These 2 books are religious books about technology bringing about the end of the world. I immediately became a lover of artificial intelligence and scientific progress and transhumanism. I read them though because at the time I was a looney religious guy. But everything changed after these 2 books. I stopped my religious reading and started reading about computer science. If you listen to the voice-mail podcast these books will help explain why you have some callers calling in about being branded with lasers and given cryptocurrency and stuff. It’s part of a modern end times scenario they’ve slapped together.
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They’ve been slapping end-time scenarios together for at least 2,000 years 
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For me I think the Bible and the Koran did it initially.
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For me it was anthropology, public school, and reading the bible.
I was leaderless where atheism is concert, I suppose one might say.
We’re all born atheists and my parents made sure things remained that way, only educating their children about the history and claims of the major modern religions.
Well meaning religious types occasionally made an appearance in our project to speak their good word to the poor, should they have been courageous or stupid enough.
For me, somewhat in order of importance:
- Learning about physics and science at university.
- Books: The Selfish Gene, The Blind Watchmaker, and Climbing Mount Improbable by Richard Dawkins.
- Alt.religion.scientology (found it very fascinating to read what it was possible to make people believe)
- Attending anti-evolution lectures by creationist christians, and debating with them
- Getting friends that were pronounced atheists.
(list not exhaustive)