Tim ThomasonI, as a newly christened freethinker, read all of these books, probably, within the first two years of my deconversion. These selections were read interspersed between many other good books, but I confess these have remained on the forefront of my mind. I find myself frequently revisiting them as sources for myself, and as suggestions for those brave individuals prepared to look beyond the bounds of Church Apologetics for answers to their questions or concerns. I will preface these selections with one confession. I disdain the art of giving people books in an attempt to change people’s minds. I find this act to be one of the highest forms of personal arrogance. Mailing or giving someone a book, as is a custom for many Christians, with the insistence that this will show them the error of their ways and how you are right is, to me, one of the laziest and most condescending of behaviors.
That being said, here are my Top Ten Books on Atheism and Non-belief, written by some of the most compelling and damning critics of Religious Faith in our time. I, as of yet nearly a decade on, have found no convincing rebuttal to these arguments among the faithful.
You can also check out Episode 19: The Four Horsemen of Atheism where we talk about 4 of the authors below.
- The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins: This one is going to come up a lot and may be single handedly one of the most impactful books, regarding non-belief, in our lifetime. Dawkins’ scathing indictment of Religion is merciless, and represented with cutting arguments and criticism. This one can come off pretty harsh to those just leaving or bordering on leaving Religion. Dawkins is one of the world’s premier evolutionary biologists, and wrote this book as a fierce rebuttal to Creationist attacks on his realm of Science. Simply put it is a must read for those leaving Religious Faith.
- God is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything by Christopher Hitchens: Hitchens’ seminal critique of Religious belief is one of my favorite reads of all time. His english prose can be challenging for some newcomers, but Hitchens ability to convey complex ideas with cutting intensity is beautifully tempered with his sharp wit and humor. The subtext of his title “How Religion Poisons Everything” is well represented throughout the book and serves as a solid and flushed out premise for the book rather than just a catchy phrase to grab potential readers.
- The End of Faith by Sam Harris: If you are looking for overall approachability to the subject of non-belief, and an objective critique of religious belief. You would be hard pressed to find a better book on the subject. Harris is a gracious host as he tours you through the concepts and arguments related to religions decline over the past few decades. His background as a neuroscientist gives his writing a proper slant towards those analytical minds out there, with thoughtful insights into the mechanizations of belief and our preclusions towards them. A must read for the burgeoning non-believer.
- Breaking the Spell: Religion as a Natural Phenomenon by Daniell Dennett: Dennett’s unique approach to Religion has you consider factors throughout history and nature that contribute to the creation of religions in cultures around the world. His philosophical approach to its positive and negative effects on civilization makes for a stimulating and thought provoking read.
- Deconverted: A Journey from Religion to Reason by Seth Andrews: There may not be a better book for the recently deconverted Christian than Seth’s. Known mainly for his massive podcast and online community “The Thinking Atheist”, Seth’s personal account of his journey from being a Christian Radio Host to a juggernaut of non-belief will resonate for those of you who have spent a life submerged in Christian Belief and rhetoric. His gracious approach and sense of humor was something I found to be immensely uplifting through my personal journey of deconversion. I cannot recommend his work and community enough. Go join The Thinking Atheist Community. See you there.
- The Portable Atheist: Essential Readings for the Non-Believer: I rarely use the term “Tomb” when referring to a book, but in this case it seems the only term to use. This is a massive collection of writings on the subject of non-belief, compiled and introduced by Christopher Hitchens. This exploration stretches from the earliest of doubters, to those of the renaissance, and of the modern day enlightenment. Something for everyone and from everyone seems to be a good summary of this work. A brief look at the contents will reveal a plethora of authors expected and unexpected that shed light from each of their unique points of view. Despite its size it is an extremely approachable work due to its bite size excerpts and segmented structure.
- Letters to A Christian Nation by Sam Harris: This is a unique book on this list in that it was very much written as an olive branch to believers. Maybe a plea is a better description, a plea to reconsider religious belief. This book, while brief, is a potent distillation of the core problems with religious faith and the effects they have on our society/world. It is a great entry point for new non-believers with concise and effective explanations of non-believers’ problems with Religion.
- Farewell to God by Charles Templeton: Charles Templeton was a contemporary of Billy Graham and for years functioned in Canada as a figure of mass evangelicalism. A crisis of faith and doubt around the validity of the Bible caused him to leave the church in the mid 1950 and become an advocate for atheism and non-belief. His unique experience of leaving faith during the rise of modern evangelicalism makes for a compelling read.
- Why I Am Not a Christian by Bertrand Russell: Written in 1927, Russell’s take down of Christianity is still as potent as ever and stands as pillar to the fortitude of the argument. Many like to present modern day atheism’s ideas as new, when in truth they have been a present undercurrent for many many years.
10. God No! Signs You May be an Atheist and Other Magical Tales By Penn Jillette: It is no surprise that a world class magician would be wise to Religion’s clever tricks and sleight of hand. This is a light, clever, and irreverent read from a world class performer. Penn’s assertion that atheists have a responsibility to be fierce optimists is one idea that needs to permeate the freethinking world.
Thank you for reading about my Top Ten Books on Atheism and Non-belief. Please check out our Episode 19: The Four Horsemen of Atheism where we talk about the four key authors in the non-belief community and why I think they are important.