Review of A Short History of Nearly Everything 2.0 by Bill Bryson

I am writing this as the Artemis II mission is flying around the far side of the moon, in a loss of signal, the loneliest humans. It’s a moment that really puts life on Earth into perspective. A Short History of Nearly Everything 2.0 is another great tool for gaining perspective. Over twenty years after writing it, Bill Bryson has updated this seminal work with new information and understanding. Not only does the new version “hold up,” but it renews my appreciation and awe for this planet that we call home.

I have reviewed the original edition of this book three times, most recently in 2019. Each time I have reiterated how amazing this book is. My opinion hasn’t changed with this new edition.

Originally when I embarked on reading this, I considered rereading both editions side by side so I could spot literally all the differences. I quickly abandoned that plan, mostly because it was impractical with my busy schedule. Maybe someone else will take that on. Suffice it to say, this “2.0 version” is substantially the same as the original text but has updates big and small.

Some of these updates are subtle. In early chapters, where Bryson discusses the makeup of our solar system, he has updated the count of Saturn’s moons, expanded the section on exoplanets, and mentioned the flyby of extrasolar object 1I/ʻOumuamua. It’s so cool to see these new developments in science and history make their way into the updated version.

Similarly, there are a couple of moments where Bryson has clearly returned to reinterview someone he spoke to for the first edition of the book. It was very neat to hear them talk about the same subject twenty years on and get a second chance to explain or expand upon what they said the first time.

Finally, although Bryson was never shy about crediting women in the first edition, I feel like there has been more of an effort to do so in this edition. That likely corresponds with the broader trend in science communication to do this. It is really great to hear more about people like Vera Rubin, who was essential to the development of theories of dark matter in connection to galactic rotation.

I won’t spend too much time reviewing the content of the book itself. Four reviews of a book is probably pushing it! Here’s a very concise explanation of why this is one of my favourite books of all time and will remain so for, I suspect, the rest of my life.

A Short History of Nearly Everything 2.0 isn’t about human history. Humanity plays a very small role in the story in this book, appearing as late as we do in the history of our planet. At the same time, I simply adore that Bryson explores how we learned what we know about our planet, its history, and the science underpinning our existence. He avoids Great Man Theory, often pointing out how many discoveries happened simultaneously or nearly simultaneously throughout history.

When I was a kid, I had this big hardcover book with an electric blue cover. I forget the name, something like “The Monster Book of Science.” It had sections on Earth science, space science, and life science, and it was so fascinating. I’m pretty sure I took it home from the school library when they were clearing out old books, and I adored this thing. From a young age, I have always been so curious about how everything in this universe works.

A Short History of Nearly Everything 2.0 is the adult version of this book, and Bryson brings that exact same sense of wonder and whimsy that young Kara felt paging through her kid-friendly version of a science book. Even as Bryson translates complicated scientific ideas into accessible explanations, he never fails to convey the awesome nature of what he’s saying. We wouldn’t exist if our universe’s physical constants were finely tuned slightly differently. We wouldn’t exist if Earth were a bit closer or a bit farther from the Sun. We wouldn’t exist if the evolution of life had taken a different path, if a comet hadn’t struck the Earth sixty-six million years ago and led to the rise of mammals, if, if, if….

This is a book that will blow your mind over and over. If you like science, or if you are simply curious about “hey, how do we know that?” then this book is for you. This book is for everyone.