Title: The Magic of Reality
Author: Richard Dawkins
Type: Non-Fiction
Page Count: 272
Rating: 3.5/5
This book is a bit of a weird one because it takes the form of a series of responses to questions, and so every chapter in the book is based upon a question like, “When and how did everything begin?” It’s a pretty simple setup that allows Dawkins to tackle some of the bigger questions that people have, but it does also mean that it feels as though something’s somehow lacking.
Don’t get me wrong, the science was solid and Dawkins made his arguments well, and I do feel that I’ve learned a bunch of stuff here. At the same time, it feels a bit like he’s set out to try to explain everything and then settled for just a few frequently asked questions. I’m not sure what he could have done differently though, because if the book was two or three times the length, it would have ended up feeling long and drawn out.
Still, it was a pretty good way to keep my brain trained and to learn a few new lessons about science and stuff. This isn’t necessarily the best non-fiction science book on the market, but I polished it off in 24 hours or so and was happy with it, even if it was just okay. After all, I’m slowly working my way through everything that Dawkins has ever written, and this is probably one of the most approachable. All in all, I’m glad I read it and maybe you’ll like it too.
