The Evolution of GodThe Evolution of God
Score Modern
What it's about
Robert Wright, a journalist, traces how the idea of God has changed over history, from the gods of hunter-gatherers to the one God of Judaism, Christianity and Islam. He argues that religions have become more tolerant over time as people's societies grew larger, and that this suggests a moral direction to history.
Why it's worth reading
It was a Pulitzer finalist. It's a wide-ranging, provocative history.
You'll love it if you liked
God
The God Delusion
The Better Angels of Our Nature: Why Violence Has DeclinedGood to know
It's long and dense.
By the numbers
- Readers33 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics32 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller29 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #11 of the 11 faith books we rank
- #181 of the 198 history books we rank
- #1169 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #2157 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
True story
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Galileo's Daughter: A Drama of Science, Faith and Love
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Quick answers
Is The Evolution of God worth reading?
Yes. It was a Pulitzer finalist. It ranks #2,157 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 62.3 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Evolution of God about?
Robert Wright, a journalist, traces how the idea of God has changed over history, from the gods of hunter-gatherers to the one God of Judaism, Christianity and Islam. He argues that religions have become more tolerant over time as people's societies grew larger, and that this suggests a moral direction to history.
How long does it take to read The Evolution of God?
About 14 hours (576 pages), or about 4 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after The Evolution of God?
If you liked it, try God by Jack Miles, The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins or The Better Angels of Our Nature: Why Violence Has Declined by Steven Pinker.