The Portable Atheist: Essential Readings for the Nonbeliever
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"Reading all these essays together is an intellectually invigorating experience this is a fine anthology and a provocative challenge to believers." --Metro (London) 14th November 2007
"(a)t 500 pages this excellent anthology is only just portable, but it is the perfect Christmas stocking-filler for the atheist in your life." --The Guardian
"(a)fter setting the non-believing cat among the devout pigeons in America, Christopher Hitchens compiles an anthology varied enough to entertain atheists, agnostics and believers alike." --The Financial Times
"(a)t 500 pages this excellent anthology is only just portable, but it is the perfect Christmas stocking-filler for the atheist in your life." --The Guardian
"(a)fter setting the non-believing cat among the devout pigeons in America, Christopher Hitchens compiles an anthology varied enough to entertain atheists, agnostics and believers alike." --The Financial Times
Product Description
Christopher Hitchens, the acclaimed journalist and best-selling author of God Is Not Great, selects and introduces an illuminating collection of the most essential and influential writings for the non-believer, including contributions from Charles Darwin, Albert Einstein, Mark Twain, Bertrand Russell, Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Paine, Karl Marx, Richard Dawkins, H.L. Mencken, Sam Harris, and more.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
184 of 192 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This book is perhaps slightly undersold by it's title, it's a pretty solid tome, still portable I suppose but it must be a good 2 or 3 inches thick. The second part of the title is also a little misleading, the majority of the authors are indeed atheists, but not limited to the more militant kind one might expect Hitchens to choose. There's a broad spectrum of Humanist, Secularist and Rationalist writing spanning from Lucretius and Spinoza to Ibn Warraq and Sam Harris. The book progresses through these in a roughly chronological order charting the way human thought on the divine (or lack thereof) has changed and progressed.
The readings are well chosen and Hitchens provides a little introduction and context to each section (if I had one minor complaint it would be that these intros could have been even longer, they were fascinating in their own right). He also provides an overall intro to the book as a whole.
If I was to direct someone, atheist or theist, to a single book to explain non-theistic world views to them, it would have to be this.
The readings are well chosen and Hitchens provides a little introduction and context to each section (if I had one minor complaint it would be that these intros could have been even longer, they were fascinating in their own right). He also provides an overall intro to the book as a whole.
If I was to direct someone, atheist or theist, to a single book to explain non-theistic world views to them, it would have to be this.
169 of 179 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
An absolutely dazzling work. As a recovering Christian I am actively seeking out the thoughts of the great secularists down through the ages.
Particular highlights for me were the writings of Mark Twain on the Church's position on slavery, and also a remarkable deconstruction of every Christian argument regarding morality and God by Elizabet Anderson. Its one of those books that I'd love my wife and my Christian friends to read. Sadly, the bubble of false consolation and cognitive bias appears overwhelmingly strong. My experience tells me that the only evidence that Christians can cope with is Christian evidence. A truly impartial assesment of the available evidence from both sides seems a pose a real challenge to them.
Particular highlights for me were the writings of Mark Twain on the Church's position on slavery, and also a remarkable deconstruction of every Christian argument regarding morality and God by Elizabet Anderson. Its one of those books that I'd love my wife and my Christian friends to read. Sadly, the bubble of false consolation and cognitive bias appears overwhelmingly strong. My experience tells me that the only evidence that Christians can cope with is Christian evidence. A truly impartial assesment of the available evidence from both sides seems a pose a real challenge to them.
109 of 117 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I found this interesting in that it provides a potted history of atheistic philosophy which could be useful to anyone introduced to the subject more recently (perhaps by Dawkins or Dennet). Some of the historical material can be a little hard to read (especially on a packed train) but I found it fascinating to see how the arguments against religion have developed over time. Ayaan Hirsi Ali's story is truly inspiring and is a fitting conclusion to the book. Hitchens' introductions to each chapter are fitting, and often show just how important the individual writers ideas are to the him. Highly recommended.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
The Atheist Pope
In the motion picture `Patton,' the general bellows out over the battlefield after Rommel's tanks running off in defeat, "Rommel, you magnificent s.o.b., I read your book. Read more
Published 5 hours ago by John Randolph Marshall
Very comprehensive.
An historically comprehensive synopsis of atheist/agnostic thinkers and writers over two mellenia in the face of blind religions. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Satan
Fantastic
A fine anthology and a provocative challenge to believers. Fun for atheists and agnostics and even pantheists, and essential if uncomfortable reading for believers - especially... Read more
Published 2 months ago by de Selby
Confirmed Atheist
If you think you may be an Atheist, this book will convince you. But if you prefer to 'believe' in something which does not exist, don't bother buying this book.
Published 3 months ago by Jurgen
Brilliant skeptical thinking from selected authors
Hitchens again shows his genius by putting together this superb collection of writings as an introduction to many top freethinkers. Read more
Published 5 months ago by A.
Compulsive chunks of high quality reading
I'll admit I haven't read the Hume essay yet but I ate the rest of the book and have a copy on my iPhone so I can dip into it whenever I'm stuck on the tube without something to... Read more
Published 7 months ago by Michael Turley
A copy of this book should be left in every hotel bedroom.
A book that should be savoured slowly and always kept beside you in case you should weaken in your disbelief. Read more
Published 13 months ago by Grr
The Atheist Pope
God is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything
Being a nephew of the archbishop of Florence, I had the opportunity to meet the Atheist Pope who survived only 33 days... Read more
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Published 16 months ago by Angelo Esposito
Worth reading wherever you stand
An outstanding collection of essays and extracts from godless and freethinking writers throughout the ages. Read more
Published 17 months ago by P. Perry
Challenging, but ...
This is an interesting book with challenging material for everyone, especially for people of faith like myself. Read more
Published 17 months ago by B. Welch
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