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I liked this book so much I purchased it for a friend rather than give up my copy.I love all of Bill Bryson's books so this wasn't my first. I have to say I enjoyed it the most so far.It is science that even someone who didn't pay attention in school can understand.
Now at age 60, if only I had textbooks like this in college I may not have failed physics at RIT being that math was never my strong suit. Hey, you never know. is because the degree tilt of the Earth's axis is off the "norm" by a degree or so.
I would have hung tough with physics and chemistry and invested the time and effort beyond the equations if it meant that I may have eventually stumbled onto an earth shaking discovery.What fascinated me the most was how some of the most important scientific discoveries were made by uneducated illiterate lay people only to have their ideas and concepts usurped by the day's greatest egotists. and I'm no scientist. For the first time in my life I have a basic understanding of what an atom is.
our molten core must really be rocking, and that Chilean earthquake was a real punch in the planet's gut. I just mentioned to my wife a short time ago that maybe the reason for the current wild swings in climate, i.e. amplified storm intensities, mega-earthquakes, record snow in the mid-Atlantic, etc.
Had I had any sense of mathematics I'd probably be refining macular repair procedures at John's Hopkins. Thanks for the inspiration but I wish I was 20 again.
The focus of this book is on how mankind acquired its current knowledge in a large swathe of scientific disciplines (astronomy, geology, biology, chemistry, physics, etc), including the charming hiccups along the way. It takes the reader on a journey from our ignorant past to the present, stirring an appreciation for the scientific method as it does so. It is well written, holds the reader's attention, and offers us glimpses into the characters of those giants on whose shoulders we now find ourselves. I enthusiastically recommend this book to anyone.
This was a brilliant read - written with humour and modesty - informative without being high and mighty. I thoroughly recommend it (this is the first review I have ever been inspired to write). Bill Bryson covers the history of science, touching on subject matter as diverse as the atom, plate tectonics, space and human evolution. Everything is explained simply but with enough depth to ensure the reader feels comfortable with the subject matter.
I liked this book a lot and I recommend it to everyone who ever wondered how much weights Earth or how far is the Sun
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