RD the Mythbuster

[maiforpeace]

Richard Dawkins targets teenagers with myth-busting illustrated book
God Delusion author plans to pair popular legends with 'lucid scientific explanations' in illustrated work for young readers

Alison Flood guardian.co.uk, Friday 23 October 2009 14.55 BST

After squashing Darwin deniers and God-botherers with bestselling tomes including The God Delusion and The Greatest Show on Earth, Richard Dawkins is set to tackle what might be his hardest audience yet: teenagers.

The well-known scientist and atheist has struck a book deal for his first title for young adults, which will look to explode myths and legends about the natural world with science. 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".

"Richard has always been incredibly keen to reach children from the whole point of view of individual critical thinking and not to just toe the party line," said Sally Gaminara, who bought the book for Transworld, part of the Random House Group. "He will explore certain myths people are brought up with – he's very keen to do that, to make people look at things and not be accepting, to question more ... He will tell myths for what they are but will also delight in their poetic beauty."

The book will be illustrated by Dave McKean, who has previously worked on books by David Almond and Neil Gaiman. "It's for young adults of 12 and upwards but it will also appeal to the curious child and to adults as well," said Gaminara. "It will be a really rich and rewarding and inspirational sort of book."

Dawkins's previous books, including The Selfish Gene and The Blind Watchmaker, have sold more than 1.2m copies to date, according to book sales monitor Nielsen BookScan. His diatribe against religion, The God Delusion – which describes the God of the Old Testament as "a misogynistic, homophobic, racist, infanticidal, genocidal, filicidal, pestilential, megalomaniacal, sadomasochistic, capriciously malevolent bully" – is by far the most popular, with more than 700,000 copies sold since it was first published in 2006. His latest, The Greatest Show on Earth (which lays out the evidence for evolution) has already sold almost 45,000 copies little more than a month after it was published.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2009/ ... rated-book

[Animavore]

How dare he indoctrinate our children (the Chrissies will say)

[Gawdzilla Sama]

Unfortunately, the Xtians already have a book, so they don't need another.

[Deep Sea Isopod]

Richard Dawkins targets teenagers with myth-busting illustrated book
God Delusion author plans to pair popular legends with 'lucid scientific explanations' in illustrated work for young readers

It would HAVE to be "illustrated" for the teenagers by me. They struggle with a colouring-in book. The only science they know is how to cook chips in the microwave.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

It would HAVE to be "illustrated" for the teenagers by me. They struggle with a colouring-in book. The only science they know is how to cook chips in the microwave.

I thought that was magic?

[Deep Sea Isopod]

It would HAVE to be "illustrated" for the teenagers by me. They struggle with a colouring-in book. The only science they know is how to cook chips in the microwave.

I thought that was magic?

Ok, they know how to cook magic in the microwave.
Rather picky tonight, aren't we?

[Gawdzilla Sama]

It would HAVE to be "illustrated" for the teenagers by me. They struggle with a colouring-in book. The only science they know is how to cook chips in the microwave.

I thought that was magic?

Ok, they know how to cook magic in the microwave.
Rather picky tonight, aren't we?

Just referring to my sister, who, when asked by her children, said it was "magic" that the food cooked in the microwave.

[Deep Sea Isopod]

It would HAVE to be "illustrated" for the teenagers by me. They struggle with a colouring-in book. The only science they know is how to cook chips in the microwave.

I thought that was magic?

Ok, they know how to cook magic in the microwave.
Rather picky tonight, aren't we?

Just referring to my sister, who, when asked by her children, said it was "magic" that the food cooked in the microwave.

[Trolldor]

Magic huh?

..that about sums it up.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

Magic huh?

..that about sums it up.

My brother-in-law had a six-foot exclusion zone around the microwave when it was working. He firmly believed that your innards would be cooked if you were exposed to two minutes of "leakage" while it was in operation. I made a point of leaning my head against the door while watching pop corn.

[lofuji]

Richard Dawkins targets teenagers with myth-busting illustrated book
God Delusion author plans to pair popular legends with 'lucid scientific explanations' in illustrated work for young readers.

Does this mean he's going to debunk the stories of King Arthur, Merlin, Beowulf and Robin Hood? Bloody spoilsport.

[tattuchu]

"The book will be illustrated by Dave McKean, who has previously worked on books by David Almond and Neil Gaiman."

Nice! I've been a fan of Dave McKean for quite a long time. He and Prof Dawkins will make a wonderful collaborative pair.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

"The book will be illustrated by Dave McKean, who has previously worked on books by David Almond and Neil Gaiman."

Nice! I've been a fan of Dave McKean for quite a long time. He and Prof Dawkins will make a wonderful collaborative pair.

Oooh, avatar bait.