A Short History of Nearly Everything
Bill Bryson
Bryson brings the same humour and curiosity to the whole of science, from the Big Bang to cells, ideal if you enjoyed Tyson's light touch and sweeping scope.
11 books to read next
Books Like Astrophysics for People in a Hurry
If you loved Astrophysics for People in a Hurry by Neil deGrasse Tyson
Readers love Tyson's book for its brevity and charm: short, self-contained chapters that cover the Big Bang, dark matter, dark energy, exoplanets and the periodic table without equations or jargon. His conversational wit makes huge ideas feel approachable, and the closing reflections on our cosmic perspective leave readers feeling both small and connected. It suits anyone who wants a confident, friendly overview of modern astrophysics that can be read in spare moments, and who finishes wanting to know a little more.
Short and witty science
What If?
Randall Munroe
Absurd hypothetical questions answered with real physics and stick-figure humour; a playful companion for readers who liked Tyson's wit and quick, digestible sections.
The cosmic perspective
Cosmos
Carl Sagan
Tyson's mentor wrote the classic that inspired his closing chapter's sense of wonder; Sagan blends astronomy, history and philosophy about our place in the universe.
Pale Blue Dot
Carl Sagan
A meditation on humanity's future in space, it deepens the reflective, humbling tone that readers found so moving at the end of Tyson's book.
The Order of Time
Carlo Rovelli
If Tyson's questions about space and time stayed with you, Rovelli explores what time really is in lyrical, accessible prose.
Go deeper into the universe
A Brief History of Time
Stephen Hawking
The landmark popular book on the Big Bang, black holes and cosmology expands on many of Tyson's topics with more detail while remaining equation-light.
The End of Everything
Katie Mack
A cosmologist explains how the universe might end, with humour and clarity much like Tyson's, picking up his threads on dark energy and expansion.
Black Hole Survival Guide
Janna Levin
A short, vivid tour of what black holes are and what happens near one, ideal for readers who wanted Tyson's black hole pages to last longer.
Big questions in physics
The Elegant Universe
Brian Greene
Greene unpacks relativity, quantum theory and string theory with clever analogies, a natural next step after Tyson's quick nods to quarks and quantum mechanics.
We Have No Idea
Jorge Cham, Daniel Whiteson
A funny, illustrated guide to the unknowns like dark matter and dark energy that Tyson flags as open mysteries, written with a physicist co-author.
Origin Story
David Christian
A big history from the Big Bang to modern humans, extending Tyson's cosmic timeline into the story of life, Earth and civilisation.
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