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dualmon's review against another edition
3.0
I love Dawkins, but this is remedial primer stuff. Not worth your time.
kalliste's review against another edition
3.0
Finally made my way through this book. I'm not sure why it took so long given the text is fairly large and illustrations usually take up half of the page. I think mostly that it was a heavy hardback edition and I couldn't easily take it around with me.
Overall I didn't mind the book, I enjoyed hearing about the myths and learning a little bit of the scientific side of things. I did find it strange when sometimes he would say "so it's a bit like x but I'm not going to explain that now" or something similar. Why mention it if you're not going to explain it?
The illustrations were beautiful, I love how the book looked and wish the front cover were a bit 'prettier' so it could easily be a display book.
Overall I didn't mind the book, I enjoyed hearing about the myths and learning a little bit of the scientific side of things. I did find it strange when sometimes he would say "so it's a bit like x but I'm not going to explain that now" or something similar. Why mention it if you're not going to explain it?
The illustrations were beautiful, I love how the book looked and wish the front cover were a bit 'prettier' so it could easily be a display book.
king_skelepimp's review
5.0
This is the perfect book for anyone who wants to educate a child in the ways of science, rather than myth and superstition. Dawkins's prose is entirely accessible, and McKean's wonderful art and design enhance the book immeasurably. The myths that open nearly every chapter are interesting in their own right, and Dawkins then gives us the real answer to the query each myth attempts to satisfy. I'd recommend this book for ages 12 and up, and younger children who are more advanced readers should be able to tackle it, as well. This book needs to be in libraries and classrooms around the world.
baralong's review
3.0
most of it was great, but I was a little disappointed with a lack of fact checking, eg "glass is said to flow, but so slowly it takes centuries for us to notice" that's just not true. nit picky I know, but I expected more. most of the rest is fantastic.
kevin_shepherd's review
5.0
Written for younger readers, ‘The Magic of Reality’ is a superb, easy to understand introduction to science and the scientific method. Dawkins puts biology, geology and astronomy in terms that anyone can understand, while simultaneously infusing every syllable with a sense of wonder and awe. His passion for science, all science, is downright contagious - making this an ideal book for that budding astrophysicist or anthropologist in the family (or that scientifically illiterate relation who still swears by astrology or dianetics or Oral Roberts).
sethparrish's review
4.0
Very good general overview of several topics within science. My favorite parts were the in depth analysis of the rainbow and how it gives so much information about the universe (outside of when it rains), as well as the discussions on the possibility of there being life on other planets.
xyifa's review
5.0
our society believes in myth and science shall be the way to cure it. i have always liked dawkins' writing. the explanation was very well delivered. shout out to dave mckean's beautiful artwork. i myself literally enjoyed it.
"We should always be open-minded, but the only good reason to believe that something exists is if there is real evidence that it does." (p. 16)
"We should always be open-minded, but the only good reason to believe that something exists is if there is real evidence that it does." (p. 16)
toniclark's review
3.0
Great book: clear and accessible (not sure of the best age group, though). Kids are naturally curious and fascinated by how the world works. They're also susceptible to all kinds of nonsense, of course. This much-needed book fill s a gap between simplistic kids' books and adult science books. Also, we need books that help kids understand, not just the facts of the world, but how we know them and, more generally, how do we know whether something's true or not? And I should think this book would be invaluable to parents, a good many of whom could probably not explain natural selection, DNA, plate tectonics, or probability.
Where else could one find so much in one book? And the illustrations by Dave McKean are astonishing —though somewhat overwhelming. Sometimes too large and distracting. I don't like the weirdly formatted titles with mixed, funky fonts in different colors and sizes (within the same title, that is). But that's me.
I couldn't tell what age group he's addressing. I read somewhere that he's said about age 12 and up. But sometimes he sounds he's talking to six-year-olds. At other times, he uses terms like "the scientific method." Huh, what? The tone bugged me all the way through. The best children's books are those that don't talk down, that adults can enjoy just as much as a 12-year-old. I didn't (always) find that to be true of this one.
I had some mixed feelings about the content, though — not the scientific content, but the way he makes fun of myths, etc. Okay, they're not literally true, but. . . . There's a difference between fairytales and mythology. As another Goodreads reviewer (Noah) has said: "When the old stories about the "gods" and nature of reality were written, they were neither meant to be "just so stories" nor were all of them intended to take the place of science.." The tone bothered me a bit, too. I didn't care for the authorial intrusion.
Noah also quotes Dawkins here: "We don't have to invent wildly implausible stories: we have the joy and excitement of real scientific investigation and discovery to keep our imaginations in line. And in the end that is more exciting than fantasy." Noah then asks, "Why do we need to keep our imaginations in line?" Good point.
"Science . . . will never help us with "How ought I act?" or "What meaning can I find in my life?" . . . "How can I find happiness?" But perhaps the ancient knowledge, allied with philosophy, can be of some use with these problems. . . . "
I have no sense at all of how kids would respond to this (don't have any). I would love to see this book reviewed by some 12-year-olds.
Apparently, there's a very cool iPad version, which I haven't seen.
Where else could one find so much in one book? And the illustrations by Dave McKean are astonishing —though somewhat overwhelming. Sometimes too large and distracting. I don't like the weirdly formatted titles with mixed, funky fonts in different colors and sizes (within the same title, that is). But that's me.
I couldn't tell what age group he's addressing. I read somewhere that he's said about age 12 and up. But sometimes he sounds he's talking to six-year-olds. At other times, he uses terms like "the scientific method." Huh, what? The tone bugged me all the way through. The best children's books are those that don't talk down, that adults can enjoy just as much as a 12-year-old. I didn't (always) find that to be true of this one.
I had some mixed feelings about the content, though — not the scientific content, but the way he makes fun of myths, etc. Okay, they're not literally true, but. . . . There's a difference between fairytales and mythology. As another Goodreads reviewer (Noah) has said: "When the old stories about the "gods" and nature of reality were written, they were neither meant to be "just so stories" nor were all of them intended to take the place of science.." The tone bothered me a bit, too. I didn't care for the authorial intrusion.
Noah also quotes Dawkins here: "We don't have to invent wildly implausible stories: we have the joy and excitement of real scientific investigation and discovery to keep our imaginations in line. And in the end that is more exciting than fantasy." Noah then asks, "Why do we need to keep our imaginations in line?" Good point.
"Science . . . will never help us with "How ought I act?" or "What meaning can I find in my life?" . . . "How can I find happiness?" But perhaps the ancient knowledge, allied with philosophy, can be of some use with these problems. . . . "
I have no sense at all of how kids would respond to this (don't have any). I would love to see this book reviewed by some 12-year-olds.
Apparently, there's a very cool iPad version, which I haven't seen.
justlily's review
5.0
I had the unfortunate experience of being raised strictly religious. But even as a young child, and more so as I got older, I questioned all of it. None of it made sense to me. All the animals in the world fit on a boat? Some guy showed up and fed thousands of people with a couple loaves of bread? Like why am I learning this obviously untrue stuff? I came around to being an atheist years ago but I can tell you this: If I had had this book as a child, I would have known that about myself far sooner.
This book takes incredible things and makes them understandable and then places them side by side with the ridiculous stories we're taught in religion. Even as an adult, it's opened my eyes to things I hadn't considered before. I absolutely intend to get a copy for both of my kids when they're old enough to read it.
This book takes incredible things and makes them understandable and then places them side by side with the ridiculous stories we're taught in religion. Even as an adult, it's opened my eyes to things I hadn't considered before. I absolutely intend to get a copy for both of my kids when they're old enough to read it.