# Recommend a first book on atheism **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 24, 2016, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-first-book-on-atheism/763830 "2016-08-24T17:14:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![iamthewalrus\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2016, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-first-book-on-atheism/763830/1 "2016-08-24T17:14:15Z")
My wife is a (lapsed, maybe? She has very strong Christian upbringing, but doesn’t seem to believe most of it anymore) Christian, and recently asked me to recommend a book she could read on Atheism. I’m looking for recommendations. My first thought was _The God Delusion_, by Dawkins, which I’ve read. I’ve also read several books by Sam Harris that might be reasonable choices. I haven’t read anything by Christopher Hitchens. Another thought was _The Demon Haunted World_, by Sagan, which isn’t specifically about atheism, but is about science, skepticism, and reasoning about rejecting untestable and supernatural explanations. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2016, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-first-book-on-atheism/763830/2 "2016-08-24T17:20:49Z")
A _first_ book? How about [“Atheism For Dummies”](https://www.amazon.com/Atheism-Dummies-Dale-McGowan/dp/111850920X)? ---
**Author:** ![iamthewalrus\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2016, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-first-book-on-atheism/763830/3 "2016-08-24T17:32:10Z")
Is that actually a recommendation, or a joke? I’m inclined not to buy my wife something that implies she’s a dummy. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2016, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-first-book-on-atheism/763830/4 "2016-08-24T17:42:21Z")
> [@iamthewalrus\_3](#): > > Is that actually a recommendation, or a joke? > > I’m inclined not to buy my wife something that implies she’s a dummy. 😉 It’s a sincere recommendation, and a good starter for anyone wanting in on the ground floor. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2016, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-first-book-on-atheism/763830/5 "2016-08-24T18:31:53Z")
I would not suggest _The God Delusion_. I found it very dense and difficult. I am curious. Yes, I’ve read _The God Delusion_, but really out of general curiosity rather than an attempt to learn anything about atheism. What’s to learn? What does she hope to get out of reading about atheism? ---
**Author:** ![Last\_Glacial\_Maximum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/bc79bd/32.png) [@Last\_Glacial\_Maximum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Last_Glacial_Maximum)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2016, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-first-book-on-atheism/763830/6 "2016-08-24T20:47:05Z")
Ya gotta go with “The Demon Haunted World” ! It would be a great choice because it is not heavy handed at all… . ---
**Author:** ![snfaulkner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snfaulkner/32/433_2.png) [@snfaulkner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snfaulkner)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2016, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-first-book-on-atheism/763830/7 "2016-08-24T22:40:31Z")
[RationalWiki Atheism FAQ for the Newly Deconverted](http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/RationalWiki_Atheism_FAQ_for_the_Newly_Deconverted) ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2016, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-first-book-on-atheism/763830/8 "2016-08-24T23:13:53Z")
Yeah, Demon Haunted is prolly at the head of my short list. Just is so accessible, and makes so much sense. I think skepticism more useful than atheism. Gods are just one type of BS to be skeptical about. Many years ago there was a thread in GD about the IPU (invisible pink or purple unicorn). Think it was in GD. No idea what it would look like if I tried to search for it, but as I recall, it had a ton of great insight in addition to some wicked humor. Mr Deity on Youtube is a hoot if you want video. Another take - just read the damned source material - the Bible and a history of how it got to its current state. ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2016, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-first-book-on-atheism/763830/9 "2016-08-24T23:59:39Z")
I’m a lifelong atheist, but a couple of years ago I read [Faith vs. Fact, by Jerry Coyne](http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23281637-faith-versus-fact). It’s a great read. I wouldn’t really characterize it as an “atheist” book; rather, it’s a book about how we know what we actually know. Professor Coyne is an evolutionary biologist and a clear, concise writer. He pulls together all the thinking in a very logical, easy-to-follow way. I’d start there. ---
**Author:** ![Shalmanese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shalmanese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shalmanese)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2016, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-first-book-on-atheism/763830/10 "2016-08-25T00:58:03Z")
Thirded Demon Haunted World. ---
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2016, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-first-book-on-atheism/763830/11 "2016-08-25T04:21:12Z")
As the kind of atheist who is an atheist because no one ever taught me a religion, this question feels … odd. To me, a defining feature of atheism is that you don’t need a book to tell you about it. I don’t have a specific book recommendation, I just think it’s funny that that’s exactly the kind of thing a book about atheism would have to address. It’s a conundrum. ---
**Author:** ![drewder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/57b2e6/32.png) [@drewder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewder)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2016, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-first-book-on-atheism/763830/12 "2016-08-25T04:51:10Z")
[The New Atheist’s Guide to Not Being a Total Asshole](http://infantsonthrones.com/the-new-atheists-guide-to-not-being-a-total-asshole-episode-1-fear/) ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2016, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-first-book-on-atheism/763830/13 "2016-08-25T12:08:13Z")
It’s interesting that a book is needed. I think this shows that religion can distort thinking processes. If you agree with the scientific method, then you examine the evidence for Gods and discover there isn’t any. I don’t know of books like: - Why you shouldn’t believe in the Loch Ness Monster - The evidence against Ghosts - How to talk to folk who think the Earth is flat ---
**Author:** ![Personal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Personal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Personal)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2016, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-first-book-on-atheism/763830/14 "2016-08-25T12:34:28Z")
I’ve never read a book on atheism, so I can’t recommend one. But I’ve read Bertrand Russell’s “Why I Am Not a Christian" many times. It was a lecture given in the 20s and later distributed as a pamphlet. It’s freely available with a simple search. I found it very compelling. ---
**Author:** ![Gordon\_Urquhart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/db5fbb/32.png) [@Gordon\_Urquhart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gordon_Urquhart)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2016, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-first-book-on-atheism/763830/15 "2016-08-25T13:02:07Z")
> [@glee](#): > > It’s interesting that a book is needed. > I think this shows that religion can distort thinking processes. > If you agree with the scientific method, then you examine the evidence for Gods and discover there isn’t any. > > I don’t know of books like: > > - Why you shouldn’t believe in the Loch Ness Monster > - The evidence against Ghosts > - How to talk to folk who think the Earth is flat I think this is why Sagan’s _The Demon-Haunted World_ is being recommended in this thread (and I’ll add another recommendation for it). It’s not a case for atheism as much as a case for being skeptical about anything for which there is no scientific evidence. Especially for someone who was raised in a religious household or greater environment, equating a belief in god(s) with a belief in something equally supernatural, such as ghosts or Nessie, is not an easy thing to do. If one is able to see the value of the scientific method, Sagan’s book makes the case for applying that method to a belief in deities. I think Dawkins and Harris’s books are probably not the best place to start, especially for someone who is wavering – they both make very strong arguments, but they take a sledgehammer approach. The OP mentions Christopher Hitchens: his _God Is Not Great_ is quite good, but I’d recommend the Sagan book first. Hitchens also edited The Portable Atheist, which I have by my bedside – it’s a great collection of essays from non-believers down through the ages. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2016, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-first-book-on-atheism/763830/16 "2016-08-25T13:56:16Z")
It’s been awhile since I’ve read _Demon-Haunted World_, but I don’t remember it being at all about atheism, or having anything in it that a sincere Christian (or other believer in God) would necessarily disagree with. ---
**Author:** ![swampspruce](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/swampspruce/32/261_2.png) [@swampspruce](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swampspruce)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2016, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-first-book-on-atheism/763830/17 "2016-08-25T14:41:01Z")
I came in to say that Hitchins’ God is Not Great is a pretty vitriolic read, especially as an introduction to atheism. Having said that it would be a good book for a second or third essay on the topic. I would also suggest [Unweaving the Rainbow](https://www.amazon.com/Unweaving-Rainbow-Science-Delusion-Appetite/dp/0618056734/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1472136089&sr=8-1&keywords=unweaving+the+rainbow) as a good read on rediscovering the wonder of the universe in the absence of a Creator. ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2016, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-first-book-on-atheism/763830/18 "2016-08-25T15:22:19Z")
> [@iamthewalrus\_3](#): > > My wife is a (lapsed, maybe? She has very strong Christian upbringing, but doesn’t seem to believe most of it anymore) Christian, and recently asked me to recommend a book she could read on Atheism. Something to consider: is she looking for something to make an intellectual case for atheism, or against religious mythology? Or is she, perhaps, looking for something that grapples with questions about moral principles and life outlooks, in the absence of those conferred by faith and religious dogma? IME, some people cling to their religious upbringing not so much because they ~believe~ in its mythology, but because its structures serve functional roles in their life, and they have no experience in how that need can be otherwise served. ---
**Author:** ![iamthewalrus\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2016, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-first-book-on-atheism/763830/19 "2016-08-25T16:04:19Z")
> [@Sattua](#): > > As the kind of atheist who is an atheist because no one ever taught me a religion, this question feels … odd. To me, a defining feature of atheism is that you don’t need a book to tell you about it. Well, if someone _had_ taught you a religion, and you believed it very strongly and it affected the way that you think about the world, realizing the subtle ways in which your previous belief colored your religious experience would probably not be quite so simple. I’m kind of surprised at people who suggest you don’t need a book (not just you, **Sattua** ). What do you do when you want to learn about something you don’t know much about? I don’t know exactly what she hopes to get out of reading this book. I think she wants it to be a jumping-off place for more discussions about philosophy and religion. It’s quite possible that _The Demon-Haunted World_ is going to miss the mark because she won’t really apply skepticism to religion, and I’d be better off with an explicit case against religion. Or, one of topics that’s come up in the past is morality, and how morality can be derived without religion. So maybe something like Sam Harris’s _The Moral Landscape_ is a good one. I’m also going to read the book, so if there’s something that people recommend that I haven’t read, that might be a nudge in its favor. I’ll ask her what she’s hoping to get. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Ace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/6bbea6/32.png) [@Johnny\_Ace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Ace)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2016, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-first-book-on-atheism/763830/20 "2016-08-25T16:21:48Z")
I came to my atheism the hard way, without a guide, through a belief in the scientific method and deep readings in philosophy and a number of mythologies, including the Christian one. For someone who has moved beyond the initial question to the issue of ethics, they could do worse than to read Marcus Aurelius’ _Meditations_. It’s not so much a moral guide as a _Poor Richard’s Almanac_ of ethics, though. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-first-book-on-atheism/763830.md?page=2)