Hello everyone! I am an ex-preacher recently 'converted' to atheism. That means I know nothing about everything. I want to change that. I am frustratingly inept in the most fundamental scientific areas. 

I am the end product of religious segregation and indoctrination and it infuriates me. My science learning comes from the brainwashing private Christian curriculum Accelerated Christian Education and a catholic high school - years ago - that never taught any non-religiously based curricula (e.g. evolution doesn't exist, but it states a chimp gave birth to a human one day). 

I know about evolution from Richard Dawkins' amazing books and a few various others. I have recently subscribed to Nature magazine and sit with my computer beside to understand every research paper that interests me. I realized I am hideously uneducated. On the plus side, my family calls me 'Darwin' now because of this. They say it derogatorily, but a greater honour I couldn't think of.

I am looking for books, especially college/university textbooks, on geology, biology, palaeontology, and evolution. I want to relearn everything about everything. I can't think of a better place to find people who understand this topic better. Any suggestions at all are greatly appreciated.

- J