Humanism is not a single doctrine or a fixed set of required readings. It is a way of thinking and living that draws from many areas of human experience: philosophy, science, ethics, literature, social justice, history, ecology, and public life. A good humanist book list should therefore do more than explain humanism as a label. It should help readers explore what it means to live with reason, compassion, curiosity, responsibility, and care for one another.

This list is intended as a starting point. Some of the books are directly about humanism, atheism, secular ethics, and skepticism. Others approach humanist themes through science, justice, mortality, the environment, human behaviour, and the search for meaning in this life. Together, they reflect a broad humanist outlook: evidence matters, people matter, the natural world matters, and how we live together matters.

For those new to humanism, the early books on the list may help put words to values you already hold. For those who have long identified as humanist, the wider selection offers opportunities to deepen reflection, challenge assumptions, and expand the conversation.

This is not meant to be a final or authoritative list. It is a living resource. We invite members, friends, and visitors to suggest additional books that have helped them think more clearly, live more ethically, or better understand the human condition. Send us an email to contact@greybrucehumanists.org, and we’ll keep the list going.

Humanist Book List

This list includes books that speak to humanist values: reason, compassion, ethics,
science, secularism, human rights, justice, dignity, mortality, and care for the natural
world. Some are directly about humanism; others help us think more clearly about what
it means to live well together in this life.

Modern and Contemporary Books

1. Humanism: Canadian Perspectives | Humanisme: Perspectives Canadiennes — Humanist Canada
   A Canadian collection of humanist reflections on reason, compassion, dignity, justice, history, ethics, and public life. Humanist Canada describes the book as gathering Canadian humanist voices past and present. (Humanist Canada)
2. The Little Book of Humanism — Alice Roberts and Andrew Copson A warm and accessible introduction to humanist values, meaning, ethics, and living well.
3. Humanism: A Very Short Introduction — Stephen Law
   A concise overview of humanism, secular ethics, reason, and non-religious approaches to meaning.
4. On Humanism — Richard Norman
   A thoughtful explanation of humanist morality, purpose, and ethical life without religion.
5. Humanism: A Beginner’s Guide — Peter Cave
   A readable starting point for people new to humanist ideas.
6. This World First: Dispatches on Global Secular Progress — Marc Schaus
   A Canadian humanist account of global secular progress, nonbelief, and the state of humanism in the twenty-first century. Humanist Canada Press announced it as its first publication in 2021. (Humanist Canada)
7. Post Secular: Science, Humanism and the Future of Faith — Marc Schaus
   An exploration of science, secularism, humanism, and the changing role of religious belief in modern life. (Humanist Canada)
8. How to Become a Really Good Pain in the Ass: A Critical Thinker’s Guide to Asking the Right Questions — Christopher DiCarlo
   A practical guide to questioning assumptions, identifying faulty reasoning, and thinking more clearly. (Google Books)
9. Six Steps to Better Thinking: How to Disagree and Get Along — Christopher DiCarlo
   A timely book on critical thinking, disagreement, and constructive conversation in polarized times. ( AbeBooks )
10. Building a God: The Ethics of Artificial Intelligence and the Race to Control It — Christopher DiCarlo
    A humanist and ethical examination of artificial intelligence, responsibility, and emerging technology. (Mississauga Library)
11. The Good Book: A Secular Bible — A.C. Grayling
    A literary collection of secular wisdom, ethics, reflection, and human experience.
12. The God Argument: The Case Against Religion and for Humanism — A.C. Grayling
    A direct argument against religious belief and for humanism as a positive ethical worldview.
13. The Wiley Blackwell Handbook of Humanism — Andrew Copson and A.C. Grayling, editors
    A scholarly collection on humanist philosophy, history, ethics, politics, and contemporary practice.
14. Good Without God — Greg M. Epstein
    A practical account of secular morality, community, and living ethically without religion.
15. What It Means to Be Moral — Phil Zuckerman
    A clear argument that morality, care, and responsibility do not depend on religious belief.
16. 16. Living the Secular Life — Phil Zuckerman
    A sociological look at how non-religious people build meaning, family, morality, and community.
17. Finding Purpose in a Godless World — Ralph Lewis
    A Canadian psychiatrist’s discussion of meaning, purpose, and human care without cosmic design.
18. The Book of Atheist Spirituality — André Comte-Sponville
    A thoughtful account of awe, ethics, love, and meaning without belief in God.
19. Faitheist — Chris Stedman
    A useful book on dialogue, bridge-building, and relationships between religious and non-religious people.
20. Breaking the Spell — Daniel C. Dennett
    A naturalistic examination of religion as a human and cultural phenomenon.
21. The Bonobo and the Atheist — Frans de Waal
    An exploration of empathy, morality, cooperation, and social behaviour in humans and other animals.
22. The Demon-Haunted World — Carl Sagan
    A classic modern defence of science, skepticism, critical thinking, and intellectual humility.
23. Pale Blue Dot — Carl Sagan
    A powerful reflection on Earth, humility, science, and our shared responsibility for one another.
24. The Varieties of Scientific Experience — Carl Sagan
    Reflections on science, wonder, religion, and humanity’s place in the universe.
25. The Magic of Reality — Richard Dawkins
    A clear explanation of how science helps us understand the natural world.
26. The Skeptics’ Guide to the Universe — Steven Novella and others
    A practical guide to skepticism, evidence, cognitive bias, and scientific reasoning.
27. Enlightenment Now — Steven Pinker
    A defence of reason, science, humanism, and progress.
28. Rationality — Steven Pinker
    A modern guide to reasoning well, avoiding fallacies, and thinking more clearly.
29. Factfulness — Hans Rosling, Ola Rosling, and Anna Rosling Rönnlund
    A useful corrective to despair, distortion, and common misunderstandings about global progress.
30. Humankind: A Hopeful History — Rutger Bregman
    A readable argument for a more generous and cooperative view of human nature.
31. Utopia for Realists — Rutger Bregman
    A practical and optimistic look at poverty, work, inequality, and social reform.
32. Justice: What’s the Right Thing to Do? — Michael J. Sandel
    A strong introduction to moral and political reasoning.
33. The Righteous Mind — Jonathan Haidt
    A useful book for understanding moral disagreement, group identity, and political division.
34. Think — Simon Blackburn
    An accessible introduction to philosophy, knowledge, ethics, mind, and reason.
35. Ethics for a Broken World — Tim Mulgan
    A readable exploration of moral responsibility in a world facing scarcity, climate risk, and uncertainty.
36. The Scout Mindset — Julia Galef
    A practical book on curiosity, intellectual humility, and changing one’s mind when the evidence changes.
37. Behave — Robert M. Sapolsky
    A science-based account of human behaviour, biology, context, and responsibility.
38. Sapiens — Yuval Noah Harari
    A broad history of human societies, cooperation, belief systems, power, and culture.
39. Being Mortal — Atul Gawande
    A humane book on aging, medicine, mortality, dignity, and end-of-life care.
40. When Breath Becomes Air — Paul Kalanithi
    A moving reflection on medicine, mortality, love, meaning, and human fragility.
41. The Precipice — Toby Ord
    A secular ethical argument about existential risk and humanity’s responsibility to the future.
42. The Sixth Extinction — Elizabeth Kolbert
    A powerful account of biodiversity loss and human responsibility for the natural world.
43. Braiding Sweetgrass — Robin Wall Kimmerer
    A reflective work on ecology, reciprocity, science, Indigenous knowledge, and relationship with the land.
44. Doughnut Economics — Kate Raworth
    A human-centred model for economics that connects social well-being with ecological limits.
45. Just Mercy — Bryan Stevenson
    A compelling book on justice, punishment, mercy, racism, and human dignity. Older Humanist Classics
46. On the Nature of Things — Lucretius
    A foundational ancient work of naturalism, materialism, mortality, and wonder.
47. An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding — David Hume
    A classic work on skepticism, evidence, causation, and the limits of human knowledge.
48. On Liberty — John Stuart Mill
    A foundational defence of freedom of thought, individuality, and open public discussion.
49. On the Origin of Species — Charles Darwin
    A landmark scientific work that transformed humanity’s understanding of life, nature, and our place in the world.
50. Why I Am Not a Christian and Other Essays — Bertrand Russell
    A classic collection on religion, ethics, skepticism, free thought, and intellectual independence.

This list is not intended to be final or authoritative. Grey Bruce Humanists welcomes suggestions from members, friends, and visitors. Tell us which books have helped you think more clearly, live more ethically, or better understand the human condition.