From the Bookshelf of Science and Inquiry…

A Short History of Nearly Everything

Bill Bryson

Start date: March 1, 2009

Finish date: March 31, 2009

Discussion: Book Club 2010 & Prior

Why we're reading this: Picked in a poll to read about science history for the March reading.
[close] Picked in a poll to read about science history for the March reading.

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Book Club 2010 & Prior

March Book Club "A Short History of nearly Everything"
By William · 14 posts · 147 views

last updated Aug 06, 2014 12:20PM

November 2010 - Death from the Skies!: These Are the Ways the World Will End / The Varieties of Scientific Experience: A Personal View of the Search for God
By S. · 62 posts · 80 views

last updated Apr 19, 2012 04:58PM

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What Members Thought

Jul 31, 2008 David Rubenstein rated it it was amazing

Shelves: nonfiction, science

I am a scientist, and I found much of this book quite fascinating. The book certainly isn't comprehensive in any sense of the word--in fact it seems to roam in a semi-random sort of way; but the author's sense of humor and attention to colorful historical facts kept my interest from beginning to end.

One of the themes of this book, is that when someone comes up with with a new discovery, there are three stages before it is accepted:
1) Nobody believes it.
2) Nobody thinks it is important
3) It gets ...more

38 likes · Like · see review

Apr 21, 2011 Margie rated it it was amazing

Shelves: science

I love it when Walter Alvarez pops up in books I'm reading. There's always a frisson of excitement as I think to myself, "I know a famous scientist!" It shouldn't have come as a surprise to find him in this book, but exciting nonetheless. There's even a book listed in the bibliography coauthored by Garniss Curtis, one of our emeritus professors. Again, shouldn't be a surprise to find eminent earth scientists in a book about, in part, earth science.

I love Bryson's style. So accessible and easy to ...more

1 like · Like · see review