Slow Sky Books

Nobody Said Impossible

by Dale Brennan

Thirty big questions about the universe, answered honestly, with room left to dream.

The e-book Nobody Said Impossible, with Dale Brennan on the cover
$24.99

One-time payment. Instant download.

Get the book — $24.99

Large-print PDF e-book · Instant download · 30-day money-back guarantee

Dale Brennan in a camp chair beside the small observatory dome in his backyard, a mug in his hands

A note from the author

“I’ll tell you what we know. Then we’ll dream a little.”

I grew up in a small Kansas town, under a sky so big it started at your boot tops. I’ve been looking up ever since. These days I have a little dome in my backyard, and on clear nights I’m still out there with a thermos of coffee and a ball game on the radio.

People keep asking me the same big questions. Could we ever teleport? Is there another you out there? Where does the universe end? Why is it all so quiet? This book is my best answer to thirty of them.

Here’s my promise. When we know something, I’ll tell you plainly. When we don’t, I’ll say so just as plainly. And where science runs out and nobody can say “impossible,” we’ll dream a little. I’ll always tell you when we’re dreaming.

— Dale

What you get

  • 353large-print pages
  • 230+photographs, pictures and diagrams
  • 30big questions, in six parts
  • 30“Let’s Imagine” pages, always marked as dreams
  • 17.5 ptlarge, clear type (most books use 10 to 12)
  • Any screentablet, phone or computer, or print it at home

Inside the book

Every chapter takes one big question: what science knows, what’s still open, and one page where we let ourselves dream.

An open copy of the book at the start of Part One, The Edge of Everything: a full-page picture of galaxies above a Kansas road, beside the part’s title page
Six parts, thirty questions. Each part opens with a big picture and a few words from Dale.
An open copy of the book: a neutron-star illustration and a telescope photograph of the Boomerang Nebula above two pages of large, clear text
Real photographs and clear illustrations, with plain words in large, clear print.
An open copy of the book: Dale on a Kansas road at night under the Milky Way, beside a “Let’s Imagine” page in deep violet
One “Let’s Imagine” page in every chapter, where science stops and the dreaming starts. Always marked, so you know which is which.

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$24.99

One-time payment. Instant download.

Get the book — $24.99

Questions

30-day money-back guarantee. Read a few chapters. Try the dream pages on a grandchild. If the book isn’t for you, just reply to your Gumroad receipt or email us within 30 days, and we’ll refund your money. No forms, no hard feelings.

Is this a paper book?

No. Nobody Said Impossible is an e-book: a PDF file you download right after you pay. You can read it on a tablet, phone or computer, and print any pages you like.

What can I read it on?

Any iPad or other tablet, iPhone or Android phone, Mac or Windows computer. A tablet or a computer shows the large print and the pictures best, and you can zoom in even more. Kindle e-ink readers can open it too, but the pages look small there and the pictures lose their color.

How do I get it after I pay?

Right after checkout you’ll see a download button, and you’ll also get an email with your download link. The file is about 24 MB, so Wi-Fi is best. If the email doesn’t arrive within a few minutes, check your spam folder or write to us.

Do I need to know science or math?

Not a bit. There are no equations to work through. Every idea is explained in plain words and everyday comparisons, with pictures and simple diagrams. If you’ve ever looked up at night and wondered, you’re ready.

Can I print it?

Yes. The pages are US Letter size, so they print on ordinary paper at home or at a print shop. The text is set at 17.5 points with wide spacing (most books use 10 to 12).

Is paying safe?

Checkout is handled by Gumroad, which sells the book for us as the merchant of record: it takes the payment and adds any sales tax. You can pay with a credit or debit card or PayPal. Your card details go straight to their secure checkout; we never see your card number. The charge on your statement will mention Gumroad.

How do I get a refund?

Reply to the receipt email Gumroad sent you (your reply comes straight to us), or write to [email protected], within 30 days of your purchase. We refund the full price through Gumroad; most banks show it within 5 to 10 business days.