A Short History of Nearly Everything - Bill Bryson

If you want to learn science through a light-hearted lens, this is a fascinating combination of the history of everything and the story of the people involved in discovering the history of everything. After living in Britain for twenty or more years, Bryson has developed that a particularly wry humour to bring historical stories to life by highlighting the ludicrous and the mundane. Who would have guessed that Edmond Halley was rewarded by the Royal Society, not with salary, but with copies of their poorly selling "The History of Fishes". Priceless. With Bryson's background in travel writing, you won't be disappointed with this journey, combining the chronological story of the earth with the history of dicovery and the potential threats in the future. From quarks to continental drift, Bryson explores where these theories have come from, how they are initially ridiculed, and where they are heading today. A magnificent writing that brings to life the bits we found boring at school.