The Story of Science, Told in Sparkling Prose

What makes a popular book on science worth reading? Timely subject matter, factual accuracy, depth appropriate for general readers, and reputation of the author are among the traits. But one quality, often overlooked, stands out above all others: Good writing.

By that criterion alone, Bill Bryson's latest book, A Short History of Nearly Everything, belongs on everyone's scientific bookshelf. In a genre thick with clunky sentences and plodding paragraphs, Bryson's fluid prose sparkles like snowmelt on a sunny day.

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