---
title: Book Review-Not God’s Type, An Atheist Academic Lays Down Her Arms by Holly Ordway
description: "A review of <i>Not God’s Type: An Atheist Academic Lays Down Her Arms</i> that will convince you to read the beautiful story of Holly Ordway's conversion."
---

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# Book Review-Not God’s Type, An Atheist Academic Lays Down Her Arms by Holly Ordway

Oct 29, 2014 9:30:25 AM  |  by [Deanna Bartalini](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/author/deanna-bartalini)

[![CatholicMom-booknotes-logo](https://www.catholicmom.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/CatholicMom-booknotes-logo-550x169-291.jpg?width=550&height=169&name=CatholicMom-booknotes-logo-550x169-291.jpg)](http://catholicmom.com/?attachment_id=40160)

![cover-not god's type](https://www.catholicmom.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/cover-not-gods-type-262x400.jpg?width=262&height=400&name=cover-not-gods-type-262x400.jpg)[***Not God’s Type: An Atheist Academic Lays Down Her Arms***](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1586179993/catholicmom) by Holly Ordway is a beautiful and amazing story.  As a child she thought there was no need to put a capital G when spelling God, as an adult she  saw ”faith as nonsense” but felt “dissonance in my own life, in my understanding of the world”.  Ordway chronicles how she came to belief from unbelief and eventually came to the fullness of truth when she joined the Catholic Church.

As an academic and intellectual, Ordway comes to know God through the power of reason.  She learns that a commitment to Jesus is not to be taken lightly nor is it easy. Her realization that the “Christian life wasn’t something to be figured out, like a philosophical crossword puzzle, but a reality to be experienced.  This Jesus, whom I dared to begin to believe had really been raised from the dead, said, “Follow me.”” is what leads her to become a Christian.

Ordway shares with us the depths of her soul searching journey quoting great literature and poetry.  She tells her story with honesty and candor.  I read the book almost in one sitting and when I was done, wanted to start it again right away.  Ordway’s story shows us once again that there is a God-shaped hole in each of us and we cannot run from the One who made us.

[*Purchase Not God's Type and support CatholicMom.com with your order!*](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1586179993/catholicmom)

Be sure to check out [our Book Notes archive](http://catholicmom.com/category/book-notes/).

*Copyright 2014, Deanna Bartalini*

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#### About the Author

![Deanna Bartalini](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/Deanna%20Bartalini%202025-1.png)

### [Deanna Bartalini](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/author/deanna-bartalini)

Deanna G. Bartalini, M.Ed., M.P.A. is a certified spiritual director, retreat leader, speaker, and writer with decades of experience serving the Church. She is the founder of [LiveNotLukewarm.com](https://LiveNotLukewarm.com), works on the retreat team at Our Lady of Florida Passionist Spiritual Center, and is an Unbound prayer minister. Deanna writes from her experiences of over 40 years of marriage, children and grandchildren.

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