A Short History of Nearly Everything
by Bill Bryson
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More Recommenders
“FYI: what i read this year (following @vcstarterkit's rule) Bold the ones i would highly recommend. I switched to mainly listening to audiobooks and only "read" for entertainment. Hence mostly space scifi. | Fun read of everything from the big bang to tectonic plates to the evolution of early man. | It’s very impressive to read about people pondering how to figure out the weight of the Earth or something in the 18th century. | Just finishing "Short History of Nearly Everything". This book is informationdense and manages to be humorous and super entertaining. Audiobook is perfect for a long road trip if you have Audible. | Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization”
Source →
Chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway
“FYI: what i read this year (following @vcstarterkit's rule) Bold the ones i would highly recommend. I switched to mainly listening to audiobooks and only "read" for entertainment. Hence mostly space scifi. | Fun read of everything from the big bang to tectonic plates to the evolution of early man. | It’s very impressive to read about people pondering how to figure out the weight of the Earth or something in the 18th century. | Just finishing "Short History of Nearly Everything". This book is informationdense and manages to be humorous and super entertaining. Audiobook is perfect for a long road trip if you have Audible. | Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization”
Source →“FYI: what i read this year (following @vcstarterkit's rule) Bold the ones i would highly recommend. I switched to mainly listening to audiobooks and only "read" for entertainment. Hence mostly space scifi. | Fun read of everything from the big bang to tectonic plates to the evolution of early man. | It’s very impressive to read about people pondering how to figure out the weight of the Earth or something in the 18th century. | Just finishing "Short History of Nearly Everything". This book is informationdense and manages to be humorous and super entertaining. Audiobook is perfect for a long road trip if you have Audible. | Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization”
Source →“FYI: what i read this year (following @vcstarterkit's rule) Bold the ones i would highly recommend. I switched to mainly listening to audiobooks and only "read" for entertainment. Hence mostly space scifi. | Fun read of everything from the big bang to tectonic plates to the evolution of early man. | It’s very impressive to read about people pondering how to figure out the weight of the Earth or something in the 18th century. | Just finishing "Short History of Nearly Everything". This book is informationdense and manages to be humorous and super entertaining. Audiobook is perfect for a long road trip if you have Audible. | Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization”
Source →“FYI: what i read this year (following @vcstarterkit's rule) Bold the ones i would highly recommend. I switched to mainly listening to audiobooks and only "read" for entertainment. Hence mostly space scifi. | Fun read of everything from the big bang to tectonic plates to the evolution of early man. | It’s very impressive to read about people pondering how to figure out the weight of the Earth or something in the 18th century. | Just finishing "Short History of Nearly Everything". This book is informationdense and manages to be humorous and super entertaining. Audiobook is perfect for a long road trip if you have Audible. | Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization”
Source →“FYI: what i read this year (following @vcstarterkit's rule) Bold the ones i would highly recommend. I switched to mainly listening to audiobooks and only "read" for entertainment. Hence mostly space scifi. | Fun read of everything from the big bang to tectonic plates to the evolution of early man. | It’s very impressive to read about people pondering how to figure out the weight of the Earth or something in the 18th century. | Just finishing "Short History of Nearly Everything". This book is informationdense and manages to be humorous and super entertaining. Audiobook is perfect for a long road trip if you have Audible. | Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization”
Source →“FYI: what i read this year (following @vcstarterkit's rule) Bold the ones i would highly recommend. I switched to mainly listening to audiobooks and only "read" for entertainment. Hence mostly space scifi. | Fun read of everything from the big bang to tectonic plates to the evolution of early man. | It’s very impressive to read about people pondering how to figure out the weight of the Earth or something in the 18th century. | Just finishing "Short History of Nearly Everything". This book is informationdense and manages to be humorous and super entertaining. Audiobook is perfect for a long road trip if you have Audible. | Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization”
Source →“FYI: what i read this year (following @vcstarterkit's rule) Bold the ones i would highly recommend. I switched to mainly listening to audiobooks and only "read" for entertainment. Hence mostly space scifi. | Fun read of everything from the big bang to tectonic plates to the evolution of early man. | It’s very impressive to read about people pondering how to figure out the weight of the Earth or something in the 18th century. | Just finishing "Short History of Nearly Everything". This book is informationdense and manages to be humorous and super entertaining. Audiobook is perfect for a long road trip if you have Audible. | Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization”
Source →“FYI: what i read this year (following @vcstarterkit's rule) Bold the ones i would highly recommend. I switched to mainly listening to audiobooks and only "read" for entertainment. Hence mostly space scifi. | Fun read of everything from the big bang to tectonic plates to the evolution of early man. | It’s very impressive to read about people pondering how to figure out the weight of the Earth or something in the 18th century. | Just finishing "Short History of Nearly Everything". This book is informationdense and manages to be humorous and super entertaining. Audiobook is perfect for a long road trip if you have Audible. | Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization”
Source →Recommended by 11 notable people, including Derek Sivers and Stewart Brand
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Should I read this?
Recommended by 16 sources and appears in Nonfiction, Best Science Books, and Art History.
In Bryson's biggest book, he confronts his greatest challenge: to understand?and, if possible, answer?the oldest, biggest questions we have posed about the universe and ourselves. Taking as territory everything from the Big Bang to the rise of civilization, Bryson seeks to understand how we got from there being nothing at all to there being us. To ...
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Why recommended
Recommended by 16 sources and appears in Nonfiction, Best Science Books, and Art History.
Recommended by notable people
People and public figures who have recommended this book.
Recommendation Signals
Recommendation proof is sourced from public posts, interviews, reading lists, and cited references.
Shah Rukh Khan
“FYI: what i read this year (following @vcstarterkit's rule) Bold the ones i would highly recommend. I switched to mainly listening to audiobooks and only "read" for entertainment. Hence mostly space scifi. | Fun read of everything from the big bang to tectonic plates to the evolution of early man. | It’s very impressive to read about people pondering how to figure out the weight of the Earth or something in the 18th century. | Just finishing "Short History of Nearly Everything". This book is informationdense and manages to be humorous and super entertaining. Audiobook is perfect for a long road trip if you have Audible. | Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization”
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Not sure if this is the right fit?
Consider Shoe Dog by Phil Knight. Recommended by 54 sources.
“Phil Knight’s memoir is a raw, first-person sprint through Nike’s chaotic early years, loaded with near-bankruptcies, strained partnerships, and the obsessive hustle of an underdog. The useful part is its unfiltered look at the emotional cost of entrepreneurship—the sleepless nights, the lawsuits, the brinkmanship. It will lose you when the endless travelogue and repetitive financial close-shaves start to feel like a highlight reel without a clear lesson, and Knight’s own voice can grow self-mythologizing.”
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Each recommendation is collected from a public source — interviews, articles, or curated lists — and linked to its original URL. Books with many verifiable recommendations from respected people rank higher.