Dawkins attacks 'alien rubbish' taught in Muslim faith schools

[sandinista! 1,816]

Yes!! Love love love this book, it is such a fun read. I was going to mention it here, but didn't want anyone to make fun of me for liking it so much, lol. I've read in a sunburned country too, about Australia, and enjoyed it immensely. I have his newest one, called at home, on reserve at the library. Bill's a great writer.

You may also want to read Bill Bryson's "A Short History of Nearly Everything", which is a very well written, funny, introduction to many areas of modern science for the intelligent layman. I highly recommend it.

http://www.amazon.com/Short-History-Nearly-Everything-Illustrated/dp/0307885151/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1318130259&sr=8-2

[웃 910]

You may also want to read Bill Bryson's "A Short History of Nearly Everything", which is a very well written, funny, introduction to many areas of modern science for the intelligent layman. I highly recommend it.

http://www.amazon.co...18130259&sr=8-2

624 pages. That would be one hell of a record for me. Might take me 16 years to read.

I think Dawkins book is going to be like this:

Each chapter begins with a fairy tale myth...from various cultures and religions. He is going to lay the facts and science out. Debunk the myth. And shred it to pieces. That is what I am looking for at this point. But after his book I will check Bryson's out.

You also recommended this a while back: http://www.amazon.co...r/dp/0375424474

Which one do you think is better?

ETA (from one of the reviews on Dawkins):

Starting with the myths once existed to explain the mysteries of the universe, the seasons, or the shaking earth, and by the conclusion of the book, the Egyptian, Hopi, Greek, Maori, Hebrew and Christian traditions are placed as equally primitive, with lacking explanations of reality.

Edited October 9, 2011 by Lord Infamous

[Jenn! 918]

624 pages. That would be one hell of a record for me. Might take me 16 years to read.

A Really Short History of Nearly Everything is also available.

[웃 910]

A Really Short History of Nearly Everything is also available.

• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
• Hardcover: 176 pages

Thanks I'd probably start with the really short one first, see if I could make it through.

[scandal 951]

You also recommended this a while back: http://www.amazon.co...r/dp/0375424474

Which one do you think is better?

Shubin/Inner Fish is about Evolution. It is an excellent presentation of the evidence from the fossil record and paleontology, comparative anatomy, genetics, embryology and developmental biology to make the case of how evolution connects every life form on Earth.

Bryson/Short History is much broader in scope. It has chapters on evolution and biology, but also on cosmology, nuclear physics, plate tectonics and geology, and other areas of modern science.

Both are excellent, well written books for the intelligent and open-minded non-scientist (although people with a scientific training will enjoy them as well, of course).

They differ from Dawkins' books in that they're less stridently agenda-driven, i.e. not arguing for or against creation stories. They simply discuss the science in an accessible manner.

[Captain Oates 911]

The way to eat a yom kipper is to put your head back and slide it down yer froat in one go

Edited October 9, 2011 by Austin Devon

[웃 910]

You may also want to read Bill Bryson's "A Short History of Nearly Everything", which is a very well written, funny, introduction to many areas of modern science for the intelligent layman. I highly recommend it.

http://www.amazon.co...18130259&sr=8-2

Just ordered....I'm pretty much done with Dawkins book...It was a great warm up. I did like the myths he told of all the random religions. Kept it mythical and not overly scientific. Also each page was covered in colorful illustrations. But if you are up to speed on basic science (do you know what the sun is made of? The basics of evolution? What a rainbow is?) then no point in reading it! I didn't though so it was a good warm up for me.

I stumbled across some good reviews on Amazon for "Why Evolution is True" by Jerry Coyne and ordered it about a week ago. I just got it today.

[scandal 951]

I stumbled across some good reviews on Amazon for "Why Evolution is True" by Jerry Coyne and ordered it about a week ago. I just got it today.

Yes! Coyne's book is excellent! You'll like it.

It takes a more strident tone than Shubin. Shubin is just about the science, not the politics. Coyne is mostly an exploration of the science of evolution, but he explicitly states right up front that he considers our culture in which the science of evolution is ridiculed and under attack in the classroom to be a very worrisome trend. He wrote his book expressly to provide arguments against the deniers of universally accepted science. It's an excellent book, very well written.