a short history of nearly everything chapters

Most striking is Bryson’s obvious fascination with his topic. No single topic is explored in great depth but for the “big picture” (and I do mean big), this book is hard to beat. Bryson’s primary goal is to give us a memorable and readable overview of how our universe, solar system, planet, and species came to be.

The style is conversational and snappy chapters are short, easy to digest, and amply illustrated, both with striking photos and comical (often enlightening) cartoon drawings. The ambitious title comes from the fact that the book deals with nothing less than the origin of the universe itself-and goes on to address major cosmic questions like these: Is there an “edge” to the universe? How many solar systems are there? How old is the earth? What are the odds of any living thing becoming a fossil? What happened to the dinosaurs? Does time have a shape? Should we fear asteroids? What pushed ocean living creatures onto land? Are we headed for chilly times-or a big warm-up? These and literally hundreds of other related questions are tackled headlong through Bryson’s obvious passion for science and exploration. This new edition of Bryson’s bestselling A Short History of Nearly Everything has been condensed and adapted for younger readers-and the result is a book that makes physics and astronomy accessible not only for students, but for many adult readers as well. Genre: Informational, emphasizing astronomy, physics, and some history.Ĭuriosity may have killed off a cat or two, but it definitely breathes life into informational writing-as evidenced by the work of noted author Bill Bryson.

161 pages.Īges: Written primarily for middle school and up, but appealing to readers from upper elementary through adult. A Really Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson.

A short history of nearly everything chapters