"Geologists are never at a loss for paperweights.”

A wide ranging lesson on the natural sciences and their pioneers. It can be lengthy, brief, funny, boring, interesting, tedious, and enjoyable at any moment. Instead of remembering a lot of specific facts, I finished with a better understanding of how science makes progress. Hearing the stories of so many scientists you realize how controversial, competitive, and petty the fields can be. Time and place were huge factors as well, as Bryson summed up: "Ocean rocks lasted only as long as it took them to travel ashore. It was a beautiful theory that explained a great deal. Hesse elaborated his ideas in an important paper, which was almost universally ignored. Sometimes the world just isn’t ready for a good idea."

This was read in anticipation for Bryson’s new book on the body. He does massive amounts of research and is able to share it in an enjoyable way. It’s just difficult to keep readers interested through the ranging topics of quarks, ocean floors, the naming of plants, and Darwin’s personal life.

A passage that sums up the book well: “If you’ve forgotten what an isotope is, it doesn’t matter, though for the record it’s an atom with an abnormal number of neutrons."

Audiobook: the narrator was excellent. He’s very engaged and has a natural cadence and tone. It really helps the book along.