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  • What If?

  • Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions
  • By: Randall Munroe
  • Narrated by: Wil Wheaton
  • Length: 6 hrs and 35 mins
  • 4.4 out of 5 stars (1,211 ratings)
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What If? cover art

What If?

By: Randall Munroe
Narrated by: Wil Wheaton
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Summary

From the creator of the wildly popular xkcd, What If? gives hilarious and informative answers to important questions you probably never thought to ask. Millions visit xkcd.com each week to read Randall Munroe's iconic webcomic. Fans ask him a lot of strange questions. How fast can you hit a speed bump, driving, and live? When (if ever) did the sun go down on the British Empire? When will Facebook contain more profiles of dead people than living? How many humans would a T Rex rampaging through New York need to eat a day? In pursuit of answers, Munroe runs computer simulations, pores over stacks of declassified military research memos, solves differential equations and consults nuclear reactor operators. His responses are masterpieces of clarity and hilarity. They often predict the complete annihilation of humankind - or at least a really big explosion.

This audiobook edition is read by geek icon Wil Wheaton (Star Trek: The Next Generation, Stand by Me, The Big Bang Theory) and has been adapted for audio in collaboration with the author.

Shortlisted for the Goodreads Choice Awards

©2014 xkcd inc (P)2014 Blackstone Audio

What listeners say about What If?

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

Good fun that descends into silliness

Would you try another book written by Randall Munroe or narrated by Wil Wheaton?

Certainly Wil, who is high energy and adds an awful lot to what's here. Randall perhaps on the basis of his overall reputation or as seriously light relief. Not on the basis of this book!

Could you see What If? being made into a movie or a TV series? Who would the stars be?

This isn't really that kind of book. It's comedy nonfiction bite sized chapters on different topics. I chose it for going to bed or quick moments to listen, and it suits that. The whole book in one go is a bit too much of the same and it stops being funny.

Any additional comments?

I went in expecting something like the New Scientist series of light hearted questions to things you've always wanted to know. I liked this book less, because how it works is a reader puts forward a completely strange question, Randall answers that question in about half the chapter, and the second half is taken up with an even more outlandish aside to the question that interests Randall. This invariably involves MORE explosions, MORE mass deaths, or MORE planets being destroyed.

I can see some readers really enjoying that,but I found it same-y.

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9 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Amazing book for Geeks

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I certainly would. What if answers all the questions you wanted ask but didn't know who to ask.

What did you like best about this story?

Will Weatons narration

Which scene did you most enjoy?

The question about the periodic table

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I wish!!

Any additional comments?

Just get it, its amazing.. Please do another!!!

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7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Brilliant, just brilliant!

If you could sum up What If? in three words, what would they be?

Funny insightful entertaining

What other book might you compare What If? to, and why?

Not nearly as funny, but just as informative - Death from the Skies by Phil Plait

Any additional comments?

I love the website, and the book is even better. Wil Wheaton was a perfect choice for narrating this, he really makes this book and brings it to life.
Recommend this for anyone who has ever pondered what would happen if the Earth suddenly stopped, if the sun has ever set on the British Empire or what would happen if a baseball was pitched at you at the speed of light. Couple this with Randall Munroe's almost obsessive need to blow things up in ever increasingly bizarre ways and you have an excellent read! Hope he releases a volume 2..

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Such a good book

I loved this book so much, it was great for a nerd like me, but i would recommend it to anyone

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Interesting but boring

Great explanations but the questions start getting very boring. Ended up skipping a lot.

Wil Wheaton does a great job keeping energy levels up & keeping you interested.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

If you love xkcd you'll love this!

We all do it, daydream about what might happen if an off the wall hypothetical situation were actually to happen. Randall's sheer dedication to helping us understand the 'what if' is incredible with ever source listed and every tangent explored. He's managed to translate the humour of his comics' brilliantly into the writing.

Will's narration is spot on, with great comic timing and a confidence that would make you believe that he'd written the book.

I've listened to 'what if' three times now and I'm not done yet. If you want accessible, fun science written by a genius mathematician and ex nasa employee then this is for you!

Thanks Randall, I really hope a second book is on the way!

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Very well researched and entertaining

Enjoyed it very much, found the questions interesting and the answers even more interesting! A great listen

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Great book, full of interesting facts.

Great book, full of interesting facts. Perfect for those who love science. Well and funnily narrated.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Basically perfect

Mind-expanding, hilarious, and really well-written, this is essential reading (or listening) for anyone who loves science.

My son listens to this (or one of its sequels) literally every day

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

6/5 stars

If I could I would give this a 6/5 stars because it is the most interesting thing on Audible (in my opinion.) I hink if you want a scientific audio book but not so hard to understand that you don’t know what they are saying yet not so simple that it becomes boring I would recommend this 100%. Loved it. Have listend to it way to much. 6/5 stars.

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