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
$17.49USD$24.99

30% off until Dec. 7

Get the book — $17.49

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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$17.49USD$24.99

30% off until Dec. 7

Get the book — $17.49

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.

I paid, but the book hasn’t arrived. What should I do?

Don’t worry, we’ll sort it out. Here’s what to do:

  1. Find the email. Look for an email from “Your Handy Guide” (our store on Gumroad) titled “You bought Nobody Said Impossible!”, and check Spam and Promotions too. Its “View content” button opens your book, even if you closed the page after paying.
  2. Check the payment. Look for a charge from GUMRD.COM on your card statement. If there’s none, the payment didn’t go through, and you can simply order again.
  3. Still no book? Write to us. Perhaps the email address had a small typo at checkout, or something else went wrong. Send your name and the date you ordered to [email protected], and we’ll find your order and get your book to you.
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?

Yes. Every payment goes through a secure checkout and is protected by encryption, and your card details are never shown to us. If you have an iPhone, iPad or Mac, you can pay with Apple Pay and won’t even need to type a card number. On any other phone or computer, a credit or debit card works just as well.

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.