Bill Bryson (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Bryson) offers us an education in science within one volume. Written in an entertaining style his approach to the subject matter is through the lives of the scientists who made the discoveries. The tone is conversational and the explanation assisted by homely metaphor. Bryson interviews leading researchers in their fields and reveals many an amusing idiosyncrasy. He brings across to the layperson a crop of mind boggling facts about our Universe, many to do with its scale and complexity. For example, there are more atoms in one glass of water than there are glasses of water in all the oceans, lakes and seas on Earth. Try getting your head around that! Bryson has done all the spadework for us here. All you have to do is enjoy the ride. Heartily recommended.
18 pages of bibliography to set you on a lifetime of science reading.
Originally published in 2003. 672 pages in Black Swan paperback edition.
ISBN 978-0552997041