A Short History of Nearly Everything

Bill Bryson covers the history of Nearly Everything in a single volume. It has been a very enlightening read. If I had such an enthralling book in high school I might have not ended up as a Software Developer.

From the big bang to the recent extinction of the Dodos he explains how the universe, the solar system, Earth, life, and humans came into existence. It is a big book that one can read in liesure. He drops in quick reminders of people mentioned earlier and terminologies that one is bound to forget. Bryson sheds light into how scientists, amatuers, and common folk uncovered the secrets of the universe.

The most inspiring aspect of the book are the lives of the relentless people in search for answers. Bryson explains not just how old the Earth is but how we got to calculate just that. He explains how brilliant minds worked out the complexities of questions like how life began. I cannot recommend this book enough to the curious mind.