monnowman reviewed Atheist's History of Belief by Matthew Kneale
Review of "Atheist's History of Belief" on 'Goodreads'
3 stars
Many of the books I've read that have atheism as their subject or refer to it in their titles have been polemics against religion in the style of Hitchens' "God Is Not Great". When I was given this book then, I was tempted to expect a similarly excoriating exposure of religion's failings. However, while it is written by an atheist, its tone is not belligerent. It might better have been titled "An Objective History of Belief" and I wonder if the use of "Atheist's" in the title might have been calculated to appeal to the market for new atheist literature. An engaging read that for me doesn't quite succeed in pinning down the reasons for the invention of religion, which I suspect to be Darwinian. More coverage would have been welcome too on new religious movements.
Many of the books I've read that have atheism as their subject or refer to it in their titles have been polemics against religion in the style of Hitchens' "God Is Not Great". When I was given this book then, I was tempted to expect a similarly excoriating exposure of religion's failings. However, while it is written by an atheist, its tone is not belligerent. It might better have been titled "An Objective History of Belief" and I wonder if the use of "Atheist's" in the title might have been calculated to appeal to the market for new atheist literature. An engaging read that for me doesn't quite succeed in pinning down the reasons for the invention of religion, which I suspect to be Darwinian. More coverage would have been welcome too on new religious movements.