copy here
