A new message from one of my readers today. It's always a pleasure to hear from them,
especially when they say things like this:
I bought your book "Why Shit Happens" as I killed some time
in Portland's lovely airport (if the very concept of a "lovely airport" isn't an oxymoron) last
year, waiting for a flight back to sunny Scotland. I only just got round to reading it this past
week or so and I found it highly enjoyable and amusing but more than that, very
informative.
I must admit to being really rather ignorant about the world
around me. I got through school with an understanding of trigonometry, a bunch of
"important dates" from History lodged in my brain and the ability to order fresh bread in
German, yet I couldn't have told you what a pulled muscle actually was, or how batteries
work or the wonders of day's old milk.
Having become a first time father only last year there been a
cold, quiet dread creeping up on me as times goes on and that fear is the word "why". I
know it's coming. As soon as the boy starts talking the dreaded word won't be far behind,
and as the font of all knowledge to my child I'll be expected to answer all the "why"
questions with the requisite authority. Armed with the knowledge from your book, and the
fine basic introduction it's given me to many varied aspects of nature and science, I now feel
like I've at least got a fighting chance of giving the right answer and avoiding my back up
answer of, "Umm, it's all magic."
Looking forward to any future work,
[name removed] (slightly less worried father)
