The Magic of Reality

How We Know What's Really True

By: Richard Dawkins

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Paperback | 11 September 2012

At a Glance

Paperback
272 Pages

Dimensions(cm)
21.1 x 13.7 x 1.8

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Magic takes many forms. The ancient Egyptians explained the night by suggesting that the goddess Nut swallowed the sun. The Vikings believed a rainbow was the gods' bridge to earth. The Japanese used to explain earthquakes by conjuring a gigantic catfish that carried the world on its back - and earthquakes occurred each time it flipped its tail. These are magical, extraordinary tales. But there is another kind of magic, which lies in the exhilaration of discovering the real answers to these questions. It is the magic of reality - science. Packed with inspiring explanations of space, time, evolution and clever thought experiments, "The Magic of Reality" explains a stunningly wide range of natural phenomena. What is stuff made of? How old is the universe? What causes tsunamis? Who was the first man, or woman? This is a page-turning, inspirational detective story that not only mines all the sciences for its clues but primes the reader to think like a scientist too. In this special text-only edition of the original colour illustrated hardback, Richard Dawkins' own inimitable clarity and exuberance can be especially appreciated as he elucidates the wonders of the natural world to all ages.

About the Author

Richard Dawkins has written a string of bestselling books, including the phenomenal The God Delusion. He is a fellow of the Royal Society and the Royal Society of Literature, and has won numerous awards. He was a professor at Oxford University until 2008 and he remains a fellow of New College.

Industry Reviews

"I am often asked to recommend good books on science for young people. From now on, I will not have to hesitate. "The Magic of Reality" provides a beautiful, accessible and wide ranging volume that addresses the questions that all of us have about the universe, separating often too-little known facts from too-frequently believed fictions. For this reason it should be a powerful resource for people of all ages, written with the masterful and eloquently literate style of perhaps the best popular expositor of science, Richard Dawkins, and delightfully illustrated by Dave McKean. What more could anyone ask for?"

--Lawrence Krauss is Foundation Professor and Director of the Origins Project at Arizona State University and the author most recently of "Quantum Man", and "A Universe from Nothing"

"Exhilarating. The clearest and most beautifully written introduction to science I've ever read. Again and again I found myself saying "Oh! So that's how genes work!" (or stars, or tectonic plates, or all the other things he explains). Explanations I thought I knew were clarified; things I never understood were made clear for the first time. My favourite adjective of praise has always been "clear," and this book has clarity all the way through."

--Philip Pullman, author of "The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ" and the "His Dark Materials" trilogy

"I wanted to write this book but I wasn't clever enough. Now I've read it, I am"

--Ricky Gervais

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