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A Short History of Nearly Everything
Modern · Nonfiction, Science, History

A Short History of Nearly Everything

by Bill Bryson
2003 · 544 pages · Nonfiction
53 Modern ★ 4.21 on Goodreads · 438K ratings
Critics' pick
≈ 14 hours to read · about 4 weeks at 30 minutes a day

Is it worth reading?

Baillie Gifford Prize finalist (2004). 4.21★ from 438K Goodreads ratings.

By the numbers

53Must-Read Score
  • Readers81 out of 100 · counts 40%+37
  • Critics24 out of 100 · counts 14%+4
  • Bestseller34 out of 100 · counts 32% (its stronger lane)+12
  • Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 15%+0

Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero.

Where it ranks

Shortlisted

Reads as

True story, Funny, Thought-provoking

How we rank

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