Recommendations based on God's Problem: How the Bible Fails to Answer Our Most Important Question - Why We Sufferby Bart D. Ehrman

* statistically, based on millions of data-points provided by fellow humans

  1. Misquoting Jesus: The Story Behind Who Changed the Bible and Why

    by Bart D. Ehrman
    A historical analysis of the New Testament, exploring the discrepancies and alterations made by scribes and theologians throughout history.

    For almost 1,500 years, the New Testament manuscripts were copied by hand––and mistakes and intentional changes abound in the competing manuscript versions. Religious and biblical scholar Bart Ehrman ... (Goodreads)

  2. The God Delusion

    by Richard Dawkins
    Scientific exploration of the evidence for and against religious belief.

    A preeminent scientist - and the world's most prominent atheist - asserts the irrationality of belief in God, and the grievous harm religion has inflicted on society, from the Crusades to 9/11. With ... (Goodreads)

  3. Letter to a Christian Nation

    by Sam Harris
    A refutation of religious dogma and an argument for the supremacy of reason.

    In response to The End of Faith , Sam Harris received thousands of letters from Christians excoriating him for not believing in God. Letter to A Christian Nation is his reply. Using rational ... (Goodreads)

  4. The End of Faith: Religion, Terror, and the Future of Reason

    by Sam Harris
    An exploration of religion, its implications for our world and how it can be replaced with reason.

    In The End of Faith , Sam Harris delivers a startling analysis of the clash between reason and religion in the modern world. He offers a vivid, historical tour of our willingness to suspend reason in ... (Goodreads)

  5. God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything

    by Christopher Hitchens
    Criticism of organized religion, arguing it is the root of much suffering in the world.

    With his unique brand of erudition and wit, Hitchens describes the ways in which religion is man-made. "God did not make us," he says. "We made God." He explains the ways in which religion is ... (Goodreads)

  6. The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark

    by Carl Sagan
    A critical look at superstition and pseudoscience, advocating for the power of science and reason.

    How can we make intelligent decisions about our increasingly technology-driven lives if we don’t understand the difference between the myths of pseudoscience and the testable hypotheses of science? ... (Goodreads)

  7. The Greatest Show on Earth: The Evidence for Evolution

    by Richard Dawkins
    An exploration of the evidence and science of evolution, highlighting its importance in understanding the history of life on Earth.

    Charles Darwin’s masterpiece, On the Origin of Species , shook society to its core on publication in 1859. Darwin was only too aware of the storm his theory of evolution would provoke but he would ... (Goodreads)

  8. The Blind Watchmaker: Why the Evidence of Evolution Reveals a Universe Without Design

    by Richard Dawkins
    A detailed exploration of the evidence for evolution, and its implications for our understanding of the world.

    ***30th Anniversary Edition*** Cover note: Each copy of the anniversary edition of, The Blind Watchmaker, features a unique biomorph. No two covers are exactly alike. Acclaimed as the most ... (Goodreads)

  9. Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth

    by Reza Aslan
    An examination of Jesus' life, death and legacy within the context of 1st century Judea.

    From the internationally bestselling author of No god but God comes a fascinating, provocative, and meticulously researched biography that challenges long-held assumptions about the man we know as ... (Goodreads)

  10. Why Evolution Is True

    by Jerry A. Coyne
    Comprehensive exploration of the evidence for evolutionary biology.

    Why evolution is more than just a theory: it is a fact. In all the current highly publicized debates about creationism and its descendant "intelligent design," there is an element of the controversy ... (Goodreads)

  11. A Grief Observed

    by C.S. Lewis
    A powerful account of a man's journey through grief following the death of his wife.

    Written with love, humility, and faith, this brief but poignant volume was first published in 1961 and concerns the death of C. S. Lewis's wife, the American-born poet Joy Davidman. In her ... (Goodreads)

  12. Nickel and Dimed: On

    by Barbara Ehrenreich
    A journalist's exploration of poverty in the U.S., exposing the struggles of low-wage workers.

    Millions of Americans work full-time, year-round, for poverty-level wages. In 1998, Barbara Ehrenreich decided to join them. She was inspired in part by the rhetoric surrounding welfare reform, which ... (Goodreads)

  13. Cosmos

    by Carl Sagan
    Voyage through the vastness of space, unlocking the mysteries of the universe.

    Cosmos has 13 heavily illustrated chapters, corresponding to the 13 episodes of the Cosmos television series. In the book, Sagan explores 15 billion years of cosmic evolution and the development of ... (Goodreads)

  14. The Missionary Position: Mother Teresa in Theory and Practice

    by Christopher Hitchens
    A critical examination of the life and works of Mother Teresa, exploring her motivations and impact.

    Among his many books, perhaps none have sparked more outrage than The Missionary Position , Christopher Hitchens's meticulous study of the life and deeds of Mother Teresa. A Nobel Peace Prize ... (Goodreads)

  15. The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness

    by Michelle Alexander
    Exploring the roots and reality of systemic racism in the U.S. criminal justice system.

    "Jarvious Cotton's great-great-grandfather could not vote as a slave. His great-grandfather was beaten to death by the Klu Klux Klan for attempting to vote. His grandfather was prevented from voting ... (Goodreads)

  16. The Portable Atheist: Essential Readings for the Nonbeliever

    by Christopher Hitchens
    Selection of essays, articles, and excerpts from some of the greatest minds in atheism.

    From the #1 New York Times best-selling author of God Is Not Great , a provocative and entertaining guided tour of atheist and agnostic thought through the ages with never-before-published pieces by ... (Goodreads)

  17. The Gnostic Gospels

    by Elaine Pagels
    An exploration of the ancient texts of the Gnostic tradition, revealing the hidden depths of early Christianity.

    The Gnostic Gospels is a landmark study of the long-buried roots of Christianity, a work of luminous scholarship and wide popular appeal. First published in 1979 to critical acclaim, winning the ... (Goodreads)

  18. Pastrix: The Cranky, Beautiful Faith of a Sinner Saint

    by Nadia Bolz-Weber
    A frank exploration of faith and religion, reconciling the divides between the sacred and the profane.

    Now a, New York Times, bestseller, Nadia Bolz-Weber takes no prisoners as she reclaims the term "pastrix"(pronounced "pas-triks," a term used by some Christians who refuse to recognize female ... (Barnes & Noble)

  19. Dragons of Eden: Speculations on the Evolution of Human Intelligence

    by Carl Sagan
    An exploration of the evolution of human intelligence and its implications for civilization.

    Com os DRAGÕES DO ÉDEN, Prémio Pulitzer, para muitos a mais bela obra do autor, os leitores de "Ciência Aberta" irão participar numa grande aventura... Num Éden perdido onde os dragões reinavam ... (Goodreads)

  20. Why I Am Not a Christian and Other Essays on Religion and Related Subjects

    by Bertrand Russell
    Collection of essays on religion, morality, and philosophy, arguing against the existence of God and criticizing organized religion.

    Dedicated as few men have been to the life of reason, Bertrand Russell has always been concerned with the basic questions to which religion also addresses itself – questions about man's place in the ... (Goodreads)

  21. A Short History of Nearly Everything

    by Bill Bryson
    A captivating overview of the natural sciences, spanning the history of the universe.

    In Bryson's biggest book, he confronts his greatest challenge: to understand—and, if possible, answer—the oldest, biggest questions we have posed about the universe and ourselves. Taking as territory ... (Goodreads)

  22. On the Incarnation

    by Athanasius of Alexandria
    Theological treatise on the divine nature of Jesus Christ and his role in human salvation.

    A universally acknowledged masterpiece of fourth-century patristic theology. As C. S. Lewis observes in his introduction: "When I first opened De Incarnatione I soon discovered by a very simple test ... (Goodreads)

  23. A Brief History of Time

    by Stephen Hawking
    Exploring the depths of time and space and the emergence of the universe.

    In the ten years since its publication in 1988, Stephen Hawking's classic work has become a landmark volume in scientific writing, with more than nine million copies in forty languages sold ... (Goodreads)

  24. Bonk: The Curious Coupling of Science and Sex

    by Mary Roach
    A humorous exploration of the science and research behind sex and human sexuality.

    In Bonk, the best-selling author of Stiff turns her outrageous curiosity and insight on the most alluring scientific subject of all: sex. Can a person think herself to orgasm? Why doesn't Viagra help ... (Goodreads)

  25. Desiring God: Meditations of a Christian Hedonist

    by John Piper
    Examination of the joys of Christian hedonism, finding pleasure in doing God's will.

    Scripture reveals that the great business of life is to glorify God by enjoying Him forever. In this paradigm-shattering classic, newly revised and expanded, John Piper reveals that the debate ... (Goodreads)

  26. Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies

    by Jared Diamond
    Tracing the origins of human civilizations through the lens of geography, technology, and biology.

    "Diamond has written a book of remarkable scope ... one of the most important and readable works on the human past published in recent years." Winner of the Pulitzer Prize and a national bestseller: ... (Goodreads)

  27. The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid

    by Bill Bryson
    A humorous recounting of a boy's childhood in the 1950s and his fantastical adventures.

    Bryson was born on December 8, 1951. He spent his childhood growing up in Des Moines, Iowa , part of the baby-boom generation born in the post-war years. He describes his early life and his parents, ... (Wikipedia)

  28. A History of God: The 4,000-Year Quest of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam

    by Karen Armstrong
    Traces the evolution of the concept of God in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, exploring the similarities and differences between the three religions.

    Over 700,000 copies of the original hardcover and paperback editions of this stunningly popular book have been sold. Karen Armstrong's superbly readable exploration of how the three dominant ... (Goodreads)

  29. Going Clear: Scientology, Hollywood, and the Prison of Belief

    by Lawrence Wright
    An investigative look into the controversial religion of Scientology, its origins, practices, and impact on its followers.

    A clear-sighted revelation, a deep penetration into the world of Scientology by the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of the now-classic study of al-Qaeda's 9/11 attack, the Looming Tower . Based on more ... (Goodreads)

  30. In a Sunburned Country

    by Bill Bryson
    Exploration of the unique and diverse land, people and animals of Australia.

    A CLASSIC FROM THE, NEW YORK TIMES, BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF, ONE SUMMER , Every time Bill Bryson walks out the door, memorable travel literature threatens to break out. His previous excursion along the ... (Goodreads)