All the Knowledge in the World: The Extraordinary History of the Encyclopaedia by Simon Garfield is a lively and fascinating journey through the making of one of humanity’s most ambitious projects: the encyclopedia. Blending history, ideas, and cultural storytelling, this book explores how people have tried to collect, organise, and preserve knowledge across centuries.
Readers who enjoy science, history, and big intellectual stories will find plenty to savour here. Garfield uncovers the quirks, triumphs, and contradictions behind the quest to capture the world in books, making this an engaging read for anyone curious about how knowledge is shaped, shared, and challenged.
