PositiveThe New York Times Book ReviewMiles...offers a quick, sophisticated dash through world history ... While Miles’s account apparently selects data through the lens of \'history of ideas,\' a clearer sense of the social and political dynamics in the historical conflicts he mentions could add depth to his analysis ... readers intrigued with the questions Miles raises will find his new book, and especially his \'concluding unscholarly postscript,\'filled with a prominent scholar’s provocative insights.
Melvin Konner
RaveThe New York Times Book ReviewAt the outset, [Konner] identifies himself as an atheist who, after adolescence, left behind his own religious upbringing, and draws upon his experience as an anthropologist living among hunter-gatherers in Botswana. Then, in each of the following lively chapters, he explores an astonishing range of perspectives ... Best of all, Konner refrains from offering a simple answer, which people asking questions about religion often expect ... Some readers may take this to mean he is ducking the question; yet the energy and passion the book articulates belie that charge ... Konner’s Believers offers a terrific running start for anyone who shares his excitement about the questions he raises. And in his bibliography, he offers much more: a list of over 40 pages of recent articles and books discussing each topic — which leaves this reader eager to dive into that trove of sources he cites.
