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10 Science Books Guaranteed to Open Your Eyes

Our latest poll question over on our Facebook page asked you to name the science book in the non-fiction genre that opened your eyes the widest, and thanks to everyone who replied. I have to admit, this isn’t my genre at all and I’m totally out of my depth with this one. However after adding up all your replies, I do have a list!

According to you, here are the 10 books about science in the broadest sense that most opened your eyes.

A Short History of Nearly Everything – Bill Bryson

We have a joint first place for this poll and the first book you selected is A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson. Bryson is such a raconteur he could write about anything and the world would love it I’m sure.

A Short History of Nearly Everything – US
A Short History of Nearly Everything – UK

Cosmos – Carl Sagan

And sharing the top spot is Carl Sagan’s Cosmos. Again Sagan is such a wonderful storyteller his books appeal to almost everyone.

Cosmos – US
Cosmos – UK

A Brief History of Time – Stephen Hawking

Hawking is possibly the best known scientist in the world, and many of you were awestruck with A Brief History of Time.

A Brief History of Time – US
A Brief History of Time – UK

The Hot Zone – Richard Preston

Many of you recommended The Hot Zone and rather than a general science book, this non-fiction thriller looks into the origins of ebolaviruses and other viral haemorrhagic fevers.

The Hot Zone – US
The Hot Zone – UK

The Blind Watchmaker – Richard Dawkins

Dawkins is probably the best known atheist in the world, and The Blind Watchmaker is his argument for the theory of evolution, published in 1986.

The Blind Watchmaker – US
The Blind Watchmaker – UK

So there are our top 5 science books, guaranteed to open your eyes. We promised 10 of course and at the bottom of the list, all with the same number of votes from you guys is:

The Physics of the Future – Michio Kaku
Bad Science – Ben Goldacre
The God Delusion – Richard Dawkins
The Fabric of the Cosmos – Brian Greene
Frontiers and Frontiers – Isaac Asimov

We hope you enjoyed that list and as always you’re invited to add your own suggestions in the comments!

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One Comment

  • Jack says:

    I had to stop reading the Hot Zone because of the ebola-hemorrhagic descriptions of how the infected person’s body was handling the disease. While I love a good murder mystery, I had to stop at the way-too-vivid descriptions of blood and other assorted gross things. I mean, I watch Game of Thrones (gratuitous violence and bloodshed), and the book was still too much for me.

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