A Short History of Nearly Everything 2.0

By: Bill Bryson

Narrated by: Bill Bryson

Brought to you by Penguin.

Journey through time and space with Bill Bryson in the best-selling popular science book of the 21st century, exploring the history of the Earth, the universe, and everything in between.

NOW FULLY REVISED AND UPDATED IN THIS NEW ABRIDGED EDITION, READ BY THE AUTHOR.

Bill Bryson describes himself as a reluctant traveller, but even when he stays at home, he can't contain his curiosity about the world around him.

A Short History of Nearly Everything 2.0 is the result of his quest to understand everything that has happened from the Big Bang to the rise of civilization – how we got from being nothing at all to what we are today. Now fully updated it explains among much else:

• why Pluto is no longer a planet
• how the number of moons in the solar system has more than doubled in 20 years
• how scientists used advances in genetics to discover previously unknown species of early humans
• why we still don't know what most of the universe is made of
• how the little Higgs boson transformed physics

This journey through time and space will inform a new generation of readers, young and old, as well as those who read this book on first publication with a new perspective based on what we know now.

Written in his inimitable style, Bryson makes complex subjects fascinating and accessible to everyone with an interest in the world around them.

A Short History of Nearly Everything 2.0 reveals the world in a whole new way.

'Possibly the best scientific primer ever published.' Economist

'Truly impressive...It's hard to imagine a better rough guide to science.' Guardian

© Bill Bryson 2025 (P) Penguin Audio 2025

Brilliant narration & sense making of life’s complexity

A magnificent must read/listen book for all who’re infinitely curious and hold questions of where we come from and how it all fits together. Bryson’s signature humour and ability to explain the complex with simplicity and useful metaphorical explanations takes an abundance of facts and figures and brings all to life in an engaging and interesting tale.

Bill is a great author. Narrator? Not so much, unfortunately.

Apart from the narration, the book is great. The original is still way better - purely on the narration, and what on Earth is the idea of doing this as an ABRIDGED version??