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A Short History of Nearly Everything
- Narrated by: William Roberts
- Length: 18 hrs and 59 mins
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A Short History of Nearly Everything
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The Body
- A Guide for Occupants
- By: Bill Bryson
- Narrated by: Bill Bryson
- Length: 14 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 618
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 497
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 491
In the best-selling, prize-winning A Short History of Nearly Everything Bill Bryson achieved the seemingly impossible by making the science of our world both understandable and entertaining to millions of people around the globe. Now he turns his attention inwards to explore the human body, how it functions and its remarkable ability to heal itself. Full of extraordinary facts and astonishing stories, The Body: A Guide for Occupants is a brilliant, often very funny attempt to understand the miracle of our physical and neurological makeup.
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3 out of 5 stars
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Not Bryson’s best
- By Chelsea on 08-10-2019
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At Home: A Short History of Private Life
- By: Bill Bryson
- Narrated by: Bill Bryson
- Length: 16 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 997
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 863
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 858
Bill Bryson was struck one day by the thought that we devote more time to studying the battles and wars of history than to considering what history really consists of: centuries of people quietly going about their daily business. This inspired him to start a journey around his own house, an old rectory in Norfolk, considering how the ordinary things in life came to be.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Best use of a credit
- By Rachel on 29-07-2015
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Notes from a Small Island
- By: Bill Bryson
- Narrated by: Bill Bryson
- Length: 5 hrs and 39 mins
- Abridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 48
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 38
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 38
After nearly two decades in Britain, Bill Bryson took the decision to move back to the States for a while but before leaving his much-loved home in North Yorkshire, Bryson insisted on taking one last trip around Britain. His aim was to take stock of the nation's public face and private parts (as it were), and to analyse what precisely it was he loved so much about a country that had produced Marmite, a military hero whose dying wish was to be kissed by a fellow named Hardy....
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5 out of 5 stars
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Another excellent Bryson book
- By Anonymous User on 05-02-2022
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Down Under
- By: Bill Bryson
- Narrated by: William Roberts
- Length: 12 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,128
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,024
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,023
Australia has more things that can kill you than anywhere else. Nevertheless, Bill Bryson journeyed to the country and promptly fell in love with it. The people are cheerful, their cities are clean, the beer is cold, and the sun nearly always shines.
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3 out of 5 stars
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It's OK but --------------------
- By Extraordinary Gent. on 26-04-2015
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Neither Here Nor There
- By: Bill Bryson
- Narrated by: Bill Bryson
- Length: 5 hrs and 38 mins
- Abridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 35
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 30
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 30
Bill Bryson's first travel book, The Lost Continent, was unanimously acclaimed as one of the funniest books in years. In Neither Here Nor There he brings his unique brand of humour to bear on Europe as he shoulders his backpack, keeps a tight hold on his wallet, and journeys from Hammerfest, the northernmost town on the continent, to Istanbul on the cusp of Asia.
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Shakespeare
- The World as a Stage
- By: Bill Bryson
- Narrated by: Bill Bryson
- Length: 5 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 101
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 86
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 85
Shakespeare's life, despite the scrutiny of generations of biographers and scholars, is still a thicket of myths and traditions, some preposterous, some conflicting, arranged around the few scant facts known about the Bard: from his birth in Stratford to the bequest of his second best bed to his wife when he died.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Enjoyable, fun, & informative
- By Ballina Beach on 11-04-2016
-
The Body
- A Guide for Occupants
- By: Bill Bryson
- Narrated by: Bill Bryson
- Length: 14 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 618
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 497
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 491
In the best-selling, prize-winning A Short History of Nearly Everything Bill Bryson achieved the seemingly impossible by making the science of our world both understandable and entertaining to millions of people around the globe. Now he turns his attention inwards to explore the human body, how it functions and its remarkable ability to heal itself. Full of extraordinary facts and astonishing stories, The Body: A Guide for Occupants is a brilliant, often very funny attempt to understand the miracle of our physical and neurological makeup.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Not Bryson’s best
- By Chelsea on 08-10-2019
-
At Home: A Short History of Private Life
- By: Bill Bryson
- Narrated by: Bill Bryson
- Length: 16 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 997
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 863
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 858
Bill Bryson was struck one day by the thought that we devote more time to studying the battles and wars of history than to considering what history really consists of: centuries of people quietly going about their daily business. This inspired him to start a journey around his own house, an old rectory in Norfolk, considering how the ordinary things in life came to be.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Best use of a credit
- By Rachel on 29-07-2015
-
Notes from a Small Island
- By: Bill Bryson
- Narrated by: Bill Bryson
- Length: 5 hrs and 39 mins
- Abridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 48
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 38
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 38
After nearly two decades in Britain, Bill Bryson took the decision to move back to the States for a while but before leaving his much-loved home in North Yorkshire, Bryson insisted on taking one last trip around Britain. His aim was to take stock of the nation's public face and private parts (as it were), and to analyse what precisely it was he loved so much about a country that had produced Marmite, a military hero whose dying wish was to be kissed by a fellow named Hardy....
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5 out of 5 stars
-
Another excellent Bryson book
- By Anonymous User on 05-02-2022
-
Down Under
- By: Bill Bryson
- Narrated by: William Roberts
- Length: 12 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,128
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,024
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,023
Australia has more things that can kill you than anywhere else. Nevertheless, Bill Bryson journeyed to the country and promptly fell in love with it. The people are cheerful, their cities are clean, the beer is cold, and the sun nearly always shines.
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3 out of 5 stars
-
It's OK but --------------------
- By Extraordinary Gent. on 26-04-2015
-
Neither Here Nor There
- By: Bill Bryson
- Narrated by: Bill Bryson
- Length: 5 hrs and 38 mins
- Abridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 35
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 30
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 30
Bill Bryson's first travel book, The Lost Continent, was unanimously acclaimed as one of the funniest books in years. In Neither Here Nor There he brings his unique brand of humour to bear on Europe as he shoulders his backpack, keeps a tight hold on his wallet, and journeys from Hammerfest, the northernmost town on the continent, to Istanbul on the cusp of Asia.
-
Shakespeare
- The World as a Stage
- By: Bill Bryson
- Narrated by: Bill Bryson
- Length: 5 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 101
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 86
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 85
Shakespeare's life, despite the scrutiny of generations of biographers and scholars, is still a thicket of myths and traditions, some preposterous, some conflicting, arranged around the few scant facts known about the Bard: from his birth in Stratford to the bequest of his second best bed to his wife when he died.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Enjoyable, fun, & informative
- By Ballina Beach on 11-04-2016
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A Walk in the Woods
- By: Bill Bryson
- Narrated by: Bill Bryson
- Length: 5 hrs and 58 mins
- Abridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 201
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 182
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 181
The Appalachian Trail covers 14 states, and over 2,000 miles. It stretches along the East Coast of the United States, from Maine in the north to Georgia in the south. It is famous for being the longest continuous footpath in the world. (Compare this with the Pennine Way, which is a mere 250 miles long.) It snakes through some of the wildest and most spectacular landscapes in America, as well as through some of its most poverty-stricken and primitive backwoods areas.
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5 out of 5 stars
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I love Bryson narrated Bryson books.
- By Dwayne on 03-05-2016
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Sapiens
- By: Yuval Noah Harari
- Narrated by: Derek Perkins
- Length: 15 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall5 out of 5 stars 10,273
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 8,671
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Story5 out of 5 stars 8,624
Earth is 4.5 billion years old. In just a fraction of that time, one species among countless others has conquered it. Us. We are the most advanced and most destructive animals ever to have lived. What makes us brilliant? What makes us deadly? What makes us sapiens? In this bold and provocative audiobook, Yuval Noah Harari explores who we are, how we got here, and where we're going.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Thought-provoking
- By Ant Le Breton on 30-08-2017
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The Road to Little Dribbling
- More Notes From a Small Island
- By: Bill Bryson
- Narrated by: Nathan Osgood
- Length: 13 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 205
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 186
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 186
Twenty years ago Bill Bryson went on a trip around Britain to celebrate the green and kindly island that had become his adopted country. The hilarious book that resulted, Notes from a Small Island, was taken to the nation’s heart and became the best-selling travel book ever and was voted in a BBC poll the book that best represents Britain. Now, to mark the 20th anniversary of that modern classic, Bryson makes a brand-new journey around Britain to see what has changed.
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4 out of 5 stars
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Typical Bryson
- By Jan on 22-10-2015
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Made in America
- By: Bill Bryson
- Narrated by: William Roberts
- Length: 18 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 214
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 188
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 188
In Made in America, Bryson de-mythologizes his native land, explaining how a dusty hamlet with neither woods nor holly became Hollywood, how the Wild West wasn't won, why Americans say 'lootenant' and 'Toosday', how Americans were eating junk food long before the word itself was cooked up, as well as exposing the true origins of the G-string, the original $64,000 question, and Dr Kellogg of cornflakes fame.
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4 out of 5 stars
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Very entertaining account of American vocabulary
- By Aileen on 03-07-2015
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The Bill Bryson BBC Radio Collection
- Divided by a Common Language, Journeys in English and More
- By: Bill Bryson
- Narrated by: Bill Bryson
- Length: 7 hrs and 59 mins
- Original Recording
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Overall5 out of 5 stars 2
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Performance0 out of 5 stars 0
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Story0 out of 5 stars 0
Bill Bryson is the world's funniest travel writer, and a master of comic observation. His hugely popular books, spanning topics from linguistics to Shakespeare to the human body, have sold over 16 million copies and been translated into 30 languages, and his 2003 science book A Short History of Nearly Everything won the prestigious Aventis and Descartes prizes.
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Journeys in English
- By: Bill Bryson
- Narrated by: Bill Bryson
- Length: 2 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 37
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 29
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 27
This highly entertaining BBC Radio 4 series is written and presented by Bill Bryson and based on his best-selling book, Mother Tongue. In it, he romps through the history of Britain to reveal how English became such an infuriatingly complex - but ultimately world-beating - language.
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4 out of 5 stars
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Interesting subject but poorly mastered
- By Rachel C. on 01-03-2021
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One Summer
- America 1927
- By: Bill Bryson
- Narrated by: Bill Bryson
- Length: 17 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 206
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 189
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 186
One Summer: America, 1927, is the new book by Britain’s favourite writer of narrative nonfiction, Bill Bryson. Narrated by the man himself, One Summer takes you to the summer when America came of age, took centre stage, and changed the world forever. In the summer of 1927, America had a booming stock market, a president who worked just four hours a day, a semi-crazed sculptor with a plan to carve four giant heads into a mountain called Rushmore, a devastating flood of the Mississippi, a sensational murder trial, and a youthful aviator named Charles Lindbergh who started the summer wholly unknown, and finished it as the most famous man on Earth.
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4 out of 5 stars
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A Summer more or less
- By Cainsy on 17-05-2015
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The Pact
- An Audible Original
- By: Thomas Keneally
- Narrated by: Keith Scott, Taylor Owynns, Thomas Keneally
- Length: 7 hrs and 9 mins
- Original Recording
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Overall4 out of 5 stars 1,686
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,475
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Story4 out of 5 stars 1,473
From Australia's master storyteller comes an endearing and engaging novella about a journey as unexpected, painful, intriguing and character-filled as life itself. A cruise was the promise. To cruise away from their troubles. To cruise towards the place where they first met, on the banks of the Thames. A cruise to dwell in their memories together and plan their next chapter. Paddy and Jenny Davern have had a long and happy marriage together in Sydney. Together they embark on a cruise to London, for the last leisurely journey in each other's company.
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2 out of 5 stars
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My thoughts
- By Amanda on 22-08-2020
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A History of the World
- By: Andrew Marr
- Narrated by: Andrew Marr, David Timson
- Length: 26 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 252
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 220
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 217
From the earliest civilizations to the 21st century: a global journey through human history, published alongside a landmark BBC One television series. Our understanding of world history is changing, as new discoveries are made on all the continents and old prejudices are being challenged. In this truly global journey, Andrew Marr revisits some of the traditional epic stories, from classical Greece and Rome to the rise of Napoleon, but surrounds them with less familiar material, from Peru to the Ukraine, China to the Caribbean.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Great work
- By James on 22-05-2015
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A Walk in the Woods
- By: Bill Bryson
- Narrated by: William Roberts
- Length: 9 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 486
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 433
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 432
The Appalachian Trail covers 14 states and over 2,000 miles, snaking through some of the most spectacular landscapes in America. Reluctant adventurer Bryson recounts his gruelling hike along the longest continuous footpath in the world.
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4 out of 5 stars
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A realists view into hiking long distance
- By Peter on 30-08-2018
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21 Lessons for the 21st Century
- By: Yuval Noah Harari
- Narrated by: Derek Perkins
- Length: 11 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall5 out of 5 stars 2,611
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 2,227
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 2,209
Sapiens showed us where we came from. Homo Deus looked to the future. 21 Lessons for the 21st Century explores the present. How can we protect ourselves from nuclear war, ecological cataclysms and technological disruptions? What can we do about the epidemic of fake news or the threat of terrorism? What should we teach our children? Yuval Noah Harari takes us on a thrilling journey through today’s most urgent issues.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Great!
- By Michael Matusik on 13-09-2018
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Zero Day Code
- End of Days, Book 1
- By: John Birmingham
- Narrated by: Rupert Degas
- Length: 12 hrs and 32 mins
- Original Recording
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 3,838
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 3,445
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 3,427
Every modern city has one week’s worth of food to feed itself. Then it will collapse. Cut off the resources to New York, Sydney, or even a mid-size metropolis, and millions will soon starve. In Zero Day Code we see those immense and open, hyper-complex, networked supercities of the new millennium die. And in the last moments we see their vengeance take form as all the best and worst traits of humanity bubble to the surface.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Birmingham does it again
- By Christos on 01-07-2019
Editorial Reviews
Publisher's Summary
Critic Reviews
"To read Bryson is to travel with a memoirist gifted with wry observation and keen insight that shed new light on things we mistake for commonplace. To accompany the author as he travels with the likes of Charles Darwin on the Beagle, Albert Einstein or Isaac Newton is a trip worth taking." (Publishers Weekly)
"Stylish [and] stunningly accurate prose....Brims with strange and amazing facts...destined to become a modern classic of science writing." (The New York Times)
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What listeners say about A Short History of Nearly Everything
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Michael
- 27-11-2015
Not what I expected but brilliant!
It all starts with the narrator sounding like Dr Klein from half-life, which just lifted the mood for what was about to happen. Then instead of the history of the world as I expected, I copped a physics, chemistry, astronomy, geology and biology lesson I will never forget. I'll have to read this book again and again to ensure I soak it all in!
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68 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Stacy Best
- 12-06-2016
a literature review of science history
This is absolutely amazing something I'll probably listen to at least one a year :)
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25 people found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- angus
- 04-02-2016
Fun and educational
fantastically narrated, very funny and very informative. I enjoyed every chapter and found the ending to be very eye open and confronting.
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22 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Solutionist
- 14-12-2015
An extraordinary book!
I purchased this audiobook, as much as anything, to test the truth of the title. In the final analysis it delivers on its promise. This is an extraordinary book in terms of its scope and reach. The narrator is easy to listen to (not always the case with Americans to my ears!) and you can just sit back and absorb whatever grabs you.
I listened to it in the car, which is probably not the best place to give it the attention it deserves, but then I could have ended up with my brain full, and that wouldn't have been ideal either.
If you have the time and inclination to hear about many things you've either forgotten about, or always thought you should know more about, this is a good choice.
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22 people found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Proud Mum
- 07-11-2015
So much content, I'll have to listen to it again
Any additional comments?
Bill Bryson has an incredible talent for researching very complex topics and then converting them into something the average person can understand. I must say I am pleased to have listened to this book as opposed to reading it (I fear I may not have made it to the end). Well done Mr Bryson. The narrator on the other hand did a fairly good job, but still fell down on the pronunciation of some words ... but at least his performance was way better than it was in Down Under.
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20 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance1 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Fergal McCraken
- 26-06-2017
great story....narration terrible
This is an amazing story. However the narration is terrible. Bill Bryson should have narrated this.
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17 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Peter Bondy
- 08-07-2015
A very human book.
Full of information not only about science and discoveries but the sometimes bazaar stories of the people who made them.
There is certainly no math to try and understand which is sometimes good and sometimes I wanted more detail. That is not what this book aims to supply though.
This book is a history of of humanities journey of discovery and wow what a journey.
Fascinating and just so listenable with narration being really really well executed. It gives the book life and wit and energy
Highly recommended.
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12 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Adi A.
- 20-05-2015
This should be part of school curriculum
Bill Bryson just made science interesting. This book is a must listen for everyone and anyone. Has the potential to turn anyone into a science lover.
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12 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Nathan
- 17-06-2016
A masterful conglomerate!
This short history is simply astounding.
Bryson lashes together some of the grandest and boldest ideas, events and ages into a clever, but easy to enjoy audiobook that I would recommend to all.
I am honestly grateful that I got the opportunity to listen to such a wonderful work.
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10 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Graeme
- 14-04-2015
so much information
a well told narrative of everything . my head is enjoyably swimming is its abundance.
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9 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- dj
- 08-02-2005
Torn on this one...
I will first admit that I really like Bill Bryson and own all of his books - even "Palace Under the Alps". With that in mind, it won't be a surpise when I tell you "A Short History" is something pretty magical - it's helped to open my eyes to much in the world around me.
So why am I torn? Normally I detest Abridged books - I like books I can get deeply involved in and enjoy over a period of time. However, as with his other books, Bryson himself reads only the Abridged version of "A Short History" - and if you haven't heard him read his own material - well you really should. His droll, dry wit is best delivered by his own tounge.
So, my solution was to acquire both versions of "A Short History" and I've enjoyed both - but I leave the Bryson read Abridged version in my car and listen to it from time to time - I don't see myself doing the same with the Unabridged version.
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19 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- Marius
- 30-08-2005
Superbly whimsical
A superbly whimsical miscellany of knowledge. The narrator matches the style of Bill Bryson impeccably. The range of subjects covered is wide, and the treatment of each is first class. If every child starting high school listened to this before choosing subjects, there would be a far greater enrolment in the sciences. Whether you're a kid of 9 or 90, you will find this fascinating. I cannot resist a minor quibble - the wealth of Johannesburg was not based on diamonds, but gold. The South African city founded on diamonds is Kimberly, whence the term Kimberlite, the volcanic rock that frequently yields diamonds. That aside, what a great book.
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14 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- P Shveid
- 17-02-2009
Long and Fun.
If youre interested in science in general this is a great book.
The price for over 15 hrs is a great buy.
Imposible to listen in one sesion.
Buy it, dont be chicken.
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8 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- Steve
- 14-03-2005
A
This is indeed one of the best books I have had the good fortune to read and also one of the best narrations from all of my Audible purchases.
All Audible customers should consider purchasing this book, whether or not you are history fans. The book is captivating, once you start listening you will not be able to stop -
be prepared to have your life disrupted!!!
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7 people found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
- Tushan
- 30-09-2008
A short history of nearly everything
Very interestingly written and captures / sustains your attention much of the time. On occasion the digrassions can be a little distracting but, these are rare occurances. It provides historical context to the development of the subject matter and is very enlightening on the many personalities whose individual efforts contributed to the whole.
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6 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- Stewert
- 04-04-2006
Outstanding.....
Every human being should listen to this book. Not only will it make you appreciate just how far we have come as a species, and how lucky we are to be here (so many other species failed to survive). It will also make you realise that there is so far we have yet to go and just how wrong we can be, and occasionally, right.
An amazing insight into "the only planet you will ever know".
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5 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- Donn Edwards
- 08-09-2005
Thorough, and thoroughly enjoyable
I found the abridged version fascinating, and enjoyed the unabridged version even more, even though it is quite a marathon. The narrator does tend to be a bit dry, but not unbearably so.
I found it extremely fair and did great justice to the Creation vs Evolution debate, and covers and explains a vast array of human knowledge in a few hours.
My own conclusion is that the universe was created, AND it evolved, much in the same way as light is both a particle AND a wave. To insist on one or the other is simply bad science. Bill Bryson's book is well written and well read, and I'm glad I bought it.
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5 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- Z
- 10-08-2005
My favourite audio book so far
This is my favourite audio book from audible so far. At first the narrator was slightly irritating, he sounds like the kind of "crazy professor" types they get to host pop science shows for kids, but after a while he grew on me, and in the end I think it was very well narrated.
The actual content is far too wide ranging to cover specifically in a short review. But it follows a coherent path about all those little tidbits of the history of our planet, our species and our universe, that everyone should know, but most of us never bothered to investigate.
Even though this is probably one of the longest audio books on this site, you'll still be wanting more when it's over. If you're interested in the general topics I mentioned, and just want a nice, "for the average person with an interest in science" presentation of this material, you'll thoroughly enjoy this audio book.
It rarely strays into the extremely technical or detailed, but still conveys the main thrust of the ideas. I highly rate this book, the writing is good, and there were times I laughed out loud, at the authors humour which kind of sneaks up on you.
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5 people found this helpful
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance2 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Jackie
- 10-01-2013
Bill Bryson as always is excellent
Is there anything you would change about this book?
Although I enjoyed the book, I'm not sure that I got the unabridged version. It was supposed to be 19 hours and I only got 6 hours. What did I miss?
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3 people found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
- Denis
- 24-06-2008
A Short History of Nearly Everything
This is a well researched and entertaining story. Bryson has an absolute knack for turning the boring into the interesting. It is clear that his interest and passion for this enormous subject grew during the construction of the book. Its a different Bill Bryson and I like it. BUT I am not a fan of the reader. OK I'm from Australia but I enjoy a lot of american reads. This one is very difficult to put up with for long stretches. It needs to be read with a fun lively attitude. Sadly this one did not. I have the printed book too which I love to pick up and read. If you can stand the reader, get the audio book!
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- Roy
- 08-08-2005
A short Review of Nearly Everything
Bill Bryson is best known for writing fun travelogues of his journeys around the world and, here, he turns the same sense of humour and writing style to this brief walk through the history of science.
Split in fairly broad swathes by subject, he addresses what we know, what we suspect and what we thought we knew but now figure we got wrong. This is interspaced with tales of the people behind the discoveries (many oddballs and eccentrics).
This is by no means complete, but there is a surprisingly large amount covered including cosmology, geology, biology and lots of other things you hated at school because they weren't presented this clearly or interestingly.
The only downside to the audiobook comes when discussing some numbers where the sheer immensity gets lost a bit without seeing it written down but it's the most minor of quibbles for a truly special text introducing reasonable intelligent science to the reasonably intelligent person.
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215 people found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
- Helen
- 16-11-2007
Long listen, needs concentration!
I decided to give this a go on audiobook, as the length of the actual book put me off. I'm glad I did. If you are expecting 'History' in the traditional sense here, be warned - Bryson's book covers 'History' in terms of the creation of the world, the universe and everything, and is in fact far more concerned with physics and chemistry.
Very interesting in parts, although I have to be honest and say big chunks went over my head - it's the sort of listen that you can tune in and out of as you wish. Be warned though - it's very very very long, so you will need determination to get through it all.
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97 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- Mr. M. Curtis
- 13-04-2013
This book has made me a nerd...
I am someone who listens to Lee Child's and pretended to be Jack Reacher when my family wasn't watching. I really don't know why I chose to download it, science ain't my thing! Or should I say wasn't, my friends think I've gone mad. Conversations are now punctuated by "did you know..." Or "I've just discovered...."
What's happened to me? The simple pleasures of Jack Reacher bashing up baddies just isn't enough any more. So be warned this book is a virus that will grip you, cause you to delay reaching your destination, and probably make you want to befriend bacteria. Don't get me started on how far things are and how small we must be....
Health warning: the genius and wonderful engaging pace of this book will leave you wanting more even after the hours and hours it leaves you hiding in a quiet spot gripped by its wonder. Use wisely and with caution.
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96 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- Dominique
- 06-10-2005
A great contribution
I listened to it in the car twice, my sons read it. I bought four copies of the book to give away to friends. ALL found it incredibly insightful and well written. So informative about important scientific developments. The author reads it perfectly. Very nice to listen to.
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84 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- Gary
- 18-01-2007
Knowledge enough to blow your mind
You certainly gets your monies worth with this book, as you'll need to listen to it over and over to get to grips with all the information contained. Having said that, it's easy listening and the narrator is easy on your ears.
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63 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- Jane
- 11-07-2007
Terrific
I was gripped by this from beginning to end. Bryson provides an overview of modern science, tracing the story of various disciplines. What stands out is the way that he makes each narrative strand fascinating in its own right, while weaving them into a bigger picture. I loved the way that he provides a historical perspective on scientific endeavour. He's really good at explaining where various ideas came from and why they seemed radical in their day. I'm sure that if you're a serious scientist then Bryson is just glossing the surface. But as an interested non-scientist I found that this explained and illuminated a lot of ideas I had previously found vague and confusing. Fascinating.
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50 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- Demeter
- 05-06-2010
An outstanding read
This book is a genuine tour de force which I have listened to now many times, and will listen to again, and again.
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42 people found this helpful
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Overall1 out of 5 stars
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Performance1 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- A. E. Ackroyd
- 02-02-2015
Can't stand the narrator
If this book wasn’t for you, who do you think might enjoy it more?
I love Bill Bryson, but cannot abide William Robert's jaunty, sing-song delivery.
Who was your favorite character and why?
I listened to two or three minutes and switched it off, never to listen again.
How could the performance have been better?
I have a large number of Bill Bryson audiobooks and return to them again and again; Home, America, A walk in the Woods, The Thunderbolt Kid, but all read, exactly as they should be, by Bill Bryson himself.
You didn’t love this book--but did it have any redeeming qualities?
For me, William Robert's readings have nothing to redeem them. I so want to listen to this book, but read by Mr. B.
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32 people found this helpful
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Overall1 out of 5 stars
- Dafydd
- 08-11-2011
A Fantastic Book Ruined
A Short History of Nearly Everything was a standout publication, a once in generation masterpiece which everybody should hold a copy of.
Many years ago, I had the audiobook, I listened to it over and over, read by a excellent narrator.
Sadly this version is appalling, the closest it achieves to scientific greatness is a listening experience akin to Stephen Hawkins voice simulator.
William Roberts may be well equipped for children's tales, television voiceovers or impressions of a village idiot, but adding the required weight to volume of this quality he is left exposed and out of his depth.
Sadly the waste of a credit and now I am left to find original copy I so enjoyed.
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27 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- Sara
- 10-01-2011
Brilliant book
This is probably my favourite non-fiction title I have listened to so far. It pretty well delivers on it's titles promise, in that it covers so many subjects, from the origins of the Universe through to recent man's history. There are so many entertaining anecdotes and interesting facts, coming in such high concentration that as soon as it finished, I listened to the whole thing again so I could retain some more of them to amaze other people with!
If schools could capture just a fraction of the interest that this book creates in their classes, rather than rolling out tedious dates and formulas, then I am sure they would find grades would go up. History, Science, Geography, Biology, Astrophysics are but a few of the subjects that are brought to life with real facts delivered in a humourous and informative manner. Excellently narrated and highly recommended.
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