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  • The Magic of Reality: How We Know What's Really True

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The Magic of Reality: How We Know What's Really True

4.4 out of 5 stars (4,911)

An elegant, text-only edition of the New York Times bestseller that’s been hailed as the definitive authority on…everything by Richard Dawkins.

Richard Dawkins, bestselling author and the world’s most celebrated evolutionary biologist, has spent his career elucidating the many wonders of science. Here, he takes a broader approach and uses his unrivaled explanatory powers to illuminate the ways in which the world really works.

Filled with clever thought experiments and jaw-dropping facts,
The Magic of Reality explains a stunningly wide range of natural phenomena: How old is the universe? Why do the continents look like disconnected pieces of a jigsaw puzzle? What causes tsunamis? Why are there so many kinds of plants and animals? Who was the first man, or woman?

Starting with the magical, mythical explanations for the wonders of nature, Dawkins reveals the exhilarating scientific truths behind these occurrences. This is a page-turning detective story that not only mines all the sciences for its clues but primes the reader to think like a scientist as well.
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"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

About the Author

Richard Dawkins is a Fellow of the Royal Society and was the inaugural holder of the Charles Simonyi Chair of Public Understanding of Science at Oxford University. He is the acclaimed author of many books including The Selfish Gene, Climbing Mount Improbable, Unweaving the Rainbow, The Ancestor’s Tale, The God Delusion,and The Greatest Show on Earth. Visit him at RichardDawkins.net.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0078XFYDA
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Free Press
  • Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ September 11, 2012
  • Edition ‏ : ‎ Reprint
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 3.2 MB
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 273 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9781451690132
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1451690132
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Best Sellers Rank: #352,378 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 out of 5 stars (4,911)

About the author

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Richard Dawkins
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Richard Dawkins taught zoology at the University of California at Berkeley and at Oxford University and is now the Charles Simonyi Professor of the Public Understanding of Science at Oxford, a position he has held since 1995. Among his previous books are The Ancestor's Tale, The Selfish Gene, The Blind Watchmaker, Climbing Mount Improbable, Unweaving the Rainbow, and A Devil's Chaplain. Dawkins lives in Oxford with his wife, the actress and artist Lalla Ward.

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
4,911 global ratings

Customers say

Customers find this book to be an excellent introduction to scientific concepts, written in an accessible manner that's easy to understand. The book features stunning images from NASA that take readers' breath away, making it suitable for both teenagers and adults. Customers appreciate its matter-of-fact approach to explaining natural phenomena.
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513 customers mention content, 484 positive, 29 negative
Customers find the book's content engaging and enjoyable, describing it as a masterpiece that everyone should read.
Great book. is really clear and easy to read for non-scientists like me. It would have been great to read in high school....Read more
The books title gives it all away. This is the magic of reality as opposed to the indoctrination of nonsense many people subject their children...Read more
...That makes it a good book for someone who wants to understand a "scientific approach" but that might not be a good audience for a rant....Read more
This is an excellent book and should be required reading in every 8th grade classroom in the nation....Read more
239 customers mention informative, 221 positive, 18 negative
Customers find the book informative, praising its comprehensive coverage of scientific concepts and clear explanations of natural phenomena.
...The result is both enjoyable and informative, providing much needed support for young "Doubting Thomases" in their inevitable verbal confrontations...Read more
Very informative, a bit too elementary in the way it's presented to the reader....Read more
Delightful and informative read, no matter how old you are. Illustrations are stunning....Read more
Interesting, informative book. I wish more folks would read books of real value. Do a reality check. Let’s get it together, friends.Read more
142 customers mention age-appropriate, 125 positive, 17 negative
Customers find the book age-appropriate, particularly suitable for middle school and high school students, with one customer noting it's written for all age and education levels.
Great book for teens. I thought that it was for adults, hence the 4 stars, but it was still a good read.Read more
...school in the country (if not the world), in that while being aimed at younger readers it presents concepts and ideas about how things work in the...Read more
I truly loved this book. Though it was written for a younger audience, Dawkin's elegant and simple language lays out all the principles of science...Read more
Great author and a great book for young adults and older non-scientific adults....Read more
130 customers mention readability, 115 positive, 15 negative
Customers find the book easy to read and understand, describing it as simple yet informative and wonderfully clear.
Well written and easy to understand. But it is obviously aimed at readers who have never taken a science class at the Junior High level....Read more
Mr. Dawkins has explained the workings of the universe in a clear, concise way. You will be overwhelmed at times by his visual imagery....Read more
...Not one of his best books but it is easy to read and may appeal to readers who just want a general high-level discussion....Read more
...TL:DR - The Magic of Reality is an easy read with high educational value that will add at least a little bit of wisdom to everyone who reads it.Read more
121 customers mention illustrations, 102 positive, 19 negative
Customers appreciate the beautiful illustrations in the book, particularly noting the stunning images from NASA and the many pictures throughout the hardcover edition.
What a beautiful book. And, for those atheists among us, a particularly great way to teach our children about how amazing and wonderful nature is.Read more
...and the experience matched the title: science is awe inducing and beautiful....Read more
Can't decide whether to keep this or give it to a nephew. Beautiful illustrations and engaging text. In short--Reality IS Magic!...Read more
...The book is beautifully illustrated and would do well in a life sciences classroom. Teachers - buy this book & recommend to your board for review....Read more
97 customers mention simplicity, 85 positive, 12 negative
Customers appreciate the book's simplicity, noting that the concepts are easy to grasp and explanations are in plain English, making it accessible without being too technical.
...me in the "facts and truth of reality." In a very clear and simple (Too easy and too simple at times), way this fantastic book explains the...Read more
An easy and fun read for anyone who wonders about big scientific questions but who doesn't have the time or willingness to invest in academic...Read more
...Ultimately, this profound yet simple book has given me a fresh perspective and a newfound deep appreciation for the knowledge and achievements of...Read more
...journey through earth, through history and the cosmos, in a very easy to understand and entertaining style....Read more
93 customers mention writing style, 89 positive, 4 negative
Customers appreciate the writing style of the book, finding it well-crafted and accessible to teenagers, with one customer noting its smooth flow.
The well written and easy understandable writing of Richard Dawkins helped me for once and for all to settle whichever "embarrasing"...Read more
A very well written & informative book.The book outlines a lot of basic and elementary phenomena related to Darwin thinking!Read more
...He is a brilliant writer. Magic of reality is a very enjoyable read.Read more
...is not overly sophisticated, it is enjoyable, interesting and beautifully written (as all of Dawkins' work is). I couldn't put it down!Read more
62 customers mention accuracy, 54 positive, 8 negative
Customers appreciate the book's accuracy, describing it as a matter-of-fact presentation of scientific reality that is philosophically and scientifically correct.
Anything by this auther is worth a read. Articulate and factual.Read more
...after enjoying the myths, the chapters dive into logic, science, and reality. Art work is beautiful....Read more
Why science is the truest magic.Read more
...I hope you agree that the truth has a magic of its own. The truth is more magical -- in the best and most exciting sense of the word -- than any...Read more
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