The Ten Commandments are perhaps some of the most well-known and vexed verses of the whole Bible. They have found their way into our art, monuments, literature, and culture—even into Richard Dawkins famed “Ten Atheist Commandments.”

In A Doubter’s Guide to the Ten Commandments, bestselling author John Dickson explores how these ten verses have changed our world and how they show us what the Good Life looks like. Whether or not one believes in the Bible, these ten ancient instructions open up a window to the Western world and on our own soul.