The God Delusion

By: Richard Dawkins

Narrated by: Richard Dawkins, Lalla Ward

Richard Dawkins was recently voted one of the world's top three intellectuals (alongside Umberto Eco and Noam Chomsky) by Prospect magazine. As the author of many classic works on science and philosophy, he has always asserted the irrationality of belief in God and the grievous harm it has inflicted on society. He now focuses his fierce intellect exclusively on this subject, denouncing its faulty logic and the suffering it causes.

While Europe is becoming increasingly secularized, the rise of religious fundamentalism, whether in the Middle East or Middle America, is dramatically and dangerously dividing opinion around the world. In America and elsewhere, a vigorous dispute between "intelligent design" and Darwinism is seriously undermining and restricting the teaching of science. In many countries religious dogma from medieval times still serves to abuse basic human rights, such as those of women and gay people � and all from a belief in a God whose existence lacks evidence of any kind.

Dawkins attacks God in all his forms, from the sex-obsessed, cruel tyrant of the Old Testament to the more benign, but still illogical, Celestial Watchmaker favoured by some Enlightenment thinkers. He eviscerates the major arguments for religion and demonstrates the ultimate improbability of a supreme being. He shows how religion fuels war, foments bigotry and abuses children. In The God Delusion, Dawkins presents a hard-hitting, impassioned rebuttal of religion of all types and does so in the lucid, witty and powerful language for which he is renowned. It is a brilliantly argued, fascinating polemic that will be required listening for anyone interested in this most emotional and important subject.

©2006 Richard Dawkins (P)2006 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

"A spirited and exhilarating read...Dawkins comes roaring forth in the full vigour of his powerful arguments...." ( Guardian)
"Everyone should read it. Aethists will love Mr Dawkins's incisive logic and rapier wit...." ( The Economist)

Superb book

Excellent writing and narration. Very well argued, quite humorous. Deserving of a Nobel prize for literature.

An Agreeably Disagreeable Book

I have read a lot Dawkins and Hitchens and the difference between the two, telling the same tale about gods, is usually quite stark. On this occasion however Dawkins delves down into the arena, get his hands dirty with invective and (particularly at the start and the finish) resorts to rhetoric. Of course, in his inimatable way, he acknowledges he's doing just this and he even has the good grace to sound apologetic about that. However, the method is not as persuasive as I have come to expect from him, although the key (middle) Chapters return to the well learned practices of his past writing, full of sound reasoning, inferences and evidence.
I have some sympathy for the lack of evidence, but then I am already a "convert", to borrow from the iconology of the religiously minded. It is hard to prove a negative, as every lawyer will confirm. Still, I would have been happier with the central Chapters without the soapbox start and finish. That said, the starkness of the language and the boldness of the frontal attack have the consequence of making even a convert think about the extent of their conversion; has it gone far enough? To paraphrase a former PM, this is a book for the true disbelievers. It will probably not persuade anyone else, which is a pity.
Again, the combination of Lalla Ward and Dawkins works well for the listener.

Not as Good as Chris Hitchins

I found this audo book hard to follow with the constant change in narrator. I preffered Chris Hitchens book on the same subject.

Disappointing

Well written and great use of language. well narrated but the book did not live up to the title. It was really just a diatribe ( a very well written diatribe) against the privilege position of religions in society. There were no new ideas (complaints) than many of us were expressing around dinner tables in the 70s. However, as to proof of the existence or non-existence of a god, disappointing.