I just finished reading (actually, listening to) a scientific book by Bill Bryson, someone I knew nothing about, on a subject that has been - for most of my life - a kind of love/hate relationship. If you want to read a book full of complex scientific and mathematical computations, where its companion title being an unabridged dictionary, look elsewhere. A Short History of Nearly Everything is a book for the rest of us. For all of us.
I've always loved learning about science, but not necessarily doing science. At least, not what I was exposed to as a student K-12 in the American public school system. But this book captivated my attention before I finished the first chapter and I became engrossed and fascinated with the shocking, if not often, hilarious accounts Bryson describes concerning the history of human scientific endeavor.
Reading this book is like wandering through history, somewhat haphazardly, though did I grow tired or bored. It's just so enchanting, how divisive people were (are), and how an individual's life can be summed up in a single sentence, leaving you wondering what else there was. I think this is why I chose history as my specialty in both my undergraduate degree, and now as a graduate student. I am in awe of people who come before me, and now only exist through pictures, remains and through the written record. This book seems to capture the exhilaration I feel.
If you are even remotely interested in scientific topics, this book is a must read. It has re-sparked my love of scientific discovery and enlivened in me a renewed desire to learn more on the subject.
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