A very interesting romp through the intellectual history of Europe since the 17th century, with the remains of Descartes as the tour guide. The writing is good, but there is not much of a critical analysis as promised in the sub-title "a Skeletal History of the Conflict Between Faith and Reason". His conclusions are stated at the beginning and very end of the book, and although he poo-poos "religious fundamentalists" he sides with a Catholic apologist to counteract "Enlightenment Fundamentalists". Needless to say, I don't think he thought through the full implications of his argument. He often falls back on the tropes that religious critics throw at atheists. Despite the needless attacks on needless straw men, there is some genuinely engaging history of France and the Enlightenment. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in philosophy of science or intellectual history.
