The following is a mirror of the reading list found at Nowscape. It is a diverse collection, recommended by critics of religion and of Christianity in particular. Short reviews or annotations for each selection are available at Nowscape, though obstructed by at least 101 advertisements. While the original list has no explicit structure, the books listed fall into several roughly grouped categories: the reliablity and moral acceptability of the Bible, histories of transgressions committed in the name of religion, philosophical critiques of theism, stories of loss of faith, exposés on theocratic aspirations (especially the religious right in the United States), and psychological reductions of religious belief. The list includes some authors with impeccable scholarly credentials, like Bertrand Russell, and many other lesser knowns. Now several years old, the list lacks some of the most notable and recent contributions to the case for atheism. For a more current list, see The Secular Web’s “Featured Books”. ~ Afterall

1. Holy Horrors: An Illustrated History of Religious Murder and Madness, by James A. Haught
2. Ken’s Guide to the Bible, by Ken Smith
3. Who Wrote the New Testament? The Making of Christian Myth, by Burton L. Mack
4. The Dark Side of Christian History, by Helen Ellerb
5. Why I Am Not a Christian, and Other Essays on Religion and Related Subjects, by Bertrand Arthur Russell
6. Problems of Philosophy, by Bertrand Arthur Russell
7. 2000 Years of Disbelief: Famous People With the Courage to Doubt, by James A. Haught
8. The Jesus Legend, by G.A. Wells
9. A History of the Arab Peoples, by Albert Hourani
10. The Case Against Christianity, by Michael Martin
11. Age of Reason, by Thomas Paine
12. The Dead Sea Scrolls Deception, by Michael Baigent-Richard Leigh
13. Dead Sea Scrolls, The Complete Story, by Dr. Jonathan G. Campbell
14. The Psychological Origins of the Resurrection Myth, by Jack A. Kent
15. The Dead Sea Scrolls Uncovered: The First Complete Translation and Interpretation of 50 Key Documents Withheld for over 35 Years, by Robert by H. Eisenman, Michael O. Wise
16. Holy Blood, Holy Grail, by Michael Baigent, Henry Lincoln, Richard Leigh
17. The Messianic Legacy, by Michael Baigent, Henry Lincoln, Richard Leigh
18. The Fallen Star or the History of a False Religion and a Dissertation on the Origin of Evil, by E.L. Bulwer, Lord Brougham
19. Pagan and Christian Creeds: Their Origin and Meaning, by Edward Carpenter
20. Eunuchs for the Kingdom of Heaven: Women, Sexuality, and the Catholic Church, by Uta Ranke-Heinemann
21. The Great Infidels, by Robert Green Ingersoll
22. Atheism: The Case Against God, by George H. Smith
23. The Big Domino in the Sky and Other Atheistic Tales, by Michael Martin
24. Atheism: A Philosophical Justification, by Michael Martin
25. A History of God: The 4000-Year Quest of Judaism, Christianity and Islam, by Karen Armstrong
26. Asimov’s Guide to the Bible: The Old and New Testaments/Two Volumes in One, by Isaac Asimov
27. Critiques of God: Making the Case Against Belief in God, by Peter A. Angeles (Editor)
28. Who Wrote the Bible?, by Richard Elliott Friedman
29. Leaving the Fold, by Marlene, Ph.D. Winell
30. Leaving the Fold: Testimonies of Former Fundamentalists, by Edward T. Babinski (Editor)
31. Losing Faith in Faith: From Preacher to Atheist, by Dan Barker
32. Maybe Right, Maybe Wrong: A Guide for Young Thinkers, by Dan Barker, Brian Strassburg
33. Maybe Yes, Maybe No: A Guide for Young Skeptics, by Dan Barker, Brian Strassburg (Illustrator)
34. How Do You Know It’s True? Discovering the Difference Between Science and Superstition, by Hyman Ruchlis, Hy Ruchlis
35. Why I Am an Agnostic and Other Essays, by Clarence Darrow
36. God and Evil: An Introduction to the Issues, by Michael Peterson
37. Nonbelief & Evil: Two Arguments for the Nonexistence of God, by Theodore M. Drange
38. What Is Atheism? A Short Introduction, by Douglas E. Krueger
39. Divine Hiddeness and Human Reason, by J.L. Schellenberg
40. Arguing for Atheism: An Introduction to the Philosophy of Religion, by Robin Le Poidevin
41. The Godless Constitution: The Case Against Religious Correctness, by Isaac Kramnick, R. Laurence Moore, Laurence Moore
42. Why the Religious Right Is Wrong About Separation of Church & State, by Rob Boston
43. The Most Dangerous Man in America? Pat Robertson and the Rise of the Christian Coalition, by Rob Boston
44. Eternal Hostility: The Struggle Between Theocracy and Democracy, by Frederick Clarkson
45. Not by Politics Alone: The Enduring Influence of the Christian Right, by Sara Diamond
46. Wrath of Angels: The American Abortion War, by Jim Risen, Judy Thomas, James Risen
47. The True
    Believer: Thoughts on the Nature of Mass Movements, by Eric Hoffer
48. Deceptions and Myths of the Bible, by Lloyd M. Graham
49. Steve Allen on the Bible, Religion, and Morality, by Steve Allen, Martin Gardner
50. More Steve Allen on the Bible, Religion, & Morality/Book II, by Steve Allen