A Short History of Nearly Everything, by Bill Bryson -- https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21.A_Short_History_of_Ne...

First half of the book changed my life, and second half is merely good. I wrote a full review [0], and eight years later, that first half has become one of my favorite reads ever.

[0]: http://www.spaceponies.com/review-of-a-short-history-of-near...