A
Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson is a great
book that explains a vast number of scientific principles and
discoveries without ever feeling anything like a textbook. The
author's real talent is in describing the stories behind and the
people involved in some of science's greatest achievements. There
are laugh out loud moments throughout the book and Bryson's story-telling
ability ensures that the reader comes away from the book feeling
amazed at just how small we all are in comparison with the universe
around us. The fact that Bryson is not a scientist himself means
that he focuses more on the story rather than the science, but
this doesn't detract from what is a really good read.
Highly recommended! 
