Religion can be both a source of conflict and a commonality that brings people of different faiths together. In this book designed to physically last (with its thick pages and high quality photographs), Heriot hopes to promote that unity. Although most of the attention is devoted to the monotheistic religions of Judaism, Christianity and Islam, this volume also touches on Asian religions, along with six pages on indigenous beliefs. This volume is intended for the general reader, but holds information that specialists might also find valuable. Heriot, who teaches pathology at the University of Rochester School of Medicine, also holds a broad interest in the history of ideas as shown in his previous book Who We Are. No footnotes are provided, although the book closes with references to key religious texts and a very short bibliography of ten items. Annotation ©2012 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)