“It is a slightly arresting notion that if you were to pick yourself apart with tweezers, one atom at a time, you would produce a mound of fine atomic dust, none of which had ever been alive but all of which had once been you.” 
Bill Bryson, A Short History of Nearly Everything

Every year, I include a book that will challenge my left brain functions.  This year it was Bill Bryson’s “A Short History of Nearly Everything.”  I have never read any of Bill Bryson’s books before even though he is considered one of North America’s most popular writers of non-fiction.  His publishers relish the fact that his name sells books, possibly the greatest competitive advantage in the book making business.

“A Short History of Nearly Everything” attempts to tell the story of our universe from the very beginning.  Bill Bryson covers a great deal of ground, using a master storytelling style that keeps the reader interested from page one, or track one, if you are listening to the audio book as I did.  Listening to his softly modulated, welcoming voice added to the appeal.  It reminded me of sitting around a campfire listening to the legends of old.

Bill Bryson has a knack of targeting his audience, arguably one of the reasons he is so successful.  The story of the universe is not an easy subject, nor is the science behind it.  In fact, it can be rather intimidating.  Never fear, the complexities have been removed so that the narrative unfolds gently, without complicated equations or complex jargon.  Instead, Bill Bryson gives us historical anecdotes about the people who contributed to the collective learning.

My overall impression was that Bill Bryson was the intermediary, even a translator, between the scientific community and the rest of us who want to expand our knowledge at a leisurely pace.   I was amused, however, by his subtle way of letting the reader know that he was an invited guest to the elite scientific community.  But then, who can blame him for being excited about conversing with the biggest names in science.

Bill Bryson sparked my interest in looking back in to narratives of science and philosophy in more detail.  He reminds us that we do indeed “stand on the shoulders of giants.

“When the poet Paul Valery once asked Albert Einstein if he kept a notebook to record his ideas, Einstein looked at him with mild but genuine surprise.”Oh, that’s not necessary,” he replied. “It’s so seldom I have one.” 
Bill Bryson, A Short History of Nearly Everything