Richard Dawkins - The God Delusion

If I had to identify Dawkins cardinal virtues, I would say that he is brilliant, articulate, impassioned, and impolite The God Delusion is a fine and significant book. irreverent and penetrating.

San Francisco Chronicle

Dawkins is frequently dismissed as a bully, but he is only putting theological doctrines to the same kind of scrutiny that any scientific theory must withstand.

Scientific American

The God Delusion deserves multiple readings, not just as an important work of science, but as a great work of literature.

Steven Weinberg, Times Literary Supplement (UK)

The most coherent and devastating indictment of religion I have ever read.

Mail on Sunday (UK)

This thoroughly engaging thesis on atheism cajoles, bullies, persuades and dazzlesSome of it is hard to disagree with, some of it will make you hopping mad. Perfect, really.

Sunday Times (Australia)

Fascinatingexpressed in sparkling language which makes the book not only a pleasure to read but also a stimulus to thinking across this widest of spectrums.

Financial Times

Engrossingthis is an elegant, engaging and persuasive writer The God Delusion is a good, strong argumentative challenge to any thoughtful believer with the courage to read it with care and try to dispute it.

The Globe and Mail (Canada)

A lively writeran entertaining readDawkinss outrage at the persistence of medieval ideas in the modern era is warranted. In fact, its overdue.

The Nation

Dawkins is Britains most famous atheist and in The God Delusion he gives eloquent vent to his uncompromising viewsif you want an understanding of evolution or an argument for atheism, there are few better guides than Richard Dawkins.

Sunday Telegraph (UK)

A surprisingly elegant and gracious conclusion, depicting science as exactly the kind of glorious expansion of our perceptions that we once thought only God could provide.

New York magazine

[A] well-stocked arsenal of anti-religious thought.

U.S. News and World Report

Passionate, clever, funny, uplifting and above all, desperately needed.

Daily Express (UK)

Lots of good, hard-hitting stuff about the imbecilities of religious fanatics and frauds of all stripes.

New York Times Book Review

You neednt buy the total Dawkins package to glory in his having the guts to lay out the evils religions can do.

Kirkus Reviews, starred review

A rallying cry to those who want to come out as non-believers, but are not quite sure if they dare.

Daily Mail (UK)

A gloriously belligerent attack on the foaming tide of superstition that is washing over the world once again, from a great scientist who has demonstrated throughout his career the power of cool, hard reason to explain life itself.

The Independent (UK)

Oh, its so refreshing, after being told all your life that it is virtuous to be full of faith, spirit, and superstition, to read such a resounding trumpet blast for truth instead. It feels like coming up for air.

Matt Ridley, author of Genome

A spirited and exhilarating readDawkins comes roaring forth in the full vigor of his powerful arguments.

Guardian (UK)

A wonderful bookjoyous, elegant, fair, engaging, and often very funnyinformed throughout by an exhilarating breadth of reference and clarity of thought.

Michael Frayn, author of The Human Touch

The God Delusion is written with all the clarity and elegance of which Dawkins is a master. It is so well written, in fact, that children deserve to read it as well as adults.

Philip Pullman, author of His Dark Materials trilogy

A brave and important book.

Desmond Morris, author of The Naked Ape

Richard Dawkins is the leading soothsayer of our time. Through his exploration of gene-based evolution of life his work has had a profound effect on so much of our collective thinking and The God Delusion continues his thought-provoking tradition.

J. Craig Venter, decoder of the human genome

Passionate religious irrationality too often poses serious obstacles to human betterment. To oppose it effectively, the world needs equally passionate rationalists unafraid to challenge long accepted beliefs. 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

Should be read by everyone from atheist to monk. If its merciless rationalism doesnt enrage you at some point, you probably arent alive.

Julian Barnes, author of Arthur and George

A magnificent book, lucid and wise, truly magisterial.

Ian McEwan, author of Atonement

THE SELFISH GENE

THE EXTENDED PHENOTYPE

THE BLIND WATCHMAKER

RIVER OUT OF EDEN

CLIMBING MOUNT IMPROBABLE

UNWEAVING THE RAINBOW

A DEVILS CHAPLAIN

THE ANCESTORS TALE

THE GOD DELUSION

A MARINER BOOK
HOUGHTON MIFFLIN COMPANY

Boston New York

Copyright 2006 by Richard Dawkins

Preface 2008 by Richard Dawkins

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

First published in Great Britain by Bantam Press, a division of Transworld Publishers, 2006

For information about permission to reproduce selections from this book, write to Permissions, Houghton Mifflin Company, 215 Park Avenue South, New York, New York 10003.

www.houghtonmifflinbooks.com

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Dawkins, Richard, date.
The God delusion / Richard Dawkins.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references.

ISBN: 978-1-931498-23-4

1. Irreligion. 2. Atheism. 3. God. 4. Religion. I. Title.
bl2775.3.d39 2006
211'.8dc22 2006015506