Richard Dawkins, who has been the bete noire of many religious readers because of his past works, now reaches out to younger readers in The Magic of Reality: How We Know What's Really True.
Dawkins begins each chapter with a question: What is reality? What is magic? Who was the first person? Why do bad things happen? His approach is to first survey the answers to these questions posed by fairy tales, myths, and religion (all lumped together as pretty much the same thing) and then to answer these questions "really" (the way of science).
Dawkins is up front from the beginning regarding the materialistic framework of his analysis. All that can be learned comes through the senses and can be verified scientifically. Emotions exist but only because they are tied to brain activity. However, this perspective does not lead to a depressing view of reality -- far from it. "The magic of reality is neither supernatural nor a trick, but -- quite simply -- wonderful. Wonderful, and real. Wonderful because real."
I have always been put off by the reductionism of materialism, but Dawkins' book is a joy to read. It is crisply and clearly written and beautifully illustrated by Dave McKean. Even for those who reject Dawkins approach, this book is a great read. It reawakens the reader to the wonders of everyday life. Highly recommended.
