The God Delusion

By: Richard Dawkins

Narrated by: Richard Dawkins, Lalla Ward

Discover magazine recently called Richard Dawkins "Darwin's Rottweiler" for his fierce and effective defense of evolution. Prospect magazine voted him among the top three public intellectuals in the world (along with Umberto Eco and Noam Chomsky). Now Dawkins turns his considerable intellect on religion, denouncing its faulty logic and the suffering it causes.

He critiques God in all his forms, from the sex-obsessed tyrant of the Old Testament to the more benign (but still illogical) Celestial Watchmaker favored by some Enlightenment thinkers. He 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. In so doing, he makes a compelling case that belief in God is not just irrational, but potentially deadly.

Dawkins has fashioned an impassioned, rigorous rebuttal to religion, to be embraced by anyone who sputters at the inconsistencies and cruelties that riddle the Bible, bristles at the inanity of "intelligent design", or agonizes over fundamentalism in the Middle East or Middle America.

©2006 Richard Dawkins (P)2006 Tantor Media, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Richard Dawkins is the leading soothsayer of our time....The God Delusion continues his thought-provoking tradition." (J. Craig Venter, decoder of the human genome)
"The God Delusion is smart, compassionate, and true....If this book doesn't change the world, we're all screwed." (Penn & Teller)
"The world needs...passionate rationalists....Richard Dawkins so stands out through the cutting intelligence of The God Delusion." (James D. Watson, co-discoverer of DNA, author of The Double Helix)

another fantastic read by Richard Dawkins.

as always, Dawkins is brutally eloquent, painfully concise, and massively researched. bring your stiff upper lip to this one.

Do Actually

A great book that whenever I hear negative reviews of, I always wonder, "did they read this book, or only the title?" Dawkins is insightful, entertaining and rigorous. His view represents neither dogma or "belief"... it is the stuff of logic and clear thinking, something everyone would likely benefit from.

Comprehensive and Insightful

Dawkins is a scientist at heart and it shows quite clearly in his prose. The book is excellent in covering all aspects of the argument to God's existence. Sometimes it may be covering it too well. Some chapters appear overburdened with points that are exhaustive, but necessary to inhibit any form of counter argument. Most chapters are clear, concise and a joy to read/listen to. Dawkins and his wife make excellent readers of this book and alternate to help the listener be revitalized. If you do not gain a new perspective on this topic from reading it you just weren't listening. I'd recommend this book for anyone who truly questions the whole religious enviroment we live in or even if you don't.

They say aloud what most people are thinking

I found this book to be facinating. I have been thru at least 3 different religions and i can tell you none of them " filled a void" . this author speaks to that little voice in your head That tells you that what you are hearing from a priest, bishop, rabbi, or what ever just seems off. and he backs it up with good plain undeniable logic. But remember belief in anything is an entirely personal CHOICE. Even if that thing is nothing at all.

Scientific arrogance at its best.

I enjoyed this volume and give it 4 stars because it has something to say, some real knowledge to offer, and some real history to teach, as opposed to most critical polemics of this type, it is funny, witty, but ruthless toward religious beliefs and practices, I love this book, and bought it for my girlfriend and my good friend, it is not for the faint hearted, certainly not for religious fundamentalists.