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− | [[File:ThingExplainerBookCover.png| | + | {{TOC}} |
+ | [[File:ThingExplainerBookCover.png|frame|right|General book cover]] | ||
+ | {{Incomplete|Needs touching up with links}} | ||
+ | ==Introduction== | ||
+ | ''Thing Explainer: Complicated Stuff in Simple Words'' is a book by [[Randall|Randall Munroe]] where things are explained in the style of [[Up Goer Five]] (which is also included in the book), using only {{w|blueprint}} like drawings and a vocabulary of the 1,000 (or ''ten hundred'') most common words in the English language. Randall found his own method to determine which words would go on his list, a list that is revealed in the book. | ||
− | The book | + | The book will among other explore computer buildings (datacenters), the flat rocks we live on (tectonic plates), the things you use to steer a plane (airliner cockpit controls), and the little bags of water you're made of (cells). See a summary below and also the [[#Things in this book by page|entire index from the book]] listing all the 45 different explanations. |
− | ''Thing Explainer'' is Randall's second published book, not including xkcd comic books, which he announced on May 13th, 2015 in [http://blog.xkcd.com/2015/05/13/new-book-thing-explainer/ the blag] following the amazing success of his [[ | + | ''Thing Explainer'' is Randall's second published book, not including xkcd comic books, which he announced on May 13th, 2015 in [http://blog.xkcd.com/2015/05/13/new-book-thing-explainer/ the blag] following the amazing success of his [[what if%3F#The book|what if? book]] based on the [[what if?]] blog. |
The book is a collection of diagrams and line drawings similar in style to the Up Goer Five comic, which can also be purchased as a poster. It was [[#Release day|published]] by {{w|Houghton Mifflin Harcourt}} on November 24th and is available from among others {{w|Amazon.com|Amazon}} to which [http://amzn.to/1GCXMJ5 a link] has been posted on xkcd for a long time. | The book is a collection of diagrams and line drawings similar in style to the Up Goer Five comic, which can also be purchased as a poster. It was [[#Release day|published]] by {{w|Houghton Mifflin Harcourt}} on November 24th and is available from among others {{w|Amazon.com|Amazon}} to which [http://amzn.to/1GCXMJ5 a link] has been posted on xkcd for a long time. | ||
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==Release day== | ==Release day== | ||
− | On the day of the book's release (even though it was a Tuesday) Randall also released the comic [[1608: Hoverboard]], which was a direct celebration of the | + | On the day of the book's release (even though it was a Tuesday) Randall also released the comic '''[[1608: Hoverboard]]''', which was a direct celebration of the books release (it says so in the comic). But it was far from being a small or normal comic! It was the first "real" game comic released on xkcd (albeit not the first [[:Category:Interactive comics|interactive comic]]). In the style of [[1110: Click and Drag]] it was possible to move around in a very much larger picture than what was shown in the frame. But this is '''not done''' by clicking and dragging though, instead the user controls [[Cueball]] on a {{w|hoverboard}} (hence the title of the comic) by using the arrow keys. |
− | There are many themes and references throughout the game, but the two main themes are {{w|Star Wars}} (the largest part to the right part) and {{w|The Lord of the Rings}} to the left. Several references goes back to the book from this comic. These are [[1608: | + | There are many themes and references throughout the game, but the two main themes are {{w|Star Wars}} (the largest part to the right part) and {{w|The Lord of the Rings}} to the left. Several references goes back to the book from this comic. These are [[1608:_Hoverboard#Reference_to_Thing_Explainer|listed in the explanation]] for the hoverboard comic. |
− | On the release day Randall also released a [http://www.xkcd.com/simplewriter/ simple writer] that would only accept the thousand words | + | On the release day Randall also released a '''[http://www.xkcd.com/simplewriter/ simple writer]''' that would only accept the thousand words listen at the back of the book under ''The ten hundred words people use the most''. In this way others can try to create similar explanations themselves. |
==Summary== | ==Summary== | ||
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How do these things work? Where do they come from? What would life be like without them? And what would happen if we opened them up, heated them up, cooled them down, pointed them in a different direction, or pressed this button? In ''Thing Explainer'', Munroe gives us the answers to these questions and so many more. Funny, interesting, and always understandable, this book is for anyone—age 5 to 105—who has ever wondered how things work, and why. | How do these things work? Where do they come from? What would life be like without them? And what would happen if we opened them up, heated them up, cooled them down, pointed them in a different direction, or pressed this button? In ''Thing Explainer'', Munroe gives us the answers to these questions and so many more. Funny, interesting, and always understandable, this book is for anyone—age 5 to 105—who has ever wondered how things work, and why. | ||
− | ==Things in this book by page | + | ==Things in this book by page== |
Below is the complete index of the book called ''Things in this book by page''. First is the simple title listed. Then follows the translation of this to normal language in brackets, with a wiki link to the most relevant page, based on the books material rather than the actual title. After "…" follows the page number for the start of that title as listed in the book: | Below is the complete index of the book called ''Things in this book by page''. First is the simple title listed. Then follows the translation of this to normal language in brackets, with a wiki link to the most relevant page, based on the books material rather than the actual title. After "…" follows the page number for the start of that title as listed in the book: | ||
*Pages before the books starts ({{w|Introduction (writing)|Introduction}}) … vii | *Pages before the books starts ({{w|Introduction (writing)|Introduction}}) … vii | ||
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*Earth’s past ({{w|Period (geology)|Geologic periods of Earth}}) … 53 | *Earth’s past ({{w|Period (geology)|Geologic periods of Earth}}) … 53 | ||
*Tree of life ({{w|Tree of life (biology)|Life’s family tree}}) … 54 | *Tree of life ({{w|Tree of life (biology)|Life’s family tree}}) … 54 | ||
− | *The ten hundred words people use the most ({{w|Most common words in English|The | + | *The ten hundred words people use the most ({{w|Most common words in English|The ten hundred most common words}} in {{w|English language|our language}}) … 57 |
*Helpers ({{w|Acknowledgment (creative arts and sciences)|Acknowledgments}}) … 63 | *Helpers ({{w|Acknowledgment (creative arts and sciences)|Acknowledgments}}) … 63 | ||
*Sky toucher ({{w|Skyscraper}}) … 65 | *Sky toucher ({{w|Skyscraper}}) … 65 | ||
− | There are | + | There are 48 entries, but with the introduction, the list of used words and the acknowledgments taking up three, the total ends up at 45 explanations. |
==The ten hundred words people use the most== | ==The ten hundred words people use the most== | ||
− | *Since ''thousand'' is not among the 1000 most common words in the English language, he has to write it | + | *Since ''thousand'' is not among the 1000 most common words in the English language, he has to write it like ''ten hundred''. |
**Also common is also not a common word (ironically enough). | **Also common is also not a common word (ironically enough). | ||
*It is possible to check if a word is allowed by using his [http://www.xkcd.com/simplewriter/ simple writer]. | *It is possible to check if a word is allowed by using his [http://www.xkcd.com/simplewriter/ simple writer]. | ||
− | + | *He do not use numbers like 1, 5 or 1000 in the book. He writes them out with words. So he could not have written ''1000 words...'' | |
− | *He | ||
**Not even in the ''How to count things'' explanation. | **Not even in the ''How to count things'' explanation. | ||
**Interestingly enough neither ''zero'' or ''nine'' is in the list | **Interestingly enough neither ''zero'' or ''nine'' is in the list | ||
− | ***But the other numbers from one to ten can be used as well as twenty, thirty and hundred. No other numbers | + | ***But the other numbers from one to ten can be used as well as twenty, thirty and hundred. No other numbers works. |
***Zero is thus written ''none'' and nine like ''the one after eight''. | ***Zero is thus written ''none'' and nine like ''the one after eight''. | ||
**In the simple writer you can write numbers without getting an error. | **In the simple writer you can write numbers without getting an error. | ||
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*He only included one version of a word in the list. But all the different forms/endings of those words are allowed, but they are not written in the list and thus also not counted towards the 1000 allowed words. | *He only included one version of a word in the list. But all the different forms/endings of those words are allowed, but they are not written in the list and thus also not counted towards the 1000 allowed words. | ||
**Thus many more different words than 1000 can be used, but only words with 1000 different meanings are used! | **Thus many more different words than 1000 can be used, but only words with 1000 different meanings are used! | ||
− | **He mentions as an example the word ''talk | + | **He mentions as an example the word ''talk', which is on the list, and thus also ''talking'' and ''talked' would be allowed. |
***He also allows words that do not exist if they sound funny enough like ''talker''. | ***He also allows words that do not exist if they sound funny enough like ''talker''. | ||
***This is similar to ''goer'' like in [[1133: Up Goer Five]] or ''Sky '''toucher''''' from the last explanation in the book. | ***This is similar to ''goer'' like in [[1133: Up Goer Five]] or ''Sky '''toucher''''' from the last explanation in the book. | ||
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**As he writes in the notes at the bottom of the last page with the list of words: | **As he writes in the notes at the bottom of the last page with the list of words: | ||
***''I didn't want to use those words anyway.'' | ***''I didn't want to use those words anyway.'' | ||
− | *In the section '''Helpers''' he specifically notes that he | + | *In the section with '''Helpers''' he specifically notes that he will like to thanks people even though their names are not in the list. |
**So he writes them out anyway! | **So he writes them out anyway! | ||
==References to comics== | ==References to comics== | ||
*These obvious references have already been mentioned above: | *These obvious references have already been mentioned above: | ||
− | **[[1133: Up Goer Five]] | + | **[[1133: Up Goer Five]] and |
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**[[1608: Hoverboard]]. (See this [[1608:_Hoverboard#Reference_to_Thing_Explainer|extensive list]] of connections). | **[[1608: Hoverboard]]. (See this [[1608:_Hoverboard#Reference_to_Thing_Explainer|extensive list]] of connections). | ||
*But there are also other comics that are directly or indirectly references in the book. | *But there are also other comics that are directly or indirectly references in the book. | ||
− | * | + | *One of the most obvious examples is this comic which is directly featured in the book: |
+ | **[[1388: Subduction License]]. | ||
***It is included as part of the explanation of the ''Big flat rocks we live on.'' | ***It is included as part of the explanation of the ''Big flat rocks we live on.'' | ||
***But it is only the three last panels after the first panel which is displayed. | ***But it is only the three last panels after the first panel which is displayed. | ||
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**[[526: Converting to Metric]]. | **[[526: Converting to Metric]]. | ||
***It is just a more funny version of ''How to count things'' where only the volume segment has been left out. | ***It is just a more funny version of ''How to count things'' where only the volume segment has been left out. | ||
− | ***The only item going again in both is the | + | ***The only item going again in both is the wight of a cat, although this is listed as 4 kg in the comic and 5 kg in the book... |
− | + | **There is a [[:Category:Squirrels|Squirrel]]. | |
− | + | ***In the explanation for ''Boxes that make clothes smell better'' there is a drawing of a squirrel at the bottom right. Above this there is an arrow pointing to it and the text: | |
− | + | :::"'''Wait''' | |
− | + | :::Why is this in your house?" | |
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==Book Cover== | ==Book Cover== | ||
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[[File:ThingExplainerBookBackCover.png]] | [[File:ThingExplainerBookBackCover.png]] | ||
− | ==Preview | + | ==Preview Pages== |
− | *Part of the Curiosity entry (note that | + | *Part of the Curiosity entry (note that there where not used red color inside the book, only blue): |
[[File:Space Car.jpeg]] | [[File:Space Car.jpeg]] | ||
− | == Promotion | + | == Promotion at the top of the xkcd home page == |
− | + | *At the time the comic [[1612: Colds]] came out, the top part of xkcd had been changed to promote the book. | |
− | * | ||
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**The entire section was a link to [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0544668251/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0544668251&linkCode=as2&tag=thekcs-20&linkId=S4XRZJJKSMHOWEQU the book on amazon.com] | **The entire section was a link to [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0544668251/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0544668251&linkCode=as2&tag=thekcs-20&linkId=S4XRZJJKSMHOWEQU the book on amazon.com] | ||
− | ** | + | **It was later moved to bottom section of xkcd: |
− | + | [[File:Thing Explainer promoted on xkcd.PNG]] | |
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− | + | {{comic discussion}} | |
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+ | [[Category:Meta]] | ||
[[Category:Simplified language]] | [[Category:Simplified language]] | ||
− | + | <!-- No other topic categories should be included, as there would then be tens of them --> | |
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