The God Desire: A witty and profound Sunday Times bestselling philosophical essay

Love DBs writing and this is no exception. He gives an honest and well argued dialogue of his views composed creativity. Very entertaining. Hard to put down

A decent little book and a one-sitting read. It’s a succinct and well-articulated stance on whether God exists. Although Baddiel readily admits his own desire, and touches on his neurosis regarding mortality, the conclusion is reluctant but firm no. There are plenty of different perspectives and the commentary freewheels across topics such as conspiracy theories, nature, quantum physics and the after-life. He’s less aggressive than other well-known vocal atheists and is frequently amusing, in that typical Baddiel style. At one point he likens religion to a spiderman cosplay convention where you wish for and create the ‘reality’ you want! There’s a satisfying final chapter which concludes humans probably just need to believe in something greater than ourselves, whether these are religious gods or royal deities, such as the Queen. An enjoyable read, pushing many intellectual angles and far less heavy going than other atheist books. 4/5

I really enjoyed the book! Baddiel writes with warmth, self-deprecating humour, and none of the aggressive atheist edge. His personal reflections on fear, Jewish identity, and ambivalence make it feel intimate and thoughtful rather than preachy. It's engaging from start to finish and left me smiling and pondering. Highly recommended - even if you end up disagreeing with him.

I came to this book as, first and foremost, an admirer of the author's passion for football. I loved the Skinner/Baddiel Fantasy Football outings on ITV. Much to admire in this book, not least of which are the Jewish family anecdotes and rich self-deprecation. But there's a flaw... there's a deep-lying part of the thesis which goes.."If I desire X then X must be a figment of my mind." Theological orthodoxy makes clear that humans are contingent, unfinished and "thirst like the deer that yearns for water." The author devoted a couple of pages to tackling this, but it needed much more. So, my verdict? An honest, entertaining but flawed book. Read it in one sitting!

Interesting and poignant memoir

This book look intriguing and because of the author I bought it. It asks the question is there a God? I am not religious but wanted to know more. This book is funny and has a style where you want to read more. The book got me hooked after page 1. I would recommend this to anyone who is interested in the thought process of is there a God. The book is easy to follow and he starts with the religion he followed.

Informative for atheists. I learned a lot.

There are many books about God written by atheists, so why read this one? From what I've read, the others are often scolding, sometimes patronising. Belief in God is to be mocked and ridiculed. The subject of religion and belief in a higher power is sometimes treated like a giant philosophical sudoku puzzle that can be solved once and for all if only the right arguments are presented. This is a much more personal book and one that explores how even an atheist can see why the God desire can be a comforting one. It's a different type of exploration of the God myth and a very welcome one.

This book may well be a one session read - sit down & bang your done! However, what he says in this short read is outstanding & all so true! Really enjoyed it! It is an atheist book but, very different! It’s not your typical atheist book (&) I ready enjoyed it - it’s a different kind of truth & explained extremely well! At least I enjoyed it! You may as well!

It was an interesting read. But no more or less than I get on a daily basis on a religious form discussing the same subject. Someone (Fry?) in a review of the book said it was a One Sitter. Meaning one could finish it in one sitting. I presumed that he meant reading it. Not writing it... Not worth the fifteen bucks I paid.

Very good read and the insights and ideas stay with you.

good