"By far the best work done on secular movements and secularism. Blankholm's impressive scope of data and his attention to diversity based on ethnicity, gender, and apostates from non-Christian traditions make this a unique and exceptional contribution to the field." - Darren Sherkat, Southern Illinois University "Masterfully illustrates how the organized secular movement in the US is constantly being negotiated." - Ryan Cragun, The University of Tampa "Simultaneously, an incisive examination of American secularity's paradoxical relationship to `religion,' its constitutive other, and an expansive ethnography of how secular people live with and in that paradox. Blankholm brilliantly attends to secularity not simply as a space of absence—religion's remainder—but as a set of ethical, epistemological, and affective commitments—a tradition. . . . A remarkable book and essential reading for those interested in debates about secularism and religion in the United States and beyond." - Mayanthi Fernando, University of California, Santa Cruz "This work enriches understanding of one of the fastest growing segments of the US population, those with no religious affiliation or identity… [T]his study merits the attention of students of American religious culture at all levels." - C. H. Lippy (emeritus, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga) (CHOICE) "Blankholm's book explores the paradox of secularity that seeks to distance itself from religion but is inevitably shaped and defined by the very thing whose absence it proclaims... as a study of specific American forms of unbelief, the book is interesting, thought-provoking, well-researched - and written in a readable, engaging, and captivating style." (Religious Studies Review) "Pioneering. The Secular Paradox gives voice to a diverse cast of characters who can represent the increasing diversity of secular communities in the twenty-first-century United States and help to dispel views about secularism's inherent whiteness and maleness. A must-read for scholars of American religions... sure to influence future scholarship in the field." (American Religion) "Blankholm's writing is praiseworthy… the author clearly articulates complicated paradoxical positions and clarifies murky terms." (Reading Religion) "Perhaps the most interesting takeaway of Blankholm's book is how White organized American secularism remains. Throughout his travels, the author encountered many secular Black, Hispanic, Muslim, and Native American people, most of whom felt uncomfortable in established secular groups due to the prevalent atmosphere of White middle class assumptions." (Nova Religio)
