The Science of Discworld

Terry Pratchett is best known as a fantasy satirist. So I didn't really know what to expect, diving into a non-fiction book with his name on the cover. Even though it's anchored in Discworld and has two stupendous co-authors, I wasn't expecting this to be quite as science-filled as it turned out to be. It was a pleasant surprise to find such a detailed and accessible pop-science book. But part of that might be because my world view aligns to closely to Pratchett's (which is probably related to the fact that I spent my twenties working my way through his best-known series, but who knows whether the chicken or the egg came first (the egg came first)).

Pratchett starts by posing the question: what's the difference between magic and science? He posits that it's roughly the same as the difference between physics and biology, which is to say not that much. And it's hard to figure out when the one becomes the other. Pratchett uses his wizards to examine our world with child-like naivete and stubborn common-sense and reveal some interesting (and astonishingly deep) truths. Though truth is relative and tied deeply to one's own perspective.

The book is structured as alternating chapters. On the fantasy side of things, the wizards accidentally create a pocket universe (our universe) and observe it and ask questions as time passes. The alternating chapters explain the science, from the formation of stars and solar systems to the creation of Earth's atmosphere and the development of life.

I absolutely loved this book, but it probably isn't accessible to anyone who isn't already knowledgeable about the Discworld and how things work there. Which is all the more reason to get my kids hooked on Discworld early, so they can enjoy this book.