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The Portable Atheist: Essential Readings for the Nonbeliever
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Customer Reviews
Rating:  - Has it all
So much of this book is moving, personal and witty. It includes a brilliant article by Michael Shermer www.michaelshermer.com about how God made it look like evolution happened in such a convincing way to test our faith. Daniel Dennett wrote about how an accident left him close to death (obviously, he recovered, thanks to a caring medical staff) and what this says about human goodness. Old and unexpected writers, such as Mark Twain and Omar Khayyam, are fascinating reading. These present facets of atheism that many of us wouldn't have thought of.
If you think Hitch et al present a "straw man" view of religion that is childish, irrational and counterproductive, do some research and you'll see that a lot of people in the U.S. do believe this way.
Rating: - Don't Judge a Book by its Title
Christopher Hitchens is a formidable writer who has dared to enmesh himself in the business of religion and politics, and has plenty of polemic writings suited for criticisms or apologetics (depending on one's worldview,) but his choices for this anthology are priceless. Living in the heartland of the Bible Belt, I find it difficult to sport mixed company in my home and have this title on my bookshelf, but I will nonetheless do precisely that because far from betraying some "fundamentalism" of non-belief, this collection is a conversation-starter.
There are roughly forty-seven writings that cover a few hundred years of thinkers who speak to their own age in a clarity that continues to be relevant to this generation's issues, struggles, and human endeavors. This volume should be read along with Jennifer Michael Hecht's *Doubt*, and Louise M. Antony's *Philosophers Without Gods*, both incredible works in their own right.
There are several reviews that reflect the contents of this anthology, so I'll only speak to the personal appeal of this collection. Sam Harris sums it up in a sentence: "...wanting to know how the world is leaves one vulnerable to new evidence." In contrast to the book subtitle "Essential Readings for the Nonbeliever," I would stress how valuable this book might be to the average reader, regardless of belief. Who might be threatened by reading John Stuart Mill, David Hume, Bertrand Russell, or George Eliot? I find myself hungry for more of these writers and thinkers. Thank the gods for an Amazon "wish list," and I would wager that after reading this anthology, yours would grow by two or three books! This is a collection that will stimulate one's appetite for more reading. This is the mark of a good book.
I may disagree with Christopher Hitchens on a variety of his political or religious points, but the collection of writings here is second to none, and I sincerely believe that humanity would be better served if these writers were discussed in more mainstream dialogue. It would be such a refreshing change from the election-time diatribes that divide, demonize, and segregate us into tribal factions--maybe those inescapable conditions that are uniquely human. But after reading these selections, and seeing these great thinkers throughout many ages with their hopes that we might escape some of the self-inflicted chains of human bondage, I pass this book on to my son with hopes that he might live a sincerely free-thinking, more altruistic and compassionate life.
I highly recommend this book for your consideration, and hope you enjoy it as much as I do. This was one of those "life changers" on my personal bookshelf.
Rating: - Valuable Anthology - Not Just for Atheists
Just like the Bible can also be appreciated by non-believers, due to its impact on world history, it is not required to be an atheist to appreciate this anti-religious anthology.
First of all, what I liked about it was that it was actually of a less polemical nature than Hitchens' own writings. Sure, there are polemics in it, but there are also several more personal - vulnerable, if you will - accounts of struggles with belief and unbelief, such as the excerpt from Darwin's autobiography, or James Boswell's (himself a believer) fascinating account of his last interview with David Hume shortly before the latter's death.
The book also does us a service by indirectly reminding us that Karl Marx should not just be judged by the evils of the Gulag Archipelago, but be treated as someone with many noble and worthwhile thoughts.
Other highlights of the book were George Eliot's "On Evangelical Teaching," which I had not read before and which might just as well have been written about TV evangelists of today. Eliot, speaking from more than 150 years in the past, eloquently described my own church background in which I grew up. A fascinating - almost prophetic - experience.
I was also a bit surprised by the amount of very clear statements Albert Einstein had made about his religious position. I had been under the impression before that Einstein's position required quite a bit of interpretation, and that the view of Dawkins and Hitchens was just one among many. The quotes helped me to become undeceived in this regard.
The only critique I have against the anthology is that the inclusion of many of Hitchens' friends seems somewhat preposterous. The historical impact of Lucretius, Hobbes, Spinoza, Marx, Darwin, Twain, Einstein etc. is firmly established, and their inclusion in this anthology is a fitting homage. But to then continue with Michael Shermer, Daniel Dennett, Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, Ayaan Hirsi Ali and the like turns an anthology of great historical weight into an advertisement for New Atheism.
Perhaps Shermer, Dennet, Harris and their friends will one day all be considered on par with Marx and Einstein, but it's too early to tell. If I wrote a book on essential political figures, I wouldn't move from Alexander the Great and Napoleon to my local governor, either.
I am tempted to take a star off for that. Let's make it half a star. 4.5/5 for "The Portable Atheist."
Rating: - Essential isn't strong enough-
the "Essential" guide as it's handle goes, isn't nearly strong enough language to describe what a great mini-anthology Mr. Hitchens has created.
No longer are we in an age where fairness in regards to the god question is required. Zealots and religious ignorance continuously attempt to control civilization- no longer can we allow this! Hitchens, best of luck and thanx for the great read!
Rating: - Dear Autumn
The idea that the total public scientific datum is prone to crystallization within the mindstream of a functional interpreter as honest belief in the irreality of the supernatural is the memetic fallacy (the wack wrapper, antimoreality, unfactual selection, true malefiction, neophobe's fun and exciting new crush, I'm>sick manoeuvre, missed-leading heathen's fiendingest lebensphenomenologie, intentional deficit, intelligence failure, for them: somehow too-ready being-un-ready-to-hand, vainglorious needs' IV, Janjaweed dro, waterless fountain, rotten apple that should have been left behind, stipend of bad-faith, nihlargesse, "I didn't" ... the devolutionary gnome's playhouse and favoured hiding spot of Earth's most vulgar and detestable confabulists) par excellence.
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