Richard Dawkins’ Next Book

Richard Dawkins has been hinting for a while that his next book will be aimed at a younger crowd.

We finally have more details about what that book will look like.

Due out in autumn 2011, What is a Rainbow, Really? will take on topics including who the first man and first woman were, why there are seasons, what the sun is, how old the world is and why there are so many animals, first answering the questions with myth and legend, and then with “lucid scientific explanations”.

I remember seeing something like that at the Creation Museum this past summer…:

I’m guessing Dawkins’ book will be just a bit more accurate.

Too bad the title leaves something to be desired. (Though it does sound like something Dawkins would say…)

***Update***: Says Dawkins:

“Of course that is not my title. It was just the title of the sample CHAPTER that Dave McKean and I showed to the publishers. Somebody, somewhere, decided to make that the ‘working’ title of the whole book. As for the real title, that will require much discussion and agonizing. Suggestions welcome.
Richard”

The book’s illustrator will be Dave McKean, who’s previously worked with Neil Gaiman. It’ll be published by Transworld, part of the Random House Group.

No word yet on what Dawkins’ advance is, but like his other works, this is sure to be a popular seller so I wouldn’t be surprised to see something in the million-dollar-or-more range.

(via Atheism Examiner)

Amyable Atheist

I’ll buy it! Gotta start a skeptic’s bookshelf for that gleam(s) in my eye…plus given my Catholic parochial school-induced science deficit, I might learn something!
Justin

Dave McKean is a fantastic illustrator. This will be very cool.

The first “reason” listed for why rain exists isn’t “to water the earth” but “to punish people.” the very bottom of the image shows the last reason to be “to show God’s love.” Punish first, practcality second, love last. So let me get this straight.

One day God decided to punish some people by sending rain. Before this, all the plants had been brown and the soil was dry and cracked. Then the people get punishèd. Then the plants turned lush and green and the soil came to life again.

Then God said, “Well… that’s handy. Two birds, one stone and all that… er… see how much I love you, that I would send the rain…”
Kate Holden

I’ll be buying this even if I don’t yet have a child at that point. Good for him for thinking of the kiddies.
markystar69

as an elementary school teacher this is the best news I’ve heard in a while!

richard dawkins really knows how to explain complicated science in simple terms. and more than that, just by the way he talks about things he gets people to think. that’s the beginning of instilling critical thinking in kids.

can’t wait!!!!
Judith Bandsma

Does this explain some fundamentalists’ insistence that before the ‘flood’ it never rained? Although how Noah was supposed to understand what a flood would be if he’d never seen rain is a question they can somehow never answer.

Their reason for such vehemence? The bible doesn’t say anything about rain before the ‘flood’.
Valdyr

Their reason for such vehemence? The bible doesn’t say anything about rain before the ‘flood’.

The Bible also has God creating plants before light, so…

Maybe He was a bit hungover at the time.
Elles

Sweet! Reminds me of the literature I used to read.
Anonymous

It’s a working title. Quote (Richard Dawkins): “Of course that is not my title. It was just the title of the sample CHAPTER that Dave McKean and I showed to the publishers. Somebody, somewhere, decided to make that the ‘working’ title of the whole book. As for the real title, that will require much discussion and agonizing. Suggestions welcome.
Richard ”

http://www.richarddawkins.net/jumptocomment.php?articleID=4492&commentID=426477&URLtitle=Transworld-Acquires-A-New-Book-By-Richard-Dawkins-&URLauthor=UPDATE-Press-Release—booktradeinfo
littlejohn

Everybody knows it rains whenever the Flying Spaghetti Monster, bless his noodly goodness, is strained in the Heavenly Colander. Hail is meatballs. Next question.
andrea

“hail is meatballs”

best thing I’ve read on the internet in a while…thank you 🙂
Shannon

Well bummer. Following the links, the book will be aimed at teenagers. I was hoping for something younger. Still cool.
Vern L Weiss

I have been writing a paper (paper – on the computer? Well, you get the picture.), entitled “Intelligent Design, My Ass. It’s just for my own amusement. It deals mainly with my own bodily defects, which are many, including eyes, ears, teeth. heart, and back.
As far as I can tell, my Ass is O.K.
kevin king

This will be amazing, Mckean and dawkins…wow
Humanist Mama

Oh boy I can’t wait! I will pre-order it as soon as it’s available. I like the idea that it will include mythical answers followed by the scientific answers.
Bhagwad Jal Park

Catch them when they’re young – that’s it! If the religious nuts can do it, so can we…
CAL

I don’t have any children but I might buy this for my mother.
Michael

Gee whiz, I thought we learned all this stuff in 10th grade science class!
Greta Christina

Well, crap. One more thing we have to buy for all our nieces and nephews. Being an atheist aunt is expensive!
Cypress

As a kid I “HATED” being patronized by adults who answered the “Why?” questions. With “God” bullshit. I really felt like there had to be more. I now have a 5yo who is demanding real answers. This kid is tenacious & I refuse to give a bullshit answer. I can’t tell you how happy I am to hear this book is on the way. For all those kids who want the long answer.