1. Comment #113001 by LorienRyan on January 18, 2008 at 12:25 pm

Congatulations Richard on the success of your book.

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2. Comment #113002 by Wrought on January 18, 2008 at 12:27 pm

I don't understand... it's been paperback in the UK for ages. Was it released here first?

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3. Comment #113003 by Sargeist on January 18, 2008 at 12:28 pm

For once, the American version of a book's cover is actually rather nicer than the British one.

God be praised!

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4. Comment #113005 by LorienRyan on January 18, 2008 at 12:33 pm

American's have always needed a bit more sugar.

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5. Comment #113016 by LoneStarAssman87 on January 18, 2008 at 12:49 pm

I saw a copy of this out a couple weeks before Christmas at a Borders, so I guess it's just now going to other stores?

Oh well. It's good news because I can now purchase copies of this book for my friends who otherwise would not read it. Paperback = cheaper = good for broke college students!

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6. Comment #113021 by mcadamsdj on January 18, 2008 at 1:04 pm

Well, I've bought the hardcover and the audiobook...do I really need the paperback? Clearly, yes.

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7. Comment #113025 by _J_ on January 18, 2008 at 1:12 pm

Wrought

Was it released here first?

Yes. Oxford is in England, you know. ;)

That is a nice cover, isn't it? I like the British one too, actually (that red starburst seems somehow appropriate) but I'm taken with that big foldout. Hmm. I want one.

Well done, anyway, publishers, for keeping The God Delusion in the public eye. Presumably more new readers, more new press coverage, more new fleas and - hopefully - more new converts are about to appear over the horizon...

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8. Comment #113027 by Peacebeuponme on January 18, 2008 at 1:20 pm

Sargeist

For once, the American version of a book's cover is actually rather nicer than the British one.

Well, the publishers crappy-fied the title of Hitchen's book over here, as well.

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9. Comment #113073 by Sargeist on January 18, 2008 at 2:19 pm

I would much have preferred "How religion poisons everything" than "The case against religion". If anything, given the attitudes of the UK and the US to religious topics, I would have expected the subtitles to be the other way around.

Although the UK can be just as stupid as other places of course. Witness the news stories not so long ago just because there was the suggestion that children might learn about atheism in school R.E. lessons.

Excuse me for clearly being obtuse, but I'm entirely staggered that the question of whether to explain that not everyone is a numpty-headed crazed buffoon with an imaginary friend is even debated.

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10. Comment #113082 by rthille on January 18, 2008 at 2:24 pm

I got 10 copies to hand out via Amazon. With the preorder discount and a coupon I had for taking a survey, they only cost me ~$9.50 each. Not bad, but it'd still be nice to be able to buy them 'wholesale' or via a 'group buy' or something...

Now I just have to figure out what to write inside the front cover and to whom to give them...

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11. Comment #113085 by righton on January 18, 2008 at 2:25 pm

Please come to the northwest Professor Dawkins. Portland or Seattle. PLEASE!!! Portland loves you!

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12. Comment #113124 by MelM on January 18, 2008 at 3:59 pm

I just bought "Your Inner Fish", "The Portable Atheist", and "Creationism's Trojan Horse". I'm not going to buy the paperback edition of TGD unless it comes with one of those "Come all Ye Faithless" cards.

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13. Comment #113141 by Myjon on January 18, 2008 at 4:35 pm

Why does the US paperback have a different cover anyway? Is it that the simplicity of the US version is more attractive to the US mind?

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14. Comment #113143 by Myjon on January 18, 2008 at 4:38 pm

This book should have the same distribution as the Gideons give the bible.

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15. Comment #113148 by AfraidToDie on January 18, 2008 at 5:02 pm

I've seen it advertised during "Lou Dobbs Tonight", so it's getting a lot of ad exposure at least on CNN. I hope a few doubters get interested!

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16. Comment #113149 by BNCbright on January 18, 2008 at 5:06 pm

Given that I bought me copy, in hardback in the UK, for about a tenner over a year ago, and that the paperback version has been on the shelves for the past few months at least, this is news is rather underwhelming.

Nonetheless; if it gives the 'prof' more publicity and a chance to discuss his ideas in the US, then 'good show, say I' (especially if the publicity is covered here!).

I'm also upset that the US edition is prettier. As was 'God is not Great'.

Meh

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17. Comment #113158 by Fire1974 on January 18, 2008 at 5:38 pm

I bought it 2 days ago at Barnes & Noble, along with the paperback of Letter to a Christian Nation. I'm so In-Vogue these days!

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18. Comment #113160 by morgantj on January 18, 2008 at 5:52 pm

I'm in the states and I got mine from Amazon on Jan 03rd.

http://www.travisjmorgan.com/blog/2008/01/03/the-god-delusion-by-richard-dawkins

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19. Comment #113174 by Fire1974 on January 18, 2008 at 6:43 pm

Just HAD to burst my bubble didn't you.

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20. Comment #113217 by athegan on January 19, 2008 at 1:17 am

Karim....a Lebanese atheist? I like ;)

I have the hard cover and I am getting this one too...and with respect to the different covers between the U.S and the U.K....I like the U.K. version better ):

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21. Comment #113229 by tieInterceptor on January 19, 2008 at 3:34 am

Niiiice,

this version looks really flashy, maybe I should buy the book again... like a dvd special edition ;)

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22. Comment #113230 by phatbat on January 19, 2008 at 3:52 am

Nice - but who's thumb is that - whoever they are they have a bad nail biting habbit.

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23. Comment #113277 by Johnny O on January 19, 2008 at 7:42 am

I have to say I'm not taken by the shiny silver cover.

It looks like a prop from the set of a 1960's sci-fi film.

This how all books will look in the future when we drive our hover cars and live on the moon...

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24. Comment #113304 by eXcommunicate on January 19, 2008 at 8:44 am

GAH! Phatbat, I was just about to say that. ;)

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25. Comment #113332 by JamieR on January 19, 2008 at 9:58 am

I once tried to write a book wrote loads of ideas down but when it came to righting it i couldn't its not as easy as i fought to write a book

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26. Comment #113334 by Bigglesthefrog on January 19, 2008 at 10:06 am

I don't really care if the Americans have an all singing all dancing book cover that's so cool it hovers around absolute zero. It's what's inside it that counts and I venture to suggest we're all agreed on that!

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27. Comment #113350 by Ed-words on January 19, 2008 at 10:56 am

Hey, Richard,
(yeah, like i know him)

How about making your great preface to the

paperback available by itself for those who own the hardcover already?

How about a FOUR HORSEWOMEN DVD?

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28. Comment #113353 by Paula Kirby on January 19, 2008 at 11:05 am

JamieR: I once tried to write a book wrote loads of ideas down but when it came to righting it i couldn't its not as easy as i fought to write a book

That's true, Jamie! I just took a look at your profile and it says you haven't read The God Delusion yet.

I remember you wrote on another thread that you don't own any books because you don't read well - but you are clearly able to read the articles and responses on this website, and you're clearly interested in the subject of religion and atheism - so I think maybe you would be able to read The God Delusion too. Richard Dawkins always writes very clearly. And I think you might enjoy it!

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29. Comment #113361 by mikecbraun on January 19, 2008 at 11:25 am

We have the biggest, baddest, shiniest, most awesomest cover of all time in the history of the universe of the world ever, because we're A-MUR-ICA! If you don't like it, you can just get the hell out. Sorry, I had to try my own Colbert-esque parody for a second. It's so easy to do. Hopefully the shiny cover will attract some American primates who didn't pick up the hardcover, but sirens and scantily-clad women (or men, depending on preference) would also have been a boon. Congratulations, Dr. Dawkins, and may this release serve to further enlighten the denizens of our world, especially here in these United States. Help us Obi-Wan, you're our only hope. I only wish a truck-load would materialize in my driveway, so I could distribute them to schoolchildren and other indigents.

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30. Comment #113364 by Friend Giskard on January 19, 2008 at 11:43 am

Comment #113350 by Ed-words on January 19, 2008 at 10:56 am

Hey, Richard,
(yeah, like i know him)........

When Richard comments in these threads, he undersigns with his first name. I have taken this as signalling that he expects to be called by his first name around here.

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31. Comment #113365 by Diacanu on January 19, 2008 at 11:48 am

....eh, I'll go with honorifics to be safe.

Pretty sure I'm the kinda guy he'd go "...but YOU can call me Dr. Dawkins", to.

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32. Comment #113382 by JamieR on January 19, 2008 at 1:16 pm

Thank You Paula Kirby I don't read the articles fully i skim them :P but i probably could read his book and finish it its not a novel so i wont have the trouble at picturing setting or getting confused

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33. Comment #113384 by Paula Kirby on January 19, 2008 at 1:22 pm

JamieR: I don't read the articles fully i skim them :P but i probably could read his book and finish it its not a novel so i wont have the trouble at picturing setting or getting confused

It's got to be worth a try, anyway! Let us know what you think of it if you do.

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34. Comment #113432 by liddlefeesh on January 19, 2008 at 3:00 pm

Another published version of The God Delusion? I can't possibly keep up with all these copies :)

Fantastic work Professor Dawkins, and Lalla Ward, and publishers, and everyone involved in this excellent book.

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35. Comment #113492 by October Mermaid on January 19, 2008 at 6:47 pm

Just picked up the paperback last night and I've been enjoying it even more than I'd expected to!

I really wish I had been able to read this book back when I was having my "crisis of faith" with Christianity. It would've saved me a lot of time and anguish.

EDIT: Also, the paperback version is "right purdy."

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36. Comment #113703 by Galactor on January 20, 2008 at 11:13 am

Well, I'm going to be buying the Dutch edition of this book for my mother in law who for a long time has been after a good way of responding to the theists in her circle of friends and colleagues. Titled "God als misvatting", it has been well reviewed by the majority of the Dutch who I suspect have also been looking for the plain and simple, no nonsense reasoning that will allow them to stand up to the religious with more rationale than they perhaps had.

Some have not been so generous however. One reviewer on BOL wrote "Don't read this. God simply exists! If that isn't the case then why do I feel his presence and guidance every day? He clearly shows that he's there in the smallest of things. It's time that people open their eyes and stop believing in their own lies".

Maybe my mother in law can tackle this kind of idiocy.

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37. Comment #113843 by Ed-words on January 20, 2008 at 6:24 pm

To GALACTOR - -

The reviewer's rationale for God sounds familiar.

In the movie "Contact", the atheist(Jodie Foster) tells the "believer" there is no god.

He retorts,"Then who is it that I love?"

The screenplay SHOULD have had Foster
responding, "You love your fantasy!"

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38. Comment #113949 by October Mermaid on January 21, 2008 at 4:26 am

So true, Ed-words.

You know, I'm really enjoying the God Delusion so far, and even someone like myself who has been an athiest for all intents and purposes for the last year or so has still had some trouble dealing with it.

I mean, even though I didn't believe there was a God or an afterlife, I still sort of half hoped that there was one if only for the sake of my religious friends and people I respect and look up to.

In a way, it almost seems too terrible to bear for me to think that these people I care about will one day dissapear and just be "gone" after their brain dies. But Dawkins puts it very well when he says that we shouldn't act like the universe owes us some comfort, and I can't cling to a belief without evidence simply because it brings me some comfort.

Even so, I would be lying if I said I haven't been having a lot of trouble getting past this and working it out for myself. I do believe what Dr. Dawkins said in the Root of All Evil, about how athiesm doesn't mean living in despair, but... I do feel kind of sad about all of this.

Is it something every athiest has to go through, like a phase? Or do I just need to, in effect, "grow up" and get over it?

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39. Comment #113974 by Justanotheratheist on January 21, 2008 at 5:51 am

October, it is probably a phase. It's impossible to generalize because we are all different, but chances are you will get used to the idea. I know I did, in the middle of reading the God Delusion. I was 99% of the way there before, but Richard's fantastic book finally pushed me to full time non-belief.

That is religion's great hook. It wants you to think exactly what you are thinking, that life without faith is pointless. Actually, I am sure you will soon discover the exact opposite is true, that life without the baggage of religious tripe is highly fulfilling and far more enjoyable. When the realization takes a firm hold that this life is all we are ever going to get, you will feel that a great weight has been lifted. It has nothing to do with "growing up", in my view.

I think the "definition" of the Bible which appears in the picture attached to tieInterceptor's post is an absolute classic, by the way. Not only is it absolutely hilarious, it pretty much sums up everything in a few sentences. It made my day!

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40. Comment #114006 by Tyler Durden on January 21, 2008 at 7:51 am

I think the "definition" of the Bible which appears in the picture attached to tieInterceptor's post is an absolute classic...

Indeed, class! Were there kangaroos on the ark? If so, how'd they get there? "Strewth, Mick, get the lads, we're heading for the Middle East, pronto, get hopping, fair dinkum" :)

October - I feel the longer you live with the acceptance that we are "gone" after we die, the more your life will be meaningful now. Think of all the theists who live for later. Not only that, but they actively live their lives in anticipation of an afterlife, almost like a reward. (And let's not forget the suicide bombers, idiots!)

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41. Comment #114068 by October Mermaid on January 21, 2008 at 10:01 am

Thanks for the replies, I really appreciate them!

I do hope it's something I can work through relatively soon. I'll be reading the book and thinking "Hmm, I should look this up so I can understand it better..." and then, on the heels of that thought, I'll get a more despairing one along the lines of "Oh, who cares if I understand it? After all, when I die, it won't matter what I did or didn't understand. All my knowledge will dissapear, anyway. And so will all my hopes, dreams, everything." You know, that line of thinking.

I guess it's because I was raised in such a heavily Christian home, so that even though I haven't believed in a lot of it for a long time, my mind still sort of takes it for granted as true, all the same.

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42. Comment #114311 by Justanotheratheist on January 21, 2008 at 10:47 pm

It's only natural that it would take time to shrug off something that has been drummed into us as absolute fact for so long. That is the very reason why religion targets the young.

Old habits sometimes die hard.

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43. Comment #114332 by October Mermaid on January 22, 2008 at 1:11 am

It's odd how deeply this has affected me. I don't think heaven or hell sound particularly great, either, honestly. An eternity in bliss singing praises to God sounds like something that would drive you insane. And how can we possibly imagine eternity? Everything of any value in life has that value because it's finite.

I guess that's why they sell hell so hard, sort of to say "Sure, heaven may not be great, but it's sure better than THIS."

But on the other hand, I'm almost as disturbed by the idea of not existing. How do all of you deal with it? Is it something you just get used to? It's silly of me, but I still find myself half hoping maybe we do survive the death of the brain. But I just really doubt it. Even if we did, what could it possibly be? Nothing makes sense in that regard. None of the options, even if I WERE to seriously consider a religious afterlife as possible, nothing sounds that appealing.

I already mentioned why eternity in any place is unpleasant. And reincarnation doesn't work, either, because you would be something different each time. If you're something different again and again, one of your lives in this never-ending string really has no meaning or importance.

But the same is true of the most likely outcome: non-existence. It still kind of takes away the meaning of life in a way. I mean, it kind of does, even if you learn to deal with it, doesn't it? What about all your hopes and dreams? Or personal tragedies? Or people who lived unfulfilling or dissapointing lives? Or simply unfair ones, where they never knew any real happiness?

I don't know. I'm rambling and I'm sure I'm getting on the nerves of more mature athiests who probably had little to no trouble with any of this, so I appologize.

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44. Comment #114343 by AllanW on January 22, 2008 at 2:50 am

October Mermaid; you are not rambling at all. These are exactly the feelings and thoughts most people go through when comtemplating the end of life.

I have nothing to offer you in your particular situation other than my own thoughts.

It would indeed be desperate to think that the meaning of your life was nothing if it all revolved around the eternity of non-existence at the end of it. For me it's a matter of perspective; rather than concentrating on the end think about the before and during as well. I tend to think along the lines of where my life will fit into the the stream of life both before and after I'm here.

While it's tempting to reflect on the idea of how insignificant we may physically appear in this immense universe let alone the earth the flip-side of this is that while we may be small and frail compared to the vast forces of the cosmos, we are unique. In special and fantastic ways the combination of genetic material, natural experiences and physical and emotional interactions that has made you exactly how you are now will never be repeated; you are unique. I am unique.

We will only get this one chance in the whole great expanse of time to live the life we have. That leads me to try not to waste it.

How you translate that thought into your life is your choice; for me it means a number of motivations and objectives about how I live this life. I want to (and have) caused to exist and brought up to close to maturity two children who I'm very proud of. They will continue some of the ideas and viewpoints I have tried to help them understand and accept into the future and adapt their knowledge and viewpoints in their own way to influence their own offspring.

I explore and develop my own relationship with my wife to understand and make personal some of the great themes I've experienced at second hand in literature, the theatre, film and television.

In my work I increasingly try to apply the principles of tolerance, justice and the wonder of exploration to help people around me live better, more fulfilled lives.

It's not much but I feel happier and more fulfilled when I'm achieving these things than when I'm not. I'm making a difference to the world; small but measurable. If evolutionary biology tells us anything it's that small but measurable changes can influence the outcome.

A bit too long but I hope these words may be of help.

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45. Comment #114806 by October Mermaid on January 22, 2008 at 10:16 pm

I think you're right in thinking all of that, AllanW. Thanks for the reply, as well. I do feel a bit better about it all.

I suppose it'll just be a slow process of shifting my perspective away from the false promises that being raised and inundated with religion have given me. I'm not sure how long that will take, but in a strange way, some of the things that sometimes worry me can also bring comfort.

For example, I worry what will happen to my hopes and dreams and memories when I die. But on the other hand, I don't even know why I have any of these things now. Maybe they mean something or maybe nothing, but they ARE there and that kind of makes me hopeful, as well. Maybe it's just the result of a nervous system that got too self-aware for its own good or maybe there are scientific explanations for memories and what we think of as a "soul" that are still to come. Either way, maybe it IS something to take some pleasure in. For whatever reason, it does exist. So maybe that means something.

Anyway, I really appreciate the replies and I feel a bit embarassed for making such a fuss. Dr. Dawkins rightly says that the universe owes us no comfort, but I'm really touched that fellow human beings would go out of their way to try to provide it to someone else, simply because they could. I suppose I can take comfort in knowing that, as well.

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46. Comment #114813 by Justanotheratheist on January 22, 2008 at 11:58 pm

Nothing to be embarrassed about, October. This can be a life-changing experience whose effects take time to sink in. As I have said before, it isn't the same for everybody.

And let us be grateful that we live in an era when we can have discussions of this sort without fear of being cooked alive by those kindly priests...!

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47. Comment #114819 by AllanW on January 23, 2008 at 12:47 am

October mermaid; I'm no expert but your comments indicate to me at least that you're already achieving a good measure of understanding and wisdom. You recognise the false promises that religions offer; you recognise the essentially impersonal nature of the forces of the universe; you recognise that competition/conflict on a personal level is not necessarily to be avoided but rather that those circumstances might spur us on to be more active and effective.

You raise some interesting points but let me ask a question; why do you worry about what will happen to your hopes, dreams and memories? Is the term 'soul' being used as a shorthand for your sense of individual self? If so, can you think of some ways in which that may be copied, multiplied and perpetuated to persist after your end?

Your final point is again very perceptive; taking comfort, solace, enjoyment, interest and wonder from our interactions with other people can indeed enrich our lives. I personally work on the premise that, as Terry Pratchett outlined, while there may be no physical atom of truth, justice, compassion or wonder in the universe they nevertheless can motivate the highest behaviour in us as if they do exist.

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48. Comment #115245 by October Mermaid on January 23, 2008 at 7:37 pm

I'm not sure how well I'll be able to explain why I worry about non-existence so much, but I'll try my best. I just want to appologize first for taking up so much time like this and more or less being foolish.

I guess, for one thing, I won't be having any children so that's one major way in which I won't be really "living on."

I guess sometimes when I think about it too hard, it makes me think that technically I was a biological waste of time to even exist, since I haven't passed on my genes. Or would that maybe mean that I'm more of an evolutionary dead end? For all I know, maybe I have really flawed or poor genes and something on the biological level is the thing that's caused me to not pass on those genes, all the while making it seem like it's my concious decision.

One of the things that troubles me most is that people I care about or look up to will also not exist when they die. I suppose I want their lives to have a meaning or importance more than I want it for my own. It seems really terrible that they basically vanish at death, almost as though someone hit the delete key and took it all away at once.

That sort of thing, I suppose. Sorry, that was a bit more rambly than I'd expected.

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49. Comment #115248 by al-rawandi on January 23, 2008 at 7:48 pm

October Mermaid,


I had the same feelings when my Dad told me about his thoughts on the afterlife when I was about 10 or 11. I was distraught. My mother scolded him for fucking my head up.

But it was a good thing. The good news is nothingness will be like before we were born, painless.

It is terrifying to think about non-existence some times. But that terror is what leads people to irrational religion. And those irrational beliefs do not make any difference in the hereafter, they do seem to ruin shit here though. I went through a religious period of non-stop cognitive dissonance as well as pain and anguish at thinking my parents would be tortured eternally in hell. I feel much better about life now, I just try to enjoy my lifem and I fear death less now than I did when I was religious.

I feel your pain in regards to "non existence". I hope my blurb has helped, I go through exactly what you are going through.

One caveat, I hear you still pay taxes when your dead, so ... think about that.

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50. Comment #115883 by October Mermaid on January 25, 2008 at 1:37 am

Lately, I've almost begun to wish I hadn't read the book at all. I haven't finished it, but it definitely led me to feel pretty lousy. Granted, I believe what it says to be true, and yet...

I wonder if I'm one of those weaker people who needs some kind of religion. I don't know why none of this really bothered me before. I've been an athiest for more or less three years or so now. But I always sort of had a half-belief in the back of my mind that maybe there WAS an afterlife. If not for me, for others I cared about. But now, believing that there's nothing for anyone is almost too much for me. I don't know if I'm even capable of dealing with that.

For example, I went through some old boxes yesterday and found a small collection of random objects that had meant something to my parents. There were pens, an open pack of cigarettes and little notes that had obviously held some sort of special meaning. When they die, the memories and meaning associated with these things will die with them. It would be better not to save such things at all.

Then I found old school ID cards for both of them when they were children, smiling and having no possible way of knowing how things would end up. That, somehow, was the worst. In fact, I wish I hadn't found the box at all.

A friend of mine tells me that the reason I'm even worrying about this is because I'm so far along Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. I'm comfortable, not hurting for shelter or food, and so I have time to worry. She suggests that I'd be better served putting myself out there and doing anything I can to just NOT think about this. Is that the only solution? I'm not even sure I would want it to work, if it is.

I don't know. I'm having difficultly really getting at the heart of whatever this problem is. I suspect if Dr. Dawkins or someone like him heard this story, they would regard me with some kind of contempt and for all I know, they would be right to do so.

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