Today we are going to review the latest book by Richard Dawkins — a well-known evolutionary biologist and popularizer of science. The book, published in Ukraine by «Laboratoria», is called «Flights of Fancy. The Biology and Technology of Flight». As you can imagine, this is a popular science book. It explains how and why animals and insects fly, dispels many myths about flight, and reveals its details in terms of mechanics, physics, and evolution. The author has not forgotten about the human desire to fly. The book explains why Icarus failed, what size wings are actually needed for a human or an angel to take off, and compares Alan Shepard’s space flight to a flea’s jump.
Author Richard Dawkins
Illustrations Yana Lenzova
Translator Nazar Starovoit
Language Ukrainian
Number of pages 296
Cover Solid
Year of publication 2023
Size 145×215 mm
Website laboratoria.pro
As Richard Dawkins himself notes, «Flights of Fancy» is a book about flight*-about the various ways that humans have discovered over the centuries, and animals and insects have discovered over millions of years of evolution. It is also a story about the dreamy flights of thoughts and ideas that have sprung up at the mere thought of flying.
Without departing from the scientific facts, the author gradually lists the ways in which insects, animals, and humans have tamed gravity. But he also reminds us that none of them have completely conquered it. The book tells how humanity with our technology and birds with their biology have solved the problem of getting off the ground by overcoming gravity.
Richard Dawkins also discusses what is good about flying, whether it is for birds, insects, and humans, what are the benefits and negative aspects. He also asks an interesting question, which he later answers: if flying is so cool, convenient, and useful, then why don’t all animals fly, and some have even lost their wings in the process of evolution?
With his characteristic sarcasm, as one of the most famous evolutionary biologists, the author repeatedly mocks creationists, explaining in simple and accessible terms the natural processes, mechanical and physical laws that made it possible for birds, insects and humans to fly. The latter, of course, did not take to the skies themselves, but they carefully studied the capabilities of animals to fly themselves. There is also a lot of talk about this.
From the description on the website and reviews from readers on various platforms, I expected the book to lean more towards technical explanations and stories about airplanes, spaceships, balloons, etc. And this is all here. However, the book is still more focused on the biological and evolutionary aspects that allow animals to fly, jump, soar, etc. The author explains in a literal and detailed way, but no less understandable and interesting, why, for example, the shape of the martin’s wings is exactly like this, and why the eagle’s is different, what it gives, what it affects, and so on. All this is tied to physics and other sciences.
In addition to the aforementioned easy presentation and clear interpretation of various scientific features of the flight, the book is imbued with the author’s filigree humor. There is also a place for sarcasm and mockery of creationists, which I also mentioned. Writing this, I realize how difficult it was to talk so easily and naturally about the really difficult to explain laws and rules by which people, birds, and insects have overcome gravity. And Richard Dawkins succeeded.
«Flights of Fancy. The Biology and Technology of Flight» consists of short chapters that gradually reveal the topic of flight. If you are not familiar with the work of Richard Dawkins, but have only heard about his book «The Selfish Gene» or a few others, I advise you to start with this one, although it is actually the last, and hopefully not the last, of the 82-year-old author’s works. Through it, you will understand the scientist’s views, his voice, and unique presentation. All this is here in Lite format, compared to his other works. That is why «Flight of Fantasy» is suitable for the first immersion in Mr. Dawkins’ scientific work.
The book is interesting not only in terms of its content. It is also beautifully designed. There are many pictures, thematic patterns on the pages, graphic explanations, visual examples, etc. All this was brought to life by Slovak illustrator Jana Lenzova. This is exactly the case when it is better to have a paper edition than to read or listen to it digitally. «Flights of Fancy. The Biology and Technology of Flight» will definitely become an adornment of your home library and will bring pleasure from contemplation.
I should also note that this is an unusual publication for «Laboratoria». In other materials on their books, I have noted the convenience and asceticism on the verge of style that gives the books of the publishing house an advantage over the competition. It’s cool that here they have done something not ascetic, but bright and with so many illustrations. They did not forget about the slapstick.
