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The Magic of Reality cover art

The Magic of Reality

By: Richard Dawkins,Lalla Ward
Narrated by: Richard Dawkins,Lalla Ward
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Summary

  • What are things made of?
  • What is the sun?
  • Why is there night and day, winter and summer?
  • Why do bad things happen?
  • Are we alone?

Throughout history people all over the world have invented stories to answer profound questions such as these. Have you heard the tale of how the sun hatched out of an emu's egg? Or what about the great catfish that carries the world on its back? Has anyone ever told you that earthquakes are caused by a sneezing giant? These fantastical myths are fun – but what is the real answer to such questions?

The Magic of Reality, with its explanations of space, time, evolution and more, will inspire and amaze listeners of all ages - young adults, adults, children, octogenarians. This book presents the real story of the world around us, taking us on an enthralling journey through scientific reality, and showing that it has an awe-inspiring beauty and thrilling magic which far exceed those of the ancient myths.

We encounter rainbows, earthquakes, tsunamis, shooting stars, plants, animals, and an intriguing cast of characters in this extraordinary scientific voyage of discovery. Richard Dawkins has created a dazzling celebration of our planet that will entertain and inform for years to come.

Read by Richard Dawkins and Lalla Ward. Also available in hardback, fully illustrated by Dave McKean.

©2011 Richard Dawkins and Lalla Ward (P)2011 Random House Audiobooks

What listeners say about The Magic of Reality

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Brilliant Book

A real book on time and space and reality and so easy to understand.

I love it. Well recemended.

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8 people found this helpful

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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

A great book for beginners to science

I purchased this audiobook after listening to the absolutely fantastic Dawkins book, The Selfish Gene. I would suggest that if you have read or listened to that book and had no trouble in understanding it's content then The Magic of Reality might be a little unstimulating.

The book is well written, but really serves to give a general explanation of fundamental ideas in science. The topics are generally discussed at quite a superficial level, but you usually come away from a chapter with a decent overview of the topic.

I'm sure that there will be something new in this book for most people, although far less for anyone who has shown an interest in science since leaving school. Each chapter begins with a scientific theory's mythical counterpart, detailing the different stories and myths which exist about, for example, rainbows or earthquakes. This at least was something new to me, and was a nice way to structure the book. At times it almost felt like a far less aggressive assault on people's beliefs than in his other book, The God Delusion, although it felt less like a deliberate attack and more a narrative tool.

In summary I think this would be a great book for the fledgling scientist to read, and also suitable for the critically minded among you, but I would suggest looking for something more in depth if you already have a comfortable understanding of the core sciences.

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6 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

An artistic, tasteful and crystal clear insight into the real world we live in.

As always, Dawkins has managed to capture the true magic of some of the world's most misunderstood and mysterious phenomena in this delightfully refreshing take on reality.

I bought the hard back version a few years ago which is beautifully illustrated with vivid scenes by Dave McKean, and this audiobook has proved to be a welcome addition to what is already a wonderful creation.

Dawkins and Ward have particularly enjoyable voices in this well orchestrated duet, and I would highly recommend adding this item to your collection immediately.

Thank you and I look forward to more like this.

Adam

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3 people found this helpful

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    3 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

Not his best work

I really liked the authors other book "The God Delusion" and even though this book was presented in the same manor, it did seem rather simple. This could just be my personal perspective but nothing in this book was groundbreaking and I would not recommend it to the average person. Bordering of boring.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars

Dry, lifeless a poor follow up, nothing new here!

I finished this book a few days before Christmas and I find myself compelled to write this review. Having read other books by Richard I had just about forgiven him his evangelical fanaticism and righteousness because his earlier books were interesting.



The Magic Of Reality? Nothing new to report here I am afraid. It is the same old argument backed up by well researched and quite frankly rather annoying scientific facts.



Why Richard and Lalla cannot see that what they are doing is no better than religion I don't understand. It is why I don't like humanism, or the way humanists portray what they stand for.



Nobody REALLY knows what is happening on Earth and in a Science is the new God world, let's not get lost on subtly making others wrong while following a pretence of inclusion of their views in the argument.



Reality is of course magical. But there is no VERY FACT about it.



As an argument against religion, this book makes a reasonable case.



As a pro life argument, this book is boring, depressing dry and somewhat lacking in love.



If you want the nuts and bolts of it then maybe this is for you.



My investigations in life go deeper.



I thank Richard and Lalla for shedding some light on the subject, but they really are the annoying Aunt and Uncle at a dinner party who appear to think they know everything in their delivery of this subject and frankly, it wasn't very entertaining.



I actually want to get involved in some real magic now, some mythology and ritual.



Having read several books I think I have come full circle and fancy being part of a religion with a few colourful characters.



Richard Dawkins Magic Of Reality was just one shade too grey for me!



Kind regards...

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

every child and adult alike should take a look

I'm a long time Dawkins fan and this book does not disappoint. however it's so beautifully and carefully written that I've enjoyed it thoroughly as much as I know my teenage daughter would also. absolutely brilliant.

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2 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Great book for kids

Easy to understand and we'll narrated. Ideal for youngsters. Dawkins spells out how reality is more interesting than fiction.

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  • D.
  • 11-01-16

Another class act.

Finished the book in two days, as it's interesting. I debate this stuff with Christians over in America. This has armed me with information that's hard to defend.
Well put together, well set out, and go's back point by point.
Looking forward to more of the same after I've gone over again another two or three times. And looking forward to it.
Thank you mr Dawkins.

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  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars

PATRONISING LOAD OF PATRONISING rubbish

Irritating book read as though it is for children (perhaps it is Dawkins simple and patronizing style is incredibly irritating for an adult with half a brain I would find this insulting even if I was a child it would irritate me!
he fails to communicate the magic of science chop it up Dawkins bombs out

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    5 out of 5 stars

an essential read for anyone.

Dawkins' unpretentious approach to explaining the wonders of the world scientifically is easy to listen to, and really informative. He does well to explain myths and legends that our ancestors used to explain the world around them without losing any of the magic. He reinforces the beauty of the natural world through explaining the wonders of the science that created it, and allows it to flourish.

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1 person found this helpful