'Of everything', here, really means 'of everything' - at least everything organic. This book digs deep into earth history, with a special emphasis on homo sapiens. In other words, it walks right into the old nonfiction trap of mingling natural and human history, which are operating on almost irreconcilable levels. Strangely enough, this time the story turns out surprisingly well. Brannen makes some very good points in explaining and commenting upon our current situation. The writing style, shifting from factual through highbrow and lyrical to scurrilous, is most peculiar. Non-native speakers will learn the other word or two to spice up their academic writing with - native speakers probably also. Some concepts are certainly open to discussion but this is what the book invites to do: reflecting and re-contextualizing the human condition.