Brian recommended this book, one I had years ago dropped like a hot potato after learning it was not a funny travel story.
One of my favourite writers, Bill Bryson, had switched to science.
At the library, I got the 6hr abridgment on CD read by the author. Excellent. In fact, an abridgment may even be better for this text. Bryson should have called it A Shorter History of Nearly Everything.
… explores the history of biology, botany, and zoology, and traces life from its first appearance all the way to today’s modern humans, placing much emphasis on the development of the modern Homo sapiens. All along the book, humorous stories about the scientists behind the discovery and their half-crazy behaviour is given. Throughout the book, there are many reports on the way humans change the Earth’s climate and destroy other species, as well how the Earth was and is a very destructive planet itself, briefly touching about earthquakes, volcanoes, tsunamis, hurricanes, and mass extinctions. His tendency to look for big explosions and awe-inspiring devastation takes him to the most destructive disasters in the history of the world, from Krakatoa to Yellowstone National Park. ….
Brian learned how LITTLE we actually know about “everything”.
I was most struck by how much confusion was caused when scientists started analyzing DNA in human fossils. One group of people living in Australia, for example, were “impossible” by all known science.
I highly recommend it.
Rick McCharles 
I listened to this in my car about a year ago – Vegas traffic is very conducive to book listening. I loved it, and think it is time to play it again!
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