The Magic of Reality
How We Know What's Really True
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Narrated by:
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Richard Dawkins
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Lalla Ward
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By:
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Richard Dawkins
About this listen
Richard Dawkins, the world’s most famous evolutionary biologist, presents a gorgeously lucid, science book examining some of the nature’s most fundamental questions both from a mythical and scientific perspective.
Science is our most precise and powerful tool for making sense of the world. Before we developed the scientific method, we created rich mythologies to explain the unknown. The pressing questions that primitive men and women asked are the same ones we ask as children. Who was the first person? What is the sun? Why is there night and day? The myths that address these questions are beautiful, but in every case their beauty is exceeded by the scientific truth.
With characteristic clarity and verve, Dawkins answers these big questions. Looking first at some of the myths that arose to answer the question, he then, dazzles us with the facts. He looks at the building blocks of matter, the first humans, the sun - explaining the life and death of stars; why there’s a night and a day - ranging from our solar system to the inner workings of our planet; what a rainbow really is—going from the rainbow in your backyard to the age of the universe; and finally, he poses a question that still baffles scientists: When did everything begin?
©2011 Richard Dawkins, Ltd. (P)2011 Simon & Schuster, Inc.Listeners also enjoyed...
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In The Ancestor's Tale, evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins offers a masterwork: an exhilarating reverse tour through evolution, from present-day humans back to the microbial beginnings of life four billion years ago. Throughout the journey, Dawkins spins entertaining, insightful stories and sheds light on topics such as speciation, sexual selection, and extinction. The Ancestor's Tale is at once an essential education in evolutionary theory and riveting in its telling.
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Please do an unabridged version!
- By MovieExpertise on 09-29-16
By: Richard Dawkins
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A Most Improbable Journey
- A Big History of Our Planet and Ourselves
- By: Walter Alvarez
- Narrated by: Adam Verner
- Length: 6 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
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Big History, the field that studies the entire known past of our universe to give context to human existence, has so far been the domain of historians. Geologist Walter Alvarez - best known for his Impact Theory explaining dinosaur extinction - makes a compelling case for a new, science-first approach to Big History.
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Learned so much
- By Niki on 12-09-18
By: Walter Alvarez
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The Varieties of Scientific Experience
- A Personal View of the Search for God
- By: Carl Sagan, Ann Druyan - editor
- Narrated by: Adrienne C. Moore, Ann Druyan
- Length: 7 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
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The late great astronomer and astrophysicist describes his personal search to understand the nature of the sacred in the vastness of the cosmos. Exhibiting a breadth of intellect nothing short of astounding, Sagan presents his views on a wide range of topics, including the likelihood of intelligent life on other planets, creationism and so-called intelligent design.
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Sagan's lectures about the possibility of God
- By David T. on 11-13-17
By: Carl Sagan, and others
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Exoplanets
- Diamond Worlds, Super Earths, Pulsar Planets, and the New Search for Life Beyond Our Solar System
- By: Michael Summers
- Narrated by: Jon Bennett
- Length: 5 hrs and 39 mins
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Since its 2009 launch, the Kepler satellite has discovered more than 2,000 exoplanets, or planets outside our solar system. More exoplanets are being discovered all the time, remarkable in their variety. Astronomer Michael Summers and physicist James Trefil explore these remarkable recent discoveries: planets revolving around pulsars, planets made of diamond, planets that are mostly water, and numerous rogue planets wandering through the emptiness of space.
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FINALLY, an Attention-Grabbing Planet Book!
- By aaron on 05-11-17
By: Michael Summers
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The Complete Cosmicomics
- Translated by Martin McLaughlin, Tim Parks, & William Weaver
- By: Italo Calvino, Martin McLaughlin - translator, Tim Parks - translator, and others
- Narrated by: Jefferson Mays
- Length: 15 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
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Italo Calvino's beloved cosmicomics cross planets and traverse galaxies, speed up time or slow it down to the particles of an instant. Through the eyes of an ageless guide named Qfwfq, Calvino explores natural phenomena and tells the story of the origins of the universe. Poignant, fantastical, and wise, these 34 dazzling stories - collected here in one definitive anthology - relate complex scientific and mathematical concepts to our everyday world.
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Moments of Greatness = Worth the Read
- By Amazon Customer on 08-06-18
By: Italo Calvino, and others
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When They Severed Earth from Sky
- How the Human Mind Shapes Myth
- By: Elizabeth Wayland Barber, Paul T. Barber
- Narrated by: Beth Richmond
- Length: 9 hrs and 25 mins
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Why were Prometheus and Loki envisioned as chained to rocks? What was the Golden Calf? Why are mirrors believed to carry bad luck? How could anyone think that mortals like Perseus, Beowulf, and St. George actually fought dragons, since dragons don't exist? Strange though they sound, however, these "myths" did not begin as fiction.
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The Volcano Book
- By Stanley on 02-05-11
By: Elizabeth Wayland Barber, and others
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Space Chronicles
- Facing the Ultimate Frontier
- By: Neil deGrasse Tyson
- Narrated by: Mirron Willis
- Length: 10 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
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With his signature wit and thought-provoking insights, Neil deGrasse Tyson - one of our foremost thinkers on all things space - illuminates the past, present, and future of space exploration and brilliantly reminds us why NASA matters now as much as ever. As Tyson reveals, exploring the space frontier can profoundly enrich many aspects of our daily lives, from education systems and the economy to national security and morale.
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The least helpful review of Space Chronicles.
- By Joshua Kring on 06-17-15
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The Universe in the Rearview Mirror
- How Hidden Symmetries Shape Reality
- By: Dave Goldberg
- Narrated by: Chris Sorensen
- Length: 10 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
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A physicist speeds across space, time, and everything in between showing that our elegant universe from the Higgs boson to antimatter to the most massive group of galaxies is shaped by hidden symmetries that have driven all our recent discoveries about the universe and all the ones to come. Why is the sky dark at night? Is it possible to build a shrink-ray gun? If there is antimatter, can there be antipeople? Why are past, present, and future our only options? Are time and space like a butterfly's wings? No one but Dave Goldberg, the coolest nerd physicist on the planet, could give a hyper-drive tour of the universe like this one.
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Good, but for whom?
- By Michael on 08-31-13
By: Dave Goldberg
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The Disappearing Spoon
- And Other True Tales of Madness, Love, and the History of the World from the Periodic Table of the Elements
- By: Sam Kean
- Narrated by: Sean Runnette
- Length: 12 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
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Reporter Sam Kean reveals the periodic table as it’s never been seen before. Not only is it one of man's crowning scientific achievements, it's also a treasure trove of stories of passion, adventure, betrayal, and obsession. The infectious tales and astounding details in The Disappearing Spoon follow carbon, neon, silicon, and gold as they play out their parts in human history, finance, mythology, war, the arts, poison, and the lives of the (frequently) mad scientists who discovered them.
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Great Book, Great Narration, But...
- By Henny Button on 09-18-10
By: Sam Kean
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At the Edge of Uncertainty
- 11 Discoveries Taking Science by Surprise
- By: Michael Brooks
- Narrated by: Sean Runnette
- Length: 9 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
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The atom, the big bang, DNA, natural selection - all are ideas that have revolutionized science; and all were dismissed out of hand when they first appeared. The surprises haven't stopped in recent years, and in At the Edge of Uncertainty, best-selling author Michael Brooks investigates the new wave of radical insights that are shaping the future of scientific discovery.
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All smoke, no fire
- By Kenton on 07-25-15
By: Michael Brooks
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The Blind Watchmaker, knowledgably narrated by author Richard Dawkins, is as prescient and timely a book as ever. The watchmaker belongs to the 18th-century theologian William Paley, who argued that just as a watch is too complicated and functional to have sprung into existence by accident, so too must all living things, with their far greater complexity, be purposefully designed. Charles Darwin's brilliant discovery challenged the creationist arguments; but only Richard Dawkins could have written this elegant riposte.
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How did the replication bomb we call "life" begin, and where in the world, or rather, in the universe, is it heading? Writing with characteristic wit and an ability to clarify complex phenomena (the New York Times described his style as "[T]he sort of science writing that makes the reader feel like a genius"), Richard Dawkins confronts this ancient mystery.
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Loved it
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Great writing; distracting reading
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Back to His Strong Suit
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Challenging textbook more than an enjoyable listen
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Loved it
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Great writing; distracting reading
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Please do an unabridged version!
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Better than print!
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Books Do Furnish a Life is divided by theme, including celebrating nature, exploring humanity, and interrogating faith. For the first time, it brings together Richard Dawkins's forewords, afterwords and introductions to the work of some of the leading thinkers of our age - Carl Sagan, Lawrence Krauss, Jacob Bronowski, Lewis Wolpert - with a selection of his reviews to provide an electrifying celebration of science writing, both fiction and non-fiction. It is also a sparkling addition to Dawkins's own remarkable canon of work.
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Loved it!
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The wonder of flight. The science of evolution. From both, Richard Dawkins weaves a fascinating account of how nature and humans have learned to overcome the pull of gravity and take to the skies. Have you ever dreamt you could fly? Or imagined what it would be like to glide and swoop through the sky like a bird? Do you let your mind soar to unknown, magical spaces?
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Thank God for Richard Dawkins!
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By: Richard Dawkins
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Brief Candle in the Dark
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In this hugely entertaining sequel to the New York Times best-selling memoir An Appetite for Wonder, Richard Dawkins delves deeply into his intellectual life spent kick-starting new conversations about science, culture, and religion and writing yet another of the most audacious and widely read books of the 20th century - The God Delusion.
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I'm a Dawkins Groupie but...
- By Anne on 10-18-15
By: Richard Dawkins
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In 2007, Christopher Hitchens, Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, and Daniel Dennett filmed a landmark discussion about modern atheism. The video went viral. Now, the transcript of their conversation is illuminated by new essays from three of the original participants and an introduction by Stephen Fry.
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Short
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By: Christopher Hitchens, and others
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Godless
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Part 1 of Godless, "Rejecting God", tells the story of how I moved from devout preacher to atheist and beyond. Part 2, "Why I Am an Atheist", presents my philosophical reasons for unbelief. Part 3, "What's Wrong with Christianity", critiques the bible (its reliability as well as its morality) and the historical evidence for Jesus. Part 4, "Life Is Good!", comes back to my personal story, taking a case to the United States Supreme Court, dealing with personal trauma, and experiencing the excitement of Adventures in Atheism.
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good writing, irritating narration
- By Amazon Customer on 03-23-16
By: Dan Barker, and others
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God Is Not Great
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In the tradition of Bertrand Russell's Why I Am Not a Christian and Sam Harris' recent best-seller, The End of Faith, Christopher Hitchens makes the ultimate case against religion. With a close and erudite reading of the major religious texts, he documents the ways in which religion is a man-made wish, a cause of dangerous sexual repression, and a distortion of our origins in the cosmos.
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5-Star Writing. Perfect Author Narration.
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Even though a growing number of Americans don’t believe in god, many remain reluctant to say so out loud. Kate Cohen argues that not only is it rewarding for those of little faith to announce themselves, it’s crucial to our country’s future. As she details the challenges and joys of fully embracing atheism—especially as a parent—Washington Post contributing columnist Kate Cohen does not dismiss religion as dangerous or silly. Instead, she investigates religion’s appeal in order to explain the ways we can thrive without it.
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Honest, gently forthright, and very much needed
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Atheist? Believer? Uncertain? No matter: The Portable Atheist will engage you every step of the way. From the number one New York Times best-selling author of God Is Not Great, comes this provocative and entertaining guided tour of atheist and agnostic thought through the ages with original pieces by Salman Rushdie, Ian McEwan, and Ayaan Hirsi Ali.
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Half the book
- By Barry Z. on 04-02-22
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The Meme Machine
- By: Susan Blackmore, Richard Dawkins - foreword
- Narrated by: Esther Wane
- Length: 11 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
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First coined by Richard Dawkins in The Selfish Gene, a meme is any idea, behavior, or skill that can be transferred from one person to another by imitation. Susan Blackmore shows that once our distant ancestors acquired the crucial ability to imitate, a second kind of natural selection began, a survival of the fittest amongst competing ideas and behaviors. Ideas and behaviors that proved most adaptive-making tools, for example, or using language - survived and flourished, replicating themselves in as many minds as possible.
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memes are gut bacteria, not godlike puppet masters
- By Hans Thieme on 02-14-22
By: Susan Blackmore, and others
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The End of Faith
- By: Sam Harris
- Narrated by: Brian Emerson
- Length: 9 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
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Here is an impassioned plea for reason in a world divided by faith. This important and timely work delivers a startling analysis of the clash of faith and reason in today's world. Harris offers a vivid historical tour of mankind's willingness to suspend reason in favor of religious beliefs, even when those beliefs are used to justify harmful behavior and sometimes heinous crimes.
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Good book, bad narrator
- By wlong on 09-17-10
By: Sam Harris
What listeners say about The Magic of Reality
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Justin
- 07-25-12
Brilliant Bully
What did you love best about The Magic of Reality?
Dawkins does a wonderful job walking the reader through the basics of science. Even if you're familiar with all the concepts it's still fun to review.
Any additional comments?
However, Dawkins seems to have a need to bully any religious faith. That position subtracted from the enjoyment of the book.
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- Heather
- 08-01-15
Very good overview
Although I found some segments oversimplified, this book provides very good explanations for those with a poor understanding of scientific concepts. unfortunately I'm not sure it will reach those who would benefit most. I did enjoy the comparisons of myth to science-based facts, very much, however a religious person would probably be infuriated by them, even though the science is explained in ways much better than I could convey to someone who doesn't understand something like evolution. I also enjoyed the dual narrators. The change in voices helps to hold attention especially while performing other tasks during which your mind might wander.
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- D. Jones
- 09-03-12
Excellent!
What made the experience of listening to The Magic of Reality the most enjoyable?
All of it was excellent!
What did you like best about this story?
The information was excellent for a general review! Would be a great listen for those looking for a quick explanation!
What does Richard Dawkins and Lalla Ward bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?
Liked the accents.
Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?
None
Any additional comments?
None
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- John
- 12-04-16
Dawkins is too cool for school
This should be studied in high school.
Perfect introduction to what is meant by, evolution theory
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- mrcornet
- 10-19-17
Well done basic introduction to science
This would be a good book for preteens. Easy to understand not to technical maybe a little too elementary for adults.
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- Anne
- 03-08-12
Wonderful
I have read three of Richard Dawkins' books, so I know what to expect and those expectations are high. This book is written for young people, clearly. But I enjoyed it very much. He doesn't talk down to them, nor does he "preach." The book simply addresses many of humankind's myths that have developed over humanity's history to explain what was at one time unexplainable. Then he explains the facts as well as how and why we know what we know about those facts.
I think the book will fascinate young people who have a decent level of curiosity about science. I think it may also speak to the adult layperson if for no other reason than that it will not only tell delightful myths from across time and across the Earth, but it places them in the context of what we know now.
Dawkins and Lalla Ward did the same excellent job with narration that they did with "The Greatest Show on Earth", his adult book about the evolution of species.
Recommend.
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- Jarrett P Thomas
- 11-29-12
The Best Book of Real Magic I have seen
Would you listen to The Magic of Reality again? Why?
I have listed to it twice. The topics covered are so widespread over the body of scientific knowledge that they would peek the interest of anyone that I know. Even if a person has little or no interest in any field of science, the principles and ideas in this book are worth it just for the sense of wonder you get when you see reality again.
What about Richard Dawkins and Lalla Ward ’s performance did you like?
Both Richard Dawkins and Lalla Ward read well throughout the book and maintain both a very calming yet interested tone. You can at times almost feel when they are about to deliver a good point. I do like the idea of having them both read as it provides variety.
Any additional comments?
This is really a book of wonder and magic. Its finest quality comes from the idea that it does not present the magic of things you cannot see or understand, but it is the magic of things that you can see and experience. This book opens the world and I highly recommend it to anyone, but especially to all children and parents.
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- Michael
- 04-23-14
A magical experience
Richard Dawkins creates a sense of awe and wonder of the universe that we live in, while dispelling the many myths and fairytales that have crept up over the history of humanity. The true story is far more exciting than the false myths that are perpetuated throughout societies.
The narration is outstanding and is among the most professional that I have heard. Richard and Lalla are an excellent team and a true joy to listen to.
This book covers a range of subjects such as evolution, what a rainbow is, how we know the distance to different stars and more. Several myths are examined as well, but there is no actual "magic" here. Rather, Dawkins masterfully shows how everything has a natural and rational explanation behind it.
I absolutely enjoyed this audiobook and recommend it listeners of all ages.
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- Vrad
- 04-20-12
Appreciate the World Around You
What did you love best about The Magic of Reality?
This captures a lot of what I have always felt. People see magic behind the beauty and intricacy of everything around us. I just see the beauty of science as it helps us appreciate the existence of the universe and everything within it. Putting magic behind it can't possibly give people the same sense of appreciation as when you force the brain to think and have it come to strunning realizations. It's like living inside the matrix, which is just a smoke screen. But unlike the matrix, the world outside is much more amazing than inside. Come join me outside of the matrix :)
What did you like best about this story?
This is a book that adults and even early teenagers can really get into. It gives a great biology background and also delves into other sciences (although Dawkins discloses that biology is his real expertise). Instead of magical, you realize that the existence of the universe and everything within it is amazing and consistent with known sciences (without a need to resort to magic or pseudo-sciences).
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- Mary Anne Clark
- 03-21-12
Maybe OK as a children's book.
Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?
No. There is nothing new in this book, it is very basic and simplistic. It is clearly intended for children, although I'm not sure how the patronizing narration would go over even by children. Maybe especially by children.
What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)
Didn't finish it.
What aspect of Richard Dawkins and Lalla Ward ???s performance would you have changed?
A more adult style, even if the book is intended for children.
Do you think The Magic of Reality needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?
Perhaps a version for adults. I like the concept, but the material was just too simplistic.
Any additional comments?
I'm a great fan of Richard Dawkins. I think he's done some great stuff over the years. But this one is a miss.
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