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

Richard Dawkins

Simon and Schuster, Sep 11, 2012 - Comics & Graphic Novels - 272 pages

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.

Contents

• 1 What is reality? What is magic?: 2
• Who was the first person? 32: 7
• Why are there so many different kinds of animals? 54: 3
• What are things made of? 76: 5
• winter and summer? 96: 2
• What is the sun? 118: 2
• What is a rainbow? 140: 7

About the author

Richard Dawkins was educated at Oxford University and taught zoology at the University of California and Oxford University, holding the position of the Charles Simonyi Professor of the Public Understanding of Science. He writes about such topics as DNA and genetic engineering, virtual reality, astronomy, and evolution. His books include The Selfish Gene, The Extended Phenotype, The Blind Watchmaker, River Out of Eden, Climbing Mount Improbable, The God Delusion, and An Appetite for Wonder: The Making of a Scientist. Dave McKean was born on December 29, 1963 in Maidenhead, England. He is an illustrator, photographer, comic book artist, filmmaker and musician. McKean is best known for his regular collaboration with Neil Gaiman. MirrorMask, McKean's first feature film as director and visual designer, premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2005. The screenplay was written by Neil Gaiman.

Bibliographic information

• Title: The Illustrated Magic of Reality: How We Know What's Really True
• Author: Richard Dawkins
• Illustrated by: Dave McKean
• Publisher: Simon and Schuster, 2012
• ISBN: 1451690215, 9781451690217
• Length: 272 pages
• Subjects: Comics & Graphic Novels / Nonfiction / General; Nature / General; Philosophy / General; Science / General; Science / Life Sciences / Evolution; Science / Philosophy & Social Aspects; Social Science / Folklore & Mythology