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3.98 AVERAGE
3.98 AVERAGE
Good, but not great. The science was well explained, but didn't contain much new information for me.
A thinly (or barely) veiled argument against faith/religion and for reason/Atheism, which didn't bother me, but fair warning to others.
A thinly (or barely) veiled argument against faith/religion and for reason/Atheism, which didn't bother me, but fair warning to others.
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
informative
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
I loved the way Dawkins used myths to introduce the scientific realities. This is an excellent educational tool. The illustrations were absolutely stunning, and by far the best part of this book.
Got the illustrated version for iPad. Amazing, beautiful book. Great for pre-teens and for those who fell asleep in science class. Chapters in include: Who was the first person? What is the sun? What is a rainbow? Why do bad things happen? What is a miracle? Are we alone? When and how did everything begin? Are we alone?
I like listening to audio books about evolution, and I enjoyed this book, but there were some things I didn't like: the author was condescending at times ("you won't understand this", "some people can't understand this"), several times the author said "this is really interesting but I won't explain it", and there were some really simple things that got explained in this audiobook (like how rainbow is formed) that made me think it is designed for young people?
informative
reflective
medium-paced
slow-paced
Poor little Dicky Dawkins. He tries so hard to get people to take him seriously, but he keeps letting his smug, self-righteous, arrogant ego get in the way. In "The Magic of Reality", Dawkins sets out to tell we lesser mortals what is real and what isn't. Unfortunately, within the first two pages he declares that we can know what is real, so he has lost the argument before even starting. To add to this embarrassing turn of events, he states that one way we can know what is real is by trusting what our senses tell us, only to follow up a few pages later by telling us that those same senses can be fooled.
And if that wasn't bad enough, Dawkins doesn't seem to know who he is writing this book for. There are a number of passages that almost sound like he is telling bedtime stories to children, but the rest of the book is on a level too advanced for most children. If it was meant for adults, then it comes across as if he is trying to dumb down his language for a bunch of idiots that he perceives to be his mental inferiors.
From here, things just get worse. We are treated to a rambling mass of unsupported claims, misinformation (it was proven in 1939 that geckos do not have suction cups on their feet), contradictions, and faulty logic. By the final chapters, Dawkins leaves the realm of scientific "reality" and descends into pure guesswork on such topics as life on other planets, and, finally, an undisguised diatribe against Christianity and the existence of its miracles.
In the end, all I can say is it should be no surprise that Dicky Dawkins has his works published for mass market consumption. No science journal worth its salt would go anywhere near it.
And if that wasn't bad enough, Dawkins doesn't seem to know who he is writing this book for. There are a number of passages that almost sound like he is telling bedtime stories to children, but the rest of the book is on a level too advanced for most children. If it was meant for adults, then it comes across as if he is trying to dumb down his language for a bunch of idiots that he perceives to be his mental inferiors.
From here, things just get worse. We are treated to a rambling mass of unsupported claims, misinformation (it was proven in 1939 that geckos do not have suction cups on their feet), contradictions, and faulty logic. By the final chapters, Dawkins leaves the realm of scientific "reality" and descends into pure guesswork on such topics as life on other planets, and, finally, an undisguised diatribe against Christianity and the existence of its miracles.
In the end, all I can say is it should be no surprise that Dicky Dawkins has his works published for mass market consumption. No science journal worth its salt would go anywhere near it.
adventurous
funny
informative
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced