Recommended Reading
Friday, October 3rd, 2008I understand a large percentage of those interested in all things skeptical also enjoy reading. To celebrate and acknowledge this I have decided to put together a list of books on various scientific and skeptical topics that I think are quite good. I’m sure many of you will have seen many of these books on previous lists just like this one, but I don’t think you can have a skeptical blog without posting a book list. I’m not about to break tradition - that’s bad luck.
Scientific / Skeptical Thinking:
These are all great introductions to the ideas and principles of science and skepticism. Great for the uninitiated and veteran skeptic alike.
Carl Sagan - Demon-haunted World
James Randi - Flim Flam
Michael Shermer - Why People Believe Weird Things
Evolution / Creationism:
Michael Shermer - Why Darwin Matters
Richard Dawkins - The Blind Watchmaker
Richard Dawkins - The Selfish Gene
Religion:
I highly recommend the audio book for both of these books.
Christopher Hitchens - God is Not Great
Richard Dawkins - The God Delusion
Physics / The Universe:
Awe inspiring.
Carl Sagan - Cosmos
Neil DeGrasse Tyson - Death by Black Hole
Stephen Hawking - A Brief History of Time
Leon Lederman - The God Particle
Math:
OK, math isn’t really a science, but it still makes for great reading
Simon Singh - The Code Book
Ian Stewart - Flatterland
Fiction (with science content):
Edwin A Abbot - Flatland
Neil Stephenson - Cryptonomicon
This is only my list; Add your favorites in the comments.