Reza Aslan Books

Published: December 23, 2021

This is where you will find all about books by Reza Aslan.

He has written many books, all relating to the philosophical and sociological history of religion worldwide. A number of his books have ranked #1 on the New York Times best-seller list throughout the years. Dr. Aslan holds numerous degrees, including a BA in religious studies, a MA in Theological Studies from Harvard, and a Ph.D. in the sociology of religions. His books and articles have focused on the beginning of religious beliefs up until today.

He uses this to explain how it can bring us together or separate us, depending on how we view each other.

I've made a list of his non-fiction books below, including the most recently published at the top. Please feel free to let me know if you agree or disagree or if I've left anything important out.

Books by Reza Aslam

1. God: A Human History

God: A Human History

Published: 2017

Pages: 280

Who is God? What do they want from us, and what are their expectations? Are they benevolent or something more sinister? Do they still exist today in some form, or have we moved on to a new deity of sorts? These are all questions that humans have pondered for centuries. And even continue to question each day as we exist.

In God: A Human History, Dr. Aslan goes back to the beginning of human history, exploring the origins of our most ancient gods and how their personalities evolved. He also examines how different cultures interpreted these deities and how religions developed throughout the world. With so much tumult going on during these rapidly changing times, this is the perfect book to help understand how cultures have evolved and how to view them in a different light.

2. Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth

Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth

Published: 2013

Pages: 355

In Zealot, Reza Aslan discusses the life of Jesus Christ from a historical context. He did not write this book as a believer in a specific faith tradition or as someone with spiritual leanings. Instead, he wrote it out of sheer curiosity about the man that has been so greatly revered throughout history.

His goal was to present unbiased facts about the person known as Jesus Christ from all accounts from various sources, including Christian ones such as the New Testament Gospels themselves. Even though this was a New York Times Bestseller, there has still been criticism of it. This means it will be a fascinating and influential book no matter what.

3. No god but God: The Origins, Evolution, and Future of Islam

No god but God

Published: 2011

Pages: 316

Reza Aslan's new book, No god but God: The Origins, Evolution, and Future of Islam, is a must-read for anyone who wants to understand the Islamic faith. It provides an in-depth look into how Islam came about and why it has continued to grow as a world religion. Reza takes readers on a journey from its beginnings as one man's message to his followers until today, where so many Muslims live throughout the entire world.

This is a very in-depth book on religion, and he discusses everything from terrorism and extremism, religious freedom, and more.

4. Beyond Fundamentalism: Confronting Religious Extremism in the Age of Globalization

Beyond Fundamentalism

Published: 2010

Pages: 240

This is a fantastic treatise on how to deal with religious extremism with any religion. He argues that modern-day faiths are not as absolutist as they sometimes appear and that people often use religion to justify violence.

Even though the fundamentalists from the three main religions, Islam, Judaism, and Christianity, all have them, the moderate and liberal versions are ignored. In this book, he discusses current events along with history and says how we can move forward from this point.

NOTE: This book was also titled, How to Win a Cosmic War: God, Globalization, and the End of the War on Terror when initially published in 2009.

5: Muslims and Jews in America: Commonalities, Contentions, and Complexities

Muslims and Jews in America

Published: 2010

Pages: 688

Written by Reza Aslan and Aaron J. Hahn Tapper

In this book, he discusses how Islam and Judaism religions have shaped America throughout history. While they may be in contention with each other at times, many commonalities between all three faiths should be recognized as well.

Some of the topics dealt with include political views, how President Obama was attacked as a Muslim even though he was a Christian, and more. An example of this would be how Hollywood portrays people from either religious beliefs and how they act, be it friendly, enemy, or terrorist group.

6. Tablet & Pen: Literary Landscapes from the Modern Middle East (Words Without Borders)

Tablet & Pen

Published: 2010

Pages: 688

As seen above, he has experienced many different cultures and written extensively on them. This book takes readers through the changes that have taken place throughout the region during the 20th century. This book is different because it isn't specifically his view of Islam and the Middle East, unlike the others.

It explains how these changes have impacted both literature and people's perspectives on their history and vise versa. This is done by collecting over 200 articles, poems, and more using other writers like Khalil Gilbran, Orhan Pamuk, and others. To accomplish this, he used four editors in each region and more than 70 translators.

Note: Dr. Aslan was the editor of this book.