At a time when 20% of Americans consider themselves 'spiritual but not religious,' Waking Up asks whether a solidly secular perspective can still embrace the unknown.

Whatever our belief system, most of us have found ourselves wondering about the big questions – the meaning of life, the search for happiness, whether there's a higher power.

Throughout mankind's existence, the answers have been provided by traditional religion – but how do we address them in modern and pluralistic societies?

Neuroscientist, author, and co-founder of the non-profit Project Reason, Sam Harris has been dubbed by some as the 'High Priest of American atheism.'

In this book, Harris considers whether our search for universal truths has a value that transcends particular belief systems.

Waking Up examines concepts such as spirituality, consciousness, and transcendence, sharing the author's own extensive experience both with and without assistance from mind-altering substances.

With characteristic wit and rigor, Harris manages to find his own 'middle way' between religious practice and modern science.