Bill Bryson has yet to disappoint. His ability to intertwine scientific facts with witty humor is unparalleled. I chuckled aloud a good amount while rBill Bryson has yet to disappoint. His ability to intertwine scientific facts with witty humor is unparalleled. I chuckled aloud a good amount while reading this.
The Body: A Guide for Occupants gives the reader a wonderful tour through the miraculous wonder that is the human body. At any given moment, there are billions of cells working hard to maintain you. Red blood cells are traveling swiftly through the veins delivering oxygen to your organs and muscles. Your eyes are rapidly shooting back and forth, scanning the environment and sending those images to your brain, just so you can make sense of the world. Bacteria in your gut are busy munching away at whatever foodstuff you just devoured. And you gobbled down that burger because your brain told you it was time to eat, without you having to worry about setting a timer to do so. All this happens all day every day, without you ever having to think about it.
Bryon also introduces us to many different scientists and doctors that are responsible for the medicines and treatments we take for granted today. These are the unsung heroes. I find it a bit sad that the average person can name a celebrity but hasn't the slightest clue about who discovered penicillin or antibiotics.
It was a joy reading this, and I can't wait to read another book about the body. My lack of knowledge about the very thing that is keeping me alive and active and aware is sad! My brain is telling me "Go learn more about your body you fool!"
**12.28.18 - I listened to the audiobook version and it was great! I enjoyed the book all over again. I forget how funny Bill can be and how he can ma**12.28.18 - I listened to the audiobook version and it was great! I enjoyed the book all over again. I forget how funny Bill can be and how he can make dry subjects sound interesting. Highly recommended!**
A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson is an educational science book in which Bill touches upon a little bit of...well...everything!
We are offered a glimpse into the workings and history from a smorgasbord of topics such as the theory of the big bang, the quirky workings of quantum physics, the explosive history of volcanoes, world-destroying asteroids, the climate and conditions of the primordial earth and an innumerable amount of other topics.
I enjoy Bryson's writing style. He speaks on topics in a way that exudes interest and excitement and there is always humor involved and he does a great job at keeping the reader engaged and interested. There are parts in the book, however, that were a bit underwhelming. Bryson tends to go into detail about the biography of the different scientists that made their discoveries and I found that I wanted to get through those pages quickly so that I could continue learning about the topic on hand.
This was my first book that reignited my love for literature. I had gone without reading a book for a couple of years and this was the one I picked up when I decided to scratch that itch. The book is a thick one (about 544 pages) so when it arrived in the mail I thought I had bitten off more than I could chew however I was instantly drawn in and I am fan of Bryson's work!...more
I fell in love with hiking years ago and when I learned about the legendary Appalachian Trail I was awed and wondered how people could manage to walk I fell in love with hiking years ago and when I learned about the legendary Appalachian Trail I was awed and wondered how people could manage to walk the entire trail. I have hiked parts of it in NJ and NY. It is one of those moments that drift up during little moments of reverie; how wonderful it would be to leave behind the boisterous cacophony of civilization and wander through the coniferous woodlands. One day maybe.
Bryson paints vividly the sights and sounds of the trails -- the tweeting birds, flowing rivers and the music the swaying trees make when a soft breeze flows through the forest. There were plenty of humorous moments as well as Bryson speaks of his misadventures with his friend and hiking buddy Stephen Katz.
The book was a joy and it has made me eager to hit the trails once again, with autumn and its colors slowly making their way to the east coast....more
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