Product Description

The international bestselling broadside that has taken the world by storm

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #90 in Books
• Published on: 2007-05-21
• Binding: Paperback
• 464 pages

Joan Bakewell, Guardian
'A spirited and exhilarating read...Dawkins comes roaring forth in
the full vigour of his powerful arguments...'

Economist
'Everyone should read it. Aethists will love Mr Dawkins's incisive
logic and rapier wit...'

Desmond Morris
'This is a brave and important book.'

Customer Reviews

The God Delusion
A good book which I mostly enjoyed.

Can be difficult to read in places - certain sections require a great deal of thought to really understand what Dawkins is getting at.

Probabily the best aspect of the book, for me, was the recommendation of other books and links to websites further exploring the topics from different perspectives.

The best and most difficult parts to read were the sections concerning evolution.

The best and worst bit was his Ultimate boeing 747 arguement. It is a very good arguement but it isn't as clear and concise as it could be - this is a shame as this would have made the book tramendous

The dangers of belief.
This is a well written, enjoyable and carefully considered book that meticulously dismantles the faith position, but that is not its strength.

No, the real strength -and the message that should be open to everyone (faith or not)- is that, frighteningly, in the background, is the certain knowledge of the things that people can do when the faith imperative overrides rational behaviour. And through each chapter Dawkins rightly does not allow us to excuse or forget it.

It was also refreshing to see the absurdity that is the "special place" of religion in our society so clearly detailed. Absurdity because, as Dawkins points out, this "special place" puts religion outside the law; it becomes supra-national and this is a real and self perpetuating threat. Enshrining (actively or passively) that an allegiance to a your neighbour is less important than an allegiance to a faith is a very dangerous thing and our refusal to talk about it is becoming increasingly farcicle. As is our headlong rush into teaching it to our children.

On a slightly lighter (but still unsettling I feel) note , this paper back edition gives Dawkins the opportunity to include some more up to date examples of the comical things that religion makes us do. Such as a judge agreeing that it is within your rights to beat your wife if your religion says so (the judgement is the comical part, not the beating). And the government's backing of teaching people that the earth is only a few thousand years old as a fact on equal terms with all the geological evidence (my sister's children were told in one lesson that the mountains were made by tectonic activity and in another lesson by God's footprints).

Dawkins includes another message. It is a variation on the "evil happens when good people do nothing" theme and is a call to atheist militancy. As rational people, atheists feel that religion is a matter of choice: well, it patently isn't! And atheists should make more noise.

This book is above all a plea for everyone to think for themselves.

Reason and Logic in Abundance!
I'm almost finished this book and have found it an excellent read. I did find it difficult to get used to so much logic and reason, but it's so convincing that I eventually came around.

The examples he uses are relevant and logical. Nothing is outside the scope of reason, but he can also be very entertaining and we get to see his personality coming through.

At times I did think his views were too strong / angry. Alot of this is directed towards the programming and brain washing of the young by major religions and the complete blind faith religious people have. But I think he fails to recognise the link between the two and realise that the parents and religious leaders have also went through this. They therefore teach their children their religion out of love rather than any malicious intent. It is also terribly difficult for people to admit when they've been wrong / duped. Therefore he may wish to consider using a little more tact and diplomacy in the future and he may receive a more positive response.

Coming from Northern Ireland I can see how much religion has effected our society and how simple changes could make long term differences in our lives, such as integrating all schools and removing religious education from them. As Dawkins suggests, NI would be transformed within a generation. When you consider that the majority of people in NI are all of the same religious faith, i.e. Christianity, it's a completely ludicrous situation!