An ambitious book by the acclaimed writer considering some of the most vexing topics in the history of human thought: science, religion and consciousness, challenging the sense of logical infallibility that thinkers such as Richard Dawkins suggest and restoring human consciousness to the central place in the religion-science debate. 'Robinson's argument is prophetic, profound, eloquent, succinct, powerful and timely' Karen Armstrong, "Guardian"

Marilynne Robinson is the author of Gilead, winner of the 2005 Pulitzer Prize for fiction; Home, winner of the 2009 Orange Prize for Fiction; and Housekeeping, winner of the 1982 Hemingway Foundation/PEN Award for first fiction. She is also the author of two previous books of nonfiction, Mother Country and The Death of Adam. She teaches at the University of Iowa Writers' Workshop and lives in Iowa City.