The God Delusion

• Richard Dawkins
• Mariner Books, 2008
• Paperback, 463 pages
• ISBN: 9780618948249

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In this provocative must-read, the preeminent scientist—and world’s most prominent atheist—Richard Dawkins asserts the irrationality of belief in God and the grievous harm religion has inflicted on society, from the Crusades to 9/11. The God Delusion makes a compelling case that belief in God is not just wrong, but potentially deadly. It also offers exhilarating insight on the advantages of atheism to the individual and society, not the least of which is a clearer, truer appreciation of the universe’s wonders than any faith could ever muster. With rigor and wit, Dawkins eviscerates the major arguments for religion and demonstrates the supreme improbability of a supreme being. He shows how religion fuels war, foments bigotry, and abuses children, buttressing his points with historical and contemporary evidence. This is a book that challenges all of us to test our beliefs, no matter what beliefs we hold.

Richard Dawkins taught zoology at the University of California at Berkeley and at Oxford University and is now the Charles Simonyi Professor of the Public Understanding of Science at Oxford, a position he has held since 1995. The Wall Street Journal said his "passion is supported by an awe-inspiring literary craftsmanship. "The New York Times Book Review has hailed him as a writer who "understands the issues so clearly that he forces his reader to understand them too." Among his previous books are "The Ancestor's Tale", "The Selfish Gene", "The Blind Watchmaker", "Climbing Mount Improbable", "Unweaving the Rainbow", and "A Devil's Chaplain". Dawkins lives in Oxford with his wife, the actress and artist Lalla Ward.