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Flights of Fancy: Defying Gravity by Design and Evolution Paperback – March 7, 2023

by Richard Dawkins (Author)
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 446 ratings
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Richard Dawkins on how nature and humans have learned to overcome the pull of gravity and take to the skies.

'A masterly investigation of all aspects of flight, human and animal... A beautifully produced book that will appeal across age groups' Alexander McCall Smith

'Dawkins has always been an extraordinarily muscular, persuasive thinker. What feels new here is that he writes with such charm and warmth' The Times

Have you ever dreamt you could fly? Or imagined what it would be like to glide and swoop through the sky like a bird? Do you let your mind soar to unknown, magical spaces? Richard Dawkins explores the wonder of flight: from the mythical Icarus, to the sadly extinct but spectacular bird Argentavis magnificens, from the Wright flyer and the 747, to the Tinkerbella fairyfly and the Peregrine falcon. But he also explores flights of the mind and escaping the everyday – through science, ideas and imagination. Fascinating and beautifully illustrated, this is a unique collaboration between one of the world's leading scientists and a talented artist.

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Previous page
  1. Print length
    304 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Apollo
  4. Publication date
    March 7, 2023
  5. Grade level
    9 - 12
  6. Reading age
    14 years and up
  7. Dimensions
    9 x 0.85 x 8.95 inches
  8. ISBN-10
    1838937862
  9. ISBN-13
    978-1838937867
  10. See all details
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From the Publisher

Flights of Fancy

Flights of Fancy

Flights of Fancy

Flights of Fancy

Flights of Fancy

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Richard Dawkins writes with admirable clarity and Jana Lenzova illustrates in much the same way... A masterly investigation of all aspects of flight, human and animal. This is a beautifully produced book that will appeal across age groups'” ―Alexander McCall-Smith

“Dawkins writes with such an irresistible combination of mastery of the subject, delight in it, and vividness. A total pleasure” ―Michael Frayn

“Dawkins's prose feels as if it were cut with a laser ... Dawkins has always been an extraordinarily muscular, persuasive thinker. What feels new here is that he writes with such charm and warmth. Genial Uncle Richard, for me, is the most likeable Dawkins yet” ―Sunday Times

“He has made Darwinism cooler than it has any right to be” ―Sunday Times

“PRAISE FOR RICHARD DAWKINS:

'Written with all the clarity and elegance of which Dawkins is a master. It should have a place in every school library – especially in the library of every 'faith' school' Philip Pullman, on The God Delusion.

'One of the best non-fiction writers alive today'” ―Steven Pinker

About the Author

Richard Dawkins is one of the world's most eminent writers and thinkers. He is the award-winning author of The Selfish Gene, The Blind Watchmaker, The God Delusion and a string of other bestselling science books, and is a Fellow of the Royal Society and of the Royal Society of Literature. Dawkins lives in Oxford.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Apollo (March 7, 2023)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 304 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1838937862
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1838937867
  • Reading age ‏ : ‎ 14 years and up
  • Grade level ‏ : ‎ 9 - 12
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 15 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 9 x 0.85 x 8.95 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 446 ratings

About the author

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Richard Dawkins

Richard Dawkins

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Richard Dawkins taught zoology at the University of California at Berkeley and at Oxford University and is now the Charles Simonyi Professor of the Public Understanding of Science at Oxford, a position he has held since 1995. Among his previous books are The Ancestor's Tale, The Selfish Gene, The Blind Watchmaker, Climbing Mount Improbable, Unweaving the Rainbow, and A Devil's Chaplain. Dawkins lives in Oxford with his wife, the actress and artist Lalla Ward.

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
446 global ratings
smart visual book by Oxford doctor
5 Stars
smart visual book by Oxford doctor
It's profound; it's visually accessible; brilliant really.
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Top reviews from the United States

#thefarm
5.0 out of 5 stars A keeper for the bookshelf
Reviewed in the United States on March 25, 2023
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I love this book. I like to share books & I was going to send this book to a friend when I’m done, but there’s no way I’m giving up my copy! It’s written is such simple terms that makes it easy to read, but that’s not to say that it’s simple on content or concept. Natural selection, physics, anatomy - all eloquently explained with the use of multiple fascinating examples of mother nature’s mechanisms of flight across the plant & animal world of today & our ancient past, including discussion of so many human attempts to mimic her. These stories are woven together on top of stunning illustrations. It’s just a joy to read. I’ll gladly buy another copy to send to my friend :)
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PembrokeSorbonne
4.0 out of 5 stars Nice to see Dawkins writing on evolutionary biology again
Reviewed in the United States on December 17, 2023
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It is a welcoming development that Dawkins has returned to writing books about evolutionary biology which you can see is his strength. This book explains the evolutionary biology of living things that fly,  with lovely illustrations. Similar to his early books on evolution, it is laced with many examples in nature and anecdotes using lucid and easy to follow narratives.

Evolutionary biology of flying living things is useful to explain how flight can be used as a feature to illustrate morphological adaptive development in natural selection. Dawkins first explains what flight is good for, which he suggests escape from predator, finding food, migration to feeding ground or better habitat. He also provided creatures with amazing navigation capability such as homing pigeons can find their destination even if you release them from alternate locations. Then he discusses why some creatures lose their wings. Wings are expensive to maintain. It is an adaptive advantage but can be abandoned if it is no longer needed. Species of birds that migrated to island living where predators are dimished can lose their wings to evolve to larger bodies like land animals for more effective reproduction. Queen ants would tear their wings off after arrival at destination for breeding and movement underground. Losing wings gives them better mobility. Worker ants don't generate wings though they can but no need for working underground.  Dawkins then discusses various wing morphologies  and evolutionary development. First, it is easier for lighter bodies to fly and large surface area on the body is needed to generate lift. Dawkins cited morphologies from bats and pterosaurus which use their fingers, limbs and membranes while birds use feathers. Wing morphologies are generated from the existent structure of the species gradually instead of sprouting wings from nowhere. Also discussed are creatures using unpowered flight such as gliders, namely, flying squirrels and colugos which uses a patagium (web of skin), and birds,such as seagulls and vultures that use thermals to glide long distance. In terms of powered flights, birds use a complicated combination of pushing wing down like a chopper and pushing forward like an airplane. Amazing examples of hummingbirds and dragonflies featuring hovering ability like a chopper by turning wings upside down when pushing down. Besides discussing animals flight, Dawkins suggests aerial planktons using air to disperse for distance. Seeding over distance is advantages to species continuous survival which the notion of gene replication in his theme is revisited again.  Plants also use birds and insects for pollination, and amazingly to make them spreading them in the same species to maintain pollination fidelity. A most interesting chapter at the end titled "what is the use of half a wing" which suggests gradual evolution of wing morphology. An initial wing like structure maybe developed for various adaptive advantages such as for increasing running speed, temperature retention, or balance, before to full form for flight.  So Dawkins is suggesting intermediate forms can have their adaptive purposes, and the idea of half a wing is warranted in the evolutionary process.

This is an overall fun and interesting short book to read. It is not as technical as his early works such as The Selfish Gene and The Extended Phenotype, but is still a welcoming return to see Dawkins presenting evolutionary biology again
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Brooklyn Richie
5.0 out of 5 stars TAKES YOU INTO THE WORLD FLIGHT
Reviewed in the United States on November 26, 2023
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Look for other books by this author too as he has a reputation for delivering interesting reads & subject matter. When I do a book review, I am careful not to tip-off or spill the beans on what to expect allowing YOU, the potential reader, to have a fuller experience. The subject, and origin of flight remains fascinating. Enjoy this journey into this world
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Peter R. Nichols
5.0 out of 5 stars Science and Wisdom for Man
Reviewed in the United States on October 27, 2023
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I was going to say ‘science and wisdom for the common man’. But, as is his history as a thinker and writer, this is another book for all men and woman. Dawkins continues to write prolifically and with the clarity that that all readers can understand and appreciate.
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Kenny Albano
5.0 out of 5 stars Well written explanation of the origins of flight.
Reviewed in the United States on November 15, 2021
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Richard Dawkins explains both how animals that can fly came to be; as well as, how they fly physically. As in other books by him and by other great authors, this book inspires a sense of curiosity, by reminding the reader that despite how much we already know about the world there is still more to discover. The author also explains and compares the origins and mechanisms that allow flight for man made flying and gliding machines such as air planes, helicopter's, and parachutes to evolved flying machines (animals).
12 people found this helpful
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S. R. Southard
4.0 out of 5 stars "...and whether pigs have wings" (this book answers that)
Reviewed in the United States on December 30, 2022
Why do some animals fly and others don’t? Do any plants fly? How did flying start in the first place? Evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins tackles these questions and more in this book.

It’s a fun romp, unless you’re a creationist, in which case you should consider avoiding this book. The author has some harsh words for creationists. He examines how evolution could have prompted insects, then birds and mammals, to take to the air. He compares the slow evolution of animals over millions of years to the fast evolution of human technology during the two centuries between the first manned balloon flight to the first manned moon landings.

It seems there’s much we don’t know for sure about how early animals flew. We’re imagining what a complete 1000-piece jigsaw puzzle looked like from 50 pieces we found at random. Much of the book is conjecture—educated guesses.

The author kept the book short and non-technical, very easy to read. No math required. If you’ve ever watched birds or bats or flying insects and imagined being one, this book is for you.
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Mike
5.0 out of 5 stars An amazing book for all levels of readers
Reviewed in the United States on April 20, 2023
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Professor Dawkins has given us another amazing book dealing with evolution. This time, he traces the development of wings and flight as a key feature of the evolutionary process. The photographs in this book are beautiful, as are the author's prose. If you love birds, and wish to know how they came to be, you must add this study to your collection.
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mary in new york city
5.0 out of 5 stars Fun book about flight
Reviewed in the United States on May 31, 2022
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This is a fun book, different from most nature books. I happen to really like it.
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Alan Lammin
5.0 out of 5 stars Superb writing
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 15, 2024
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Richard Dawkins has never written a bad book, and this one is no exception.
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Kim Walden
5.0 out of 5 stars An exquisite gem of a book
Reviewed in Sweden on June 4, 2023
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Very interesting subject, written in the usual crystal clear style of Richard Dawkins, beatutifully illustrated by the artist Jana Lenzová.
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sonali sengupta
5.0 out of 5 stars Homology in evolution
Reviewed in India on June 6, 2022
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Dislike-the title should have been objective.

Like pictures, content, and insights into evolutionary adaptations.
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j.j.videler
1.0 out of 5 stars Dawkins slaat de plank mis
Reviewed in Germany on April 12, 2022
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awkins heeft kennelijk na wat hij geleerd heeft van de colleges van Pringle in de zestiger jaren nauwelijks meer iets over het onderwerp gelezen en zelfs wat hij toen leerde niet begrepen. Pringle werkte aan indirecte vliegspieren bij insecten die fibrillair zijn en de thorax in trilling brengen. De frequentie van die trilling ligt in de buurt van de eigenfrequentie van de thorax. Met die frequentie slaan de vleugels. Dawkins beweert dat het de eigenfrequentie van de vleugels zijn en slaat daarmee de plank volledig mis.

Er zijn nog veel meer missers. Zo beweert hij dat de bonte ijsvogel kan vliegen als een kolibrie, stilstaan op een plek in stilstaande lucht. Het schoudergewricht van vogels als bonte ijsvogels en torenvalken laat dat niet toe (Zie mijn verhandeling daarover in Avian Flight, 2006 en 'Bidden voor de kost' 1996)

In zijn eigen Oxford zit een uitstekende onderzoeksgroep op het gebied van vliegen (o.l.v. Adrian Thomas). Daar heeft hij kennelijk geen contact mee gezocht. Ook heeft hij geen weet van voorrand wervels (leading edge vortices, LEV's) waarmee vliegen van insecten tot vogels kan worden begrepen. Het boek geeft geen enkele referentie. Zelfs zijn uiteenzettingen over de evolutie van het vliegen zijn achterhaald. Hij herhaalt zichzelf regelmatig en irriteert de lezer die niet aan het dementeren is daarmee.

Het laatste hoofdstuk laat zien waar het om draait. Het gaat om de grote Dawkins die is uitgenodigd bij een conferentie met astronauten die op de maan gelopen hebben. Hij vergelijkt zijn wetenschappelijke prestaties daarmee.
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Pine
5.0 out of 5 stars A delight to read and possess.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 15, 2023
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Richard Dawkins has a way of inducing wonder and delight in nature. His writings are enlightening and very simple for a lay person to understand.
He describes the natural world and how it evolved which is fascinating in itself.
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