Scan barcode
breadandmushrooms's review against another edition
informative
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
marpesea's review against another edition
This book was blurbed as Mary Roach meets Bill Bryson. Parts of it were fascinating, but it did not compare to Mary Roach's writing. The chapters are short-- at times it introduces a topic and finishes discussing it within two or three pages. I may give it another try a later date, but it lacked the depth and focus of the popular science writing that I tend to enjoy.
jamiezaccaria's review against another edition
5.0
This was a fantastic read that blended mythology with science and gave us very possible explanations for many magical things I've always been curious about. Matt Kaplan does thorough and interesting research and doesn't present a solution without the facts to back up his hypothesis. I loved his other book and I loved this one as well. I will definitely blind-buy anything else he puts out.
2shainz's review against another edition
2.0
I wrote about Science of the Magical: From the Holy Grail to Love Potions to Superpowers by Matt Kaplan and [b:Rain: A Natural and Cultural History|22822881|Rain A Natural and Cultural History|Cynthia Barnett|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1412530642s/22822881.jpg|42375733] by Cynthia Barnett for my Pairing the Pages feature. Check it out at Shaina Reads!
leighmayon's review against another edition
informative
reflective
2.0
It's a very good premise for a book, mostly executed well save for a chapter that, whilst coming from a good place, is really reductive about transgender experiences, and another chapter that is blatantly ableist towards autistic people by hero worshipping savantism and deeming non savant autistics as people who need to be cured. When being a science journalist you should be able to research adequately enough to know that autism is a disability and not a mental illness.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Transphobia and Ableism
maritzasoto's review
2.0
Was this written for junior high school students? It barely scraped the surface of what could have been a fascinating topic, and the author's personal anecdotes were distracting.
ikahime's review against another edition
1.0
Did not finish - far too speculative, with a hokey "dad-joke" tone - for someone who loves both science and the wide world of things considered magic, this book was a huge disappointment. Also, maybe interview some trans people for your section on transgender.