Why Things Are & Why Things Aren't

by Joel Achenbach

WHAT IS REALITY, ANYWAY? FUNNY YOU SHOULD ASK. Washington Post columnist Joel Achenbach refuses to take "I don't know" for an answer. In Why Things Are, he gave you a world of answers in a nutshell.... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0345392884
• ISBN13: 9780345392886
• Release Date: February 1996
• Publisher: Ballantine Books
• Length: 284 Pages
• Weight: 0.60 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 5.1" x 8.0"

Customer Reviews

not as good as the 1st and 2nd, but still great

I didn't like this one quite as much as the 1st and 2nd Why book (part 2 seems to be out of print), mainly because it lacked the Special Reports which were the best part of its predecessors. But this is a minor complaint and like the other books in the series I've read this one so many times that I have practically memorized it. That won't stop me from reading it many times more. Ivan Rorick

Why Things Are & Why Things Aren't

Achenbach is a genius at observation, very interesting questions and wonderful and witty humor. If you loved his previous books you'll love this one. I was sad to finish it.

Accurate, informative and hysterically funny

This book is for the insatiably curious, and it is a joy to read. Not only is it incredibly funny but it's full of accurate scientific information, and provides answers to questions you didn't even realize you had. The author is obviously an incredibly talented writer who is having a good time with the subject matter. A great little book and suprisingly profound!

A wonderful book.

Too bad information wasn't provided to us this way in school: utterly engaging, intelligent, funny, full of wise humor. Reading this is like eating potato chips except that its really good for you which is pretty amazing. Joel is hip and savvy.

Why you should read this book

We live in a world all too obsessed with how. And the marketplace is overflowing with books to satiate that obsession. But, like most obsessions, once the obsessed becomes reality, we are left feeling empty. Because how is, at heart, boring and mechanical, utterly soulless. This book though, is a book for humans. because it doesn't just give you a ration of how, it gives you the seven course meal of why. Why is a question that, once answered leaves you feeling truly satisfied. Oh, any encyclopedia can tell you about Plato or Socrates, but only Joel Achenbach explains why they had only one name, or why we assume human flesh tastes bad, and why, exactly, does ice cream get so gross-tasting when it melts. All of these questions and more are answered in this incredible book. And they're answered with hilarious wit and impressive mental dexterity. So give Why Things Are & Why Things Aren't a read and find these answers for yourself. Why is indeed the best question, it just may save humanity.