# Asking for reccomended reading for Atheists. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 27, 2005, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asking-for-reccomended-reading-for-atheists/301456 "2005-04-27T23:35:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2005, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asking-for-reccomended-reading-for-atheists/301456/1 "2005-04-27T23:35:53Z")
What should an Atheist read that is relevant to atheism? I own ‘Origin of Species’ On a completely different note I own the ‘His Dark Materials’ trillogy. What would you reccomend I own/read? Preferably stuff to inflate my atheist ego, but I would also welcome books that might make me think twice about my choice of belief system. (FYI lack of belief counts as a belief. I believe, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that there is no supreme being that could be called ‘God’ which created everything. ---
**Author:** ![pinkfreud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pinkfreud/32/17603_2.png) [@pinkfreud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pinkfreud)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2005, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asking-for-reccomended-reading-for-atheists/301456/2 "2005-04-27T23:45:48Z")
When I was an atheist, I read quite a few books published by [Prometheus](http://www.prometheusbooks.com/cat.html). ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2005, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asking-for-reccomended-reading-for-atheists/301456/3 "2005-04-27T23:58:53Z")
Carl Sagan’s **The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark** Sagan’s novel **Contact** is very good and it deals with the concept of faith and belief in several ways. Different types of beliefs are represented as well as different ‘degrees’ of belief (Christian zealots, moderates, New-Agey types). The protagonist is atheist and faces obstacles because of this, but the story isn’t “Christians Bad, Atheists Good.” The so-so movie does not include the very interesting final chapter from the book. In fact, I still find the ending surprising considering Sagan’s atheism. Pretty much anything else by Sagan. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2005, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asking-for-reccomended-reading-for-atheists/301456/4 "2005-04-28T00:04:24Z")
Another vote for **Demon-Haunted World.** ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2005, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asking-for-reccomended-reading-for-atheists/301456/5 "2005-04-28T00:16:38Z")
An interesting and entertaining work of fiction for you (with historical inclusions that may even be quite accurate) is _A History Of The World In 10½ Chapters_ by Julian Barnes - it touches on a number of religious themes but from an angle I think you’ll find quite satisfying. ---
**Author:** ![Kilvert\_s\_Pagan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c37758/32.png) [@Kilvert\_s\_Pagan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kilvert_s_Pagan)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2005, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asking-for-reccomended-reading-for-atheists/301456/6 "2005-04-28T01:14:42Z")
In addition to **Demon Haunted World** , I’d also specifically recommend **Billions and Billions** , Sagan’s last book. Mark Twain’s **Letters from the Earth** comes to mind as well. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2005, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asking-for-reccomended-reading-for-atheists/301456/7 "2005-04-28T01:16:49Z")
On oldie but goodie is _The Age of Reason_ by Thomas Paine. One of the best ones out there is _Atheism: The Case Against God_ by George Smith. Haj ---
**Author:** ![FordPrefect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e99b99/32.png) [@FordPrefect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FordPrefect)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2005, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asking-for-reccomended-reading-for-atheists/301456/8 "2005-04-28T02:31:37Z")
Another nod for Sagan, and Smith’s _Case Against God_ I also have read some Russell and a little Nietzsche _Thus Spake Zarathustra_ and would recommend them both. I would also recommend Dawkin’s, who is criticized for his scathing comments on dogmatic religion, but as an ex-evangelicalist I find them rather amusing. But he does have the same love and awe of nature that Sagan has, I mean had… That is a reference to another author you should check out if you haven’t yet and that is _The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy_ by Douglas Adams. ---
**Author:** ![FordPrefect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e99b99/32.png) [@FordPrefect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FordPrefect)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2005, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asking-for-reccomended-reading-for-atheists/301456/9 "2005-04-28T02:37:04Z")
Or Dawkins… doh! In opposition to your system of beliefs, you could try Francis Schaeffer, either _The God Who is There_ or _Escape from Reason_. Plus, there is the prerequisite _Mere Christianity_ by Lewis. In other directions, I enjoy both Joseph Campbell and Karen Armstrong. Plus, the _Tao of Pooh_ is an intriguing look at Taoism. How accurate, I can’t say, but I found it enlightening. ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2005, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asking-for-reccomended-reading-for-atheists/301456/10 "2005-04-28T02:43:46Z")
You should be familiar with the holy books of all the major world religions–so the Bible, the Qur’an, the Tao, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Selkie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbce88/32.png) [@Selkie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Selkie)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2005, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asking-for-reccomended-reading-for-atheists/301456/11 "2005-04-28T03:06:04Z")
The preamble to [Murray v. Curlett](http://www.skepticfiles.org/american/aanes152.htm) (about half-way down the linked page). Reading any of the major atheist or skeptic web sites is usually worth the time, such as the material on [American Atheists](http://www.atheists.org) web site. I’ve heard nothing but good things about [A History of God](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0345384563/qid=1114657705/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/104-7426994-7375120), but haven’t read it myself yet. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2005, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asking-for-reccomended-reading-for-atheists/301456/12 "2005-04-28T03:08:59Z")
> [@Tangent](#): > > Carl Sagan’s **The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark** > > Sagan’s novel **Contact** is very good and it deals with the concept of faith and belief in several ways. Different types of beliefs are represented as well as different ‘degrees’ of belief (Christian zealots, moderates, New-Agey types). The protagonist is atheist and faces obstacles because of this, but the story isn’t “Christians Bad, Atheists Good.” The so-so movie does not include the very interesting final chapter from the book. In fact, I still find the ending surprising considering Sagan’s atheism. > > Pretty much anything else by Sagan. > > 🙂 Since this is Cafe Society, from what I remember was that there was a big to-do brewing about the ending of “Contact” (possibly the most disappointing ending to a movie in my life), but that it fizzled once Sagan discovered he had cancer (or it had advanced to such a point that he could no longer be bothered.) ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2005, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asking-for-reccomended-reading-for-atheists/301456/13 "2005-04-28T03:10:01Z")
Bertrand Russell’s “Why I am not a Christian,” is very good. A vote against Smith. I found his reasoning to be very weak - for instance he “proves” that the universe has always been here. But a third or a fourth for Sagan and Tom Paine. Paine was not an atheist (I think he would be one today, though) but his criticisms of the Bible are things you still here today. ---
**Author:** ![ITR\_champion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c67d28/32.png) [@ITR\_champion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ITR_champion)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2005, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asking-for-reccomended-reading-for-atheists/301456/14 "2005-04-28T03:44:49Z")
To truly get aa firm grounding for your atheism, study up on the sociology of religion. Books such as The Handbook of the Sociology of Religion contain careful explanations of how the major religions were formed and altered over the centuries for the convenience of each new generation. By seeing inarguable evidence that people have shaped religion since the outset, the argument that it’s eternal and unchanging, and thus God-given, crumbles down. I also recommend [When Time Shall be no More](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/06749512) by Paul Boyer, which I view as the last word on all end-times related nonsense. After that, I feel I should put in a word or two for the classics. Bone up on some Erasmus, Maimonides, Voltaire, Spinoza, Nietzsche, and Hegel. In literature, try _Candide_, by Voltaire, and _Catch-22_, by Joseph Heller. ---
**Author:** ![by-tor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/by-tor/32/266_2.png) [@by-tor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/by-tor)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2005, 7:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asking-for-reccomended-reading-for-atheists/301456/15 "2005-04-28T07:04:20Z")
I don’t know if it is still in print but I found the Atheist’s Debaters Handbook to be quite deep. ---
**Author:** ![Staggerlee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/staggerlee/32/3134_2.png) [@Staggerlee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Staggerlee)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2005, 10:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asking-for-reccomended-reading-for-atheists/301456/16 "2005-04-28T10:32:19Z")
If you’re looking for readable books on evolution, Stephen Jay Gould is pretty entertaining, though not kids’ stuff. Even better perhaps is Matt Ridley’s ‘The Origins of Virtue’ - a fascinating discussion of human/animal behaviour in the natural world, which nicely turns the concept of ‘Original Sin’ on its head. But on a different tack, Albert Camus’ ‘The Outsider’ is perfect in my opinion for a darkly humorous and insightful existential tale. Then again, you probably read that years ago… ---
**Author:** ![SentientMeat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/43a26b/32.png) [@SentientMeat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SentientMeat)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2005, 10:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asking-for-reccomended-reading-for-atheists/301456/17 "2005-04-28T10:50:54Z")
All of these authors would point out that the question of God’s existence is only covered insofar as scientific explanations make Him _unnecessary_, but: [ul][li]_Cosmology_: A Brief History of Time/The Universe in a Nutshell - Hawking. The Elegant Universe - Brian Greene.[/li][li]_Star/planet/continent/dinosaur formation_ - A Short History of Nearly Everything - Bryson (although he gets some Big Bang stuff _wrong_ IMO by positing a nothing-to-something transition.)[/li][li]_Evolution_: The Blind Watchmaker - Dawkins. You already own Darwin.[/li][li]_Consciousness_: How The Mind Works - Pinker. (For balance, The Mind Does Not Work Like That! - Fodor). Consciousness Explained - Dennet.[/li]_Divine/supernatural experiences_: Phantoms in the Brain - Ramachandran. Why People Believe Weird Things - Shermer.[/ul] ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2005, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asking-for-reccomended-reading-for-atheists/301456/18 "2005-04-28T12:32:14Z")
I’m surprised that (Sir) Ludovic Kennedy’s _All in the Mind_ isn’t better known. It is a fairly brief but interesting read. [Here](http://www.bowness.demon.co.uk/mind.htm) is an ateist site’s review with a link to Amazon. ---
**Author:** ![Cliffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/59ef9b/32.png) [@Cliffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cliffy)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2005, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asking-for-reccomended-reading-for-atheists/301456/19 "2005-04-28T12:58:08Z")
Another vote for Gould. > [@ultrafilter](#): > > You should be familiar with the holy books of all the major world religions–so the Bible, the Qur’an, the Tao, etc. Why? –Cliffy ---
**Author:** ![middleman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9a140/32.png) [@middleman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/middleman)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2005, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asking-for-reccomended-reading-for-atheists/301456/20 "2005-04-28T13:26:38Z")
Antagonism? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asking-for-reccomended-reading-for-atheists/301456.md?page=2)