A brief history of almost everything?
It is impossible to write a history of almost everything even if it is brief. The writer himself, Bill Bryson, says it. The title, also to be from an informative book of science, is very special. However, this title reflects the philosophy of the book. For years Bill Bryson wanted to understand many different topics related to science. However, he did not find a book to answer his questions, not even as he wanted, so he decided to write the book.
At that time Bryson was already a journalist famous for writing books about travel. For three years he began to document himself, was with many scientists and read many other books. And most importantly, he wrote that dream book.
He was very successful. In 2004 he won the Aventis Award for Scientific Outreach (the same one currently called the Royal Society) and since then the book has reached great prestige. Among other things, they have translated into many languages and sold more than four million worldwide.
Now we have one of the latest translations in our bookstores, specifically in Basque. Translated by Ixiar Iza of the Elhuyar Foundation. Bryson moves away from the style of traditional outreach books and has worked on the text in a very simple writing. The challenge of translation has been precisely to maintain it.
Bryson, at first, welcomes the reader and reminds him of the fate he has had, since a series of atoms form the reader himself, the person. In fact, the book is a journey. It begins in the Universe, analyzes the Earth from the point of view of those who measured it, analyzing the pathways of physics, chemistry and geology, then analyzing the terrestrial atmosphere, analyzing the origin of life, physiology, evolution and, finally, man itself.
It is difficult to say if that trip is a story of almost everything, but, even if not, it is worth reading that book, among other things because it has been written by a writer who does not make scientific disclosure.
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