The Magic of Reality

How We Know What's Really True

By: Richard Dawkins

Narrated by: Richard Dawkins, Lalla Ward

Length: 6 hrs and 42 mins

Publisher's summary

Richard Dawkins, the world’s most famous evolutionary biologist, presents a gorgeously lucid, science book examining some of the nature’s most fundamental questions both from a mythical and scientific perspective.

Science is our most precise and powerful tool for making sense of the world. Before we developed the scientific method, we created rich mythologies to explain the unknown. The pressing questions that primitive men and women asked are the same ones we ask as children. Who was the first person? What is the sun? Why is there night and day? The myths that address these questions are beautiful, but in every case their beauty is exceeded by the scientific truth.

With characteristic clarity and verve, Dawkins answers these big questions. Looking first at some of the myths that arose to answer the question, he then, dazzles us with the facts. He looks at the building blocks of matter, the first humans, the sun - explaining the life and death of stars; why there’s a night and a day - ranging from our solar system to the inner workings of our planet; what a rainbow really is—going from the rainbow in your backyard to the age of the universe; and finally, he poses a question that still baffles scientists: When did everything begin?

©2011 Richard Dawkins, Ltd. (P)2011 Simon & Schuster, Inc.

Critic reviews

"I wanted to write this book but I wasn't clever enough. Now I've read it, I am." (Ricky Gervais)

“Exhilarating. The clearest and most beautifully written introduction to science I've ever read. Again and again I found myself saying 'Oh! So that's how genes work!' (or stars, or tectonic plates, or all the other things he explains). Explanations I thought I knew were clarified; things I never understood were made clear for the first time. My favourite adjective of praise has always been "clear", and this book has clarity all the way through.” (Philip Pullman, author of The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ and the His Dark Materials trilogy)

I am often asked to recommend good books on science for young people. From now on, I will not have to hesitate. The Magic of Reality provides a beautiful, accessible and wide ranging volume that addresses the questions that all of us have about the universe, separating often too-little known facts from too-frequently believed fictions. For this reason it should be a powerful resource for people of all ages, written with the masterful and eloquently literate style of perhaps the best popular expositor of science, Richard Dawkins, and delightfully illustrated by Dave McKean. What more could anyone ask for?” (Lawrence Krauss is Foundation Professor and Director of the Origins Project at Arizona State University and the author most recently of Quantum Man, and A Universe from Nothing)

A great introduction to science

This book is an excellent introduction and explanation of many scientific concepts arranged in a superb flow from chapter to chapter. The change in voicing can be a little distracting at first, but it's easy to get used to.

An Excellent Read!!

I have truly enjoyed this work of non-fiction! I highly recommend it to anyone interested in the scientific perspective of seemingly miraculous events.

Exceptional book everyone should read!

Wonderful book everyone should read. So much very useful information. Recommend it to everyone I know.

Good but delivered with a solid dose of pretension

I really enjoyed this book until I neared the end and had a hard time with the author's persistent sense of superiority and complete and total discounting of any other option than those presented in the book. This attitude may turn some listeners off because the book is written in a binary form that not only leaves no room for other theories but seems to snicker at them. Much of the book is at a high school level, but even so, I learned quite a bit and enjoyed the material. If you want to convert people from a 'mythological" belief system to a strictly science-based way of thinking there are better ways to bring them to your side.

Beautiful story.

The authors tell an interesting story from a scientific point of view after each myth they bring as an explanation of our world and the most interesting questions of our times.

Dawkins is "Mythodical" (methdical) , Superb!

if only people can believe in facts and not myths and stories passed on with NO FACTS to substantiate, this PLANET WILL BE A PEACEFUL PLACE. I sincerely wish we can educate more people at bigger scale

Not good one for the believers in God.

Scientifically few myths are proved but not the entire book. But this book created a huge impact. Which made me to lose control of my mind.

Another good book by Dawkins

If you could sum up The Magic of Reality in three words, what would they be?

Although this is well troden teritory and there are many other good books that cover this ground Richard Dawkins is always worth listening to.

Would you listen to another book narrated by Richard Dawkins and Lalla Ward ?

Yes, I have them all

A book for all

Would you consider the audio edition of The Magic of Reality to be better than the print version?

I like to listen to books for the convience. I think this book would be equally good in print

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Magic of Reality?

The way he images things is very intriguing and enlightning

Which character – as performed by Richard Dawkins and Lalla Ward – was your favorite?

Both are very balanced and I enjoyed both equally

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No

Any additional comments?

I found it simple enough for a younger person to understand and complex enough to be enjoyable to even the most advanced in their fields.

A wonderful read

I love this man and I've read shall of his works. Thank you professor Dawkins!