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In what they refer to as a yearly tradition, all of biologist and writer Richard Dawkins’s friends and family members are reportedly expecting to receive another copy of his 2006 book “The God Delusion” for Christmas this year. Dawkins reportedly wraps up new copies of the book, which argues the logical case for atheism, and ships them across the country to his friends and family every holiday season.
“He always signs them,” said Dawkins’s college roommate William Drayborn, who received upwards of 20 copies of Dawkins’ 1976 book “The Selfish Gene” before he started getting copies of the more recent book every December. “He always used to say ‘Live intelligently, Richard,’ but he just changed to ‘Reject God, Richard,’ which honestly feels a little less personal.”
Drayborn went on to recount the time Dawkins had wrapped up the book, popular among skeptical high schoolers, so it looked like it was a DVD set. “He really tricked me. For a while, I thought it was going to be a box set of “MASH,” which we watched a ton of in college. But then it was “The God Delusion” and I was like, ‘of course, it’s ‘The God Delusion.’’ It’s always ‘The God Delusion.’”
Many of Dawkins’s older friends donate the books to charity or local libraries, but good friend of Dawkins and television personality Bill Maher keeps all nine of his copies of the critically acclaimed best seller in prominent display on his mantelpiece.
“I love this book,” said Maher, who is planning on performing all the best bits from his movie “Religulous” at his family’s New Year’s party. “I love the way it argues that anyone who believes in God is stupid and anyone who doesn’t is intellectually superior. I love being reminded of that on Christmas, which some people think is God’s son’s birthday? There’s an irony there.”
“We’re all really proud of Richard for writing his book,” said Dawkins’ sister Mary. “We all read it when it came out, but I don’t know if he thinks we re-read it every year, or what. Sometimes he includes a note telling me to pass it on to a ‘Christian in need.’ I haven’t done that.”
Mary also told a story about how her son Michael was overjoyed when he came down one Christmas morning to see what appeared to be a bicycle wrapped up in fun, festive paper. She says she does not to this day understand exactly how the fourteen copies of “The God Delusion” were contorted into the shape of a child’s bike.
At press time, Dawkins was calling and ordering one copy of ‘The God Delusion’ from every Barnes & Noble in the area.
