Unweaving the Rainbow: Science, Delusion, and the Appetite for Wonder - Hardcover

Dawkins, Richard

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0395883822 ISBN 13: 9780395883822

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin (Trade), 1998

Synopsis

The author of The Selfish Gene offers a witty and insightful assessment of what science is, how it feeds the human appetite for wonder, and how "unweaving" the mysteries of science can be even more beautiful than the mystery itself. 50,000 first printing. Tour.

About this title

Review:

Why do poets and artists so often disparage science in their work? For that matter, why does so much scientific literature compare poorly with, say, the phone book? After struggling with questions like these for years, biologist Richard Dawkins has taken a wide-ranging view of the subjects of meaning and beauty in Unweaving the Rainbow, a deeply humanistic examination of science, mysticism and human nature. Notably strong-willed in a profession of bet-hedgers and wait-and-seers, Dawkins carries the reader along on a romp through the natural and cultural worlds, determined that "science, at its best, should leave room for poetry."

Inspired by the frequently asked question, "Why do you bother getting up in the morning?" following publication of his book The Selfish Gene, Dawkins sets out determined to show that understanding nature's mechanics need not sap one's zest for life. Alternately enlightening and maddening, Unweaving the Rainbow will appeal to all thoughtful readers, whether wild-eyed technophiles or grumpy, cabin-dwelling Luddites. Excoriation of newspaper astrology columns follow quotes from Blake and Shakespeare, which are sandwiched between sparkling, easy-to-follow discussions of probability, behaviour and evolution. In Dawkins' world (and, he hopes, in ours), science is poetry; he ends his journey by referring to his title's author and subject, maintaining that "A Keats and a Newton, listening to each other, might hear the galaxies sing." --Rob Lightner, Amazon.com

Review:

A brilliant assertion of the wonder and excitement of real, tough, grown-up science (A. S. Byatt, 'Books of the Year' Daily Telegraph)

The way Dawkins writes about science is not just a brain-tonic. It is more like an extended stay on a brain health-farm ... You come out feeling lean, tuned and enormously more intelligent (John Carey Sunday Times)

Beautifully written and full of interesting, original ideas. Essential reading (The Times)

For Dawkins there is more poetry, not less, in the rainbow because of Newton ... he weaves rainbows of wonder from other provinces of science and then unleashes his fury on those who accuse scientists like him of being unimaginative (Sunday Times)

Brilliantly entertaining and stimulating (Observer)

About this edition

• Publisher: Houghton Mifflin (Trade)
• Publication date: 1998
• ISBN 10: 0395883822
• ISBN 13: 9780395883822
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 336