The God Delusion
Richard Dawkins
18 people recommended it in 12 threads, 2008–2025.
4 commenters pushed back on it — worth reading the threads.
What people on Hacker News said
In The God Delusion Dawkins gives arguments why there is no God, why we do not need a God and why religion is damaging to our society. If you are religious it might not be the book for you unless you are open to hear his arguments and line of reasoning. Dawkins will challenge your worldview.
I would also recommend other Dawkins books such as The God Delusion, it was one of the pivotal books that turned me from someone vaguely religious to an atheist. It explains simply how the various fallacies of religions are explainable and unwrappable.
Having been born in a religious society makes it hard to break out of needing to assume there is a god, but that book could give people enough explanation to drop that assumption.
The God Delusion and The Selfish Gene. I know they are a bit dated by now, but when I read them they broadened my horizons and encouraged to review my religious standpoint from a scientific perspective.
This led me to read other authors like Sam Harris and Daniel Dennet. Helps me identify the influence of religion in nearly every aspect of life.
The God Delusion by Dawkins perhaps. I was agnostic before, atheist after.
Where it comes up
- Ask HN: What books changed the way you think about almost everything? 2019 · 4 recommendations
- Ask HN: Which books do you consider real gems in your field of work/study? 2022 · 3 recommendations
- Ask HN: What's the best book on religion? 2023 · 2 recommendations
- Ask HN: What's your favorite book you've read? 2025 · 1 recommendation
- Ask HN: Books you read in 2022 and recommend for 2023 2022 · 1 recommendation
- Ask HN: Mind bending books to read and never be the same as before? 2020 · 1 recommendation
- Ask HN: What was the one book that you read and it actually changed your life? 2018 · 1 recommendation
- Ask HN: Best books on the psychology of religion? 2018 · 1 recommendation
- Ask HN: Books you read in 2016? 2016 · 1 recommendation
- Ask HN: What book that you read in 2015 significantly affected how you think? 2015 · 1 recommendation
- Ask HN: Best book you read in 2011 2011 · 1 recommendation
- Articles, Ideas, Books and/or Concepts that have changed your life 2008 · 1 recommendation