What if I wrote a book?

Posted bydavean 1,117 Comments on What if I wrote a book?

For the last couple years, I’ve been answering your science questions on What If.

Today, I’m excited to announce that the What If? book is coming!

What If?: Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions will be published September 2nd by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Starting today you can pre-order it from your favorite bookseller (Barnes & Noble, Amazon, Indie Bound).  There are also foreign editions, including a UK and Commonwealth edition and a German edition.

As I’ve sifted through the letters submitted to What If every week, I’ve occasionally set aside particularly neat questions that I wanted to spend a little more time on. This book features my answers to those questions, along with revised and updated versions of some of my favorite articles from the site. (I’m also including my personal list of the weirdest questions people have submitted.)

Preorder today to get a copy as soon as it comes out!

1,117 replies on “What if I wrote a book?”

  2. Automatic pre-order. This will officially be the best coffee table book in existence.

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  4. I just bought USM Vol 2 and the Calvin and Hobbes collection and blew through my entire comic budget. Sorry, Randall. 😦

    *sniff*

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  8. Pre-ordered solely on the basis that I love what you do and want to see you do more. I may never open the book (there is a slight chance 0.000001% not adjusted for chance untimely demise between now and the release) but it doesn’t matter. What matters is you get paid for the great work and joy you have given me and the world. Keep doing what you’re doing. Do not fear the return of the velociraptor nor global climate change. Yes it may ruin every beach you’ve walked, but think about all the new beaches it will make!

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  11. Well, i WAS considering it, but the lack of high velocity or lava is a dealbreaker for me

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  12. Fantastic news! As a long time follower of your comics (and What Ifs) I’ve always wanted some kind of xkcd merch, but being in the UK the postage has put me off… This is brilliant! Would you consider somehow selling other stuff through a European distributor?

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  14. I refuse to buy hardbacks on principle. Is there a timescale for a paperback release of this book?

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  15. This is so awesome.

    What if I had enough marshmallows to create a black hole? How big would the mass of mushy sugary goodness have to be?

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  16. How many people would need to purchase the book for the purchased copies (stacked in a single pile) to reach the height of geosynchronous orbit?

    What about an e-book? Assuming average hard drive sizes, if every human on the planet bought an e-book and stored it as a separate file, how high would the hard drives stack?

    (I’m purchasing your e-book, in case that helps with the calculations)

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  19. What If is the best thing to happen to science education since Bill Nye. TAKE MY MONEY!

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  20. I’m a little hesitant to pre-order it, but only because I’m scared you’ll send me a bobcat.

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  21. Would the uk and commonwealth version be the canadian one? Like if I buy from amazon.ca?

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  23. Is there any way to tell if any of the questions I asked but got no answer for are included without actually having to buy the book?

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  25. I haven’t bought a physical book in a while but your regular webcomic evokes in me a piquantly rich mixture of emotions. There are large portions of humour, slices of pathos and plates full of amazement generously seasoned with WTF and the benevolent desire to secure you the best of psychiatric assistance.

    So my order’s in and I hope you use the money to buy something nice for yourself.

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  30. Pingback: Analog Senses » “What If” book announced

  31. You should add an amazon affiliate link and get a commission on the sales there. email me if you need help

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  32. Re: ordering from Netherlands.
    Never mind, I preordered from the UK site.
    Hope you’ll enjoy my Dutch money.

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  33. If I buy the UK version from Scotland, do I get a Scottish Wildcat instead of a bobcat? It would make me sad if the bobcat died across the Atlantic

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  35. OMGOMGOMG! So exciting! I love your comic and I love reading what-if and you just made my life so much better

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  40. So, I can’t throw you my bitcoins and get an ebook in return ?
    I totally would.

    Also, the cover isn’t all that great, it makes it look like boring sciency stuff, instead of can’t-breath-I’m-laughting-y sciency stuff.

    And even the captcha is blurry.

    I’m disappoint. Would not give my invaluable opinion on again.

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  41. Pingback: WHAT IF? A New Book by xkcd creator Randall Munroe |

  45. This is the best news I’ll hear all day!

    Congratulations on the book, I’m off to find what friend I can coerce to give it to me as a – release date is Sept 2 did you say? – back to school present.

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