The Demon-Haunted World - Carl Sagan

The late Carl Sagan is revered by the current skeptcial movement, and this is the book most commonly cited as an inspiration. The general thrust is that the real world is far more wonder-ful and awe-inspiring than any tales of UFOs, ghosts or religious mythologies could ever be. Teach kids the science, especially the scientific method itself, and a better world will follow.

I agree with the argument, and Sagan may be important in its development, but the case could have been made more strongly. He stays with the UFO thing for too long (he's an astronomer after all), there are some dubious claims about psychoanalysis and the focus is always on an American context.

I'm picking holes, but the overall point remains valid. For a stunning example of how scientific wonder can change consciousness, watch Sagan's clip of the Pale Blue Dot: