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  • The Age of Reason: Being an Investigation of True and Fabulous Theology
    by Thomas Paine
    ISBN 1419151770 (1-4191-5177-0)
    Softcover, Kessinger Pub Co

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    Book summary:

    An idealist, a radical, and a master rhetorician, Thomas Paine wrote and lived with a keen sense of urgency and excitement. In The Age of Reason, Thomas Paine declares that all religious traditions are ultimately established for the dependence of mankind. He openly criticizes the Bible and many of the fallacies contained within, as well as providing a shrewd analysis of Christianity and how it developed from its pagan ancestry-arguments many critics claim carry weight today. Paine alienated many of his countrymen with his incendiary viewpoints. Forced to leave America for England, Paine eventually returned to the United States in 1802, though he remained all but ostracized. He died in poverty seven years later in 1809. AUTHOR BIO: Thomas Paine (1737-1809) was an Anglo-American political theorist and writer born in Norfolk, England. In 1774, Paine emigrated to America, bearing letters of introduction from Benjamin Franklin. Soon thereafter, he became involved in the clashes between England and the American colonies and published the enormously successful pamphlet Common Sense in 1776, which was widely distributed and contributed to the patriot cause throughout the American Revolution. [via]

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  • The Age of Reason: Examination of the Prophecies
    by Thomas Paine, Frank R. Zindler
    ISBN 0910309701 (0-910309-70-1)
    Softcover, Amer Atheist Pr

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    Book summary:

    Until the publication of this annotated edition, Thomas Paine's third part of "The Age Of Reason" was extremely rare and almost unknown. Titled "Examination of the Prophecies," the book examines all the supposed prophecies of Jesus in the Old Testament alleged by the evangelists of the New Testament. With great wit and penetrating logic, Paine showed that not one of the Old Testament passages cited had anything to do with the Christian's would-be Messiah. Paine appears to have been the first writer in English to suggest that Jesus was not an historical figure.

    Frank R. Zindler's marginal notes and commentary examine the Greek and Hebrew texts of the verses being discussed. They show that Paine, who knew no ancient languages and knew of none of the important biblical manuscripts that would be discovered after his death, was astonishingly correct in his critique. [via]

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  • The Amber Spyglass
    by Philip Pullman
    ISBN 0375823352 (0-375-82335-2)
    Softcover, Random House Childrens Books

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    From the very start of its very first scene, The Amber Spyglass will set hearts fluttering and minds racing. All we'll say here is that we immediately discover who captured Lyra at the end of The Subtle Knife, though we've yet to discern whether this individual's intent is good, evil, or somewhere in between. We also learn that Will still possesses the blade that allows him to cut between worlds, and has been joined by two winged companions who are determined to escort him to Lord Asriel's mountain redoubt. The boy, however, has only one goal in mind--to rescue his friend and return to her the alethiometer, an instrument that has revealed so much to her and to readers of The Golden Compass and its follow-up. Within a short time, too, we get to experience the "tingle of the starlight" on Serafina Pekkala's skin as she seeks out a famished Iorek Byrnison and enlists him in Lord Asriel's crusade:

    A complex web of thoughts was weaving itself in the bear king's mind, with more strands in it than hunger and satisfaction. There was the memory of the little girl Lyra, whom he had named Silvertongue, and whom he had last seen crossing the fragile snow bridge across a crevasse in his own island of Svalbard. Then there was the agitation among the witches, the rumors of pacts and alliances and war; and then there was the surpassingly strange fact of this new world itself, and the witch's insistence that there were many more such worlds, and that the fate of them all hung somehow on the fate of the child.
    Meanwhile, two factions of the Church are vying to reach Lyra first. One is even prepared to give a priest "preemptive absolution" should he succeed in committing mortal sin. For these tyrants, killing this girl is no less than "a sacred task."

    In the final installment of his trilogy, Philip Pullman has set himself the highest hurdles. He must match its predecessors in terms of sheer action and originality and resolve the enigmas he already created. The good news is that there is no critical bad news--not that The Amber Spyglass doesn't contain standoffs and close calls galore. (Who would have it otherwise?) But Pullman brings his audacious revision of Paradise Lost to a conclusion that is both serene and devastating. In prose that is transparent yet lyrical and 3-D, the author weaves in and out of his principals' thoughts. He also offers up several additional worlds. In one, Dr. Mary Malone is welcomed into an apparently simple society. The environment of the mulefa (again, we'll reveal nothing more) makes them rich in consciousness while their lives possess a slow and stately rhythm. These strange creatures can, however, be very fast on their feet (or on other things entirely) when necessary. Alas, they are on the verge of dying as Dust streams out of their idyllic landscape. Will the Oxford dark-matter researcher see her way to saving them, or does this require our young heroes? And while Mary is puzzling out a cure, Will and Lyra undertake a pilgrimage to a realm devoid of all light and hope, after having been forced into the cruelest of sacrifices--or betrayals.

    Throughout his galvanizing epic, Pullman sustains scenes of fierce beauty and tenderness. He also allows us a moment or two of comic respite. At one point, for instance, Lyra's mother bullies a series of ecclesiastical underlings: "The man bowed helplessly and led her away. The guard behind her blew out his cheeks with relief." Needless to say, Mrs. Coulter is as intoxicating and fluid as ever. And can it be that we will come to admire her as she plays out her desperate endgame? In this respect, as in many others, The Amber Spyglass is truly a book of revelations, moving from darkness visible to radiant truth. --Kerry Fried [via]

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  • Atheism: A Philosophical Justification
    by Michael Martin
    ISBN 0877229430 (0-87722-943-0)
    Softcover, Temple Univ Pr

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    Book summary:

    In this book Michael Martin provides logical reasons for being an atheist. Carefully examining the current debate in Anglo-American analytic philosophy regarding God's existence, Martin presents a comprehensive critique of the arguments for the existence of God and a defense of arguments against the existence of God, showing in detail their relevance to atheism. Claiming that atheism is a rational position while theistic beliefs are not, he relies both on logic and evidence and confines his efforts to showing the irrationality of belief in a personal supreme being who is omniscient, omnipotent, perfect, and the creator of heaven and earth. The author's approach is two-fold. By presenting and criticizing arguments that have been advanced in favor of belief, he makes a case for "negative atheism." By offering arguments against atheism and defending it from these attacks, he presents a case for "positive atheism." Along the way, he confronts the views of numerous philosophers - among them Anselm, Aquinas, Plantinga, Hick, and Swinburne - and refutes both classical and contemporary arguments that have been advanced through the history of this debate. In his conclusion, Martin considers what would and would not follow if his main arguments were widely accepted, and he defines and distinguishes atheism from other "isms" and movements. Building on the work of religious skeptics and atheists of the past and present, he justifies his reconstruction of this philosophical dispute by citing some of the most interesting and important arguments for atheism and criticisms of arguments for the existence of God that have appeared in recent journal articles and have yet to be systematically addressed. Author note: Michael Martin is Professor of Philosophy at Boston University and author of several books, including The Legal Philosophy of H.L.A. Hart: A Critical Appraisal and The Case Against Christianity (both from Temple). [via]

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  • Atheism: A Reader
    by S. T. Joshi
    ISBN 1573928550 (1-57392-855-0)
    Softcover, Prometheus Books

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    Book summary:

    This unique anthology assembles the best writings on atheism, agnosticism, and skepticism by some of the world's great thinkers past and present. Arranged to address the most significant questions pertaining to religious belief-the existence of God, immortality, the nature of religious belief, and religion in relation to science, ethics, politics, and society-the selections in this volume present a challenge to religion on all fronts.

    Included are Bertrand Russell and A. J. Ayer on the existence of God, Percy Bysshe Shelley on the "argument from design," Lucretius on life after death, David Hume on superstition, Elizabeth Cady Stanton on Christianity's demeaning influence on women's social status, Gore Vidal on modern American fundamentalism, and many other notable writers on controversial issues.

    Editor S. T. Joshi has carefully selected essays that are eloquent, poignant, satirical, and philosophically rigorous, and has also supplied explanatory annotations and a general introduction that succinctly and forcefully summarizes the atheistic critique of religion. [via]

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  • Atheism: A Very Short Introduction
    by Julian Baggini
    ISBN 0192804243 (0-19-280424-3)
    Softcover, Oxford Univ Pr

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    Book summary:

    Atheism is often considered to be a negative, dark, and pessimistic belief which is characterised by a rejection of values and purpose and a fierce opposition to religion. Atheism: A Very Short Introduction sets out to dispel the myths that surround atheism and show how a life without religious belief can be positive, meaningful, and moral. It also confronts the failure of officially atheist states in the Twentieth Century. The book presents an intellectual case for atheism that rests as much upon positive arguments for its truth as on negative arguments against religion.
    [via]

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  • Smith, George H.: Atheism: The Case Against God
    Atheism: The Case Against God
    by George H. Smith
    ISBN 087975124X (0-87975-124-X)
    Softcover, Prometheus Books

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  • Atheism, Morality, and Meaning
    by Michael Martin
    ISBN 1573929875 (1-57392-987-5)
    Softcover, Prometheus Books

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    Book summary:

    Despite the pluralism of contemporary American culture, the Judaeo-Christian legacy still has a great deal of influence on the popular imagination. Thus it is not surprising that in this context atheism has a slightly scandalous ring, and unbelief is often associated with lack of morality and a meaningless existence. Distinguished philosopher and committed atheist Michael Martin sets out to refute this notion in this thorough defence of atheism as a both moral and meaningful philosophy of life. Martin shows not only that objective morality and a meaningful life are possible without belief in God but that the predominantly Christian world view of American society is seriously flawed as the basis of morality and meaning. This highly informed and sophisticated defence of atheism is a stimulating challenge to religious believers and a serious contribution to ethical theory. [via]

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  • Atheist Debater's Handbook
    by B. C. Johnson
    ISBN 0879752106 (0-87975-210-6)
    Softcover, Prometheus Books

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    Book summary:

    Much has been written in an effort to resolve the debate over whether belief in God can be rationally defended. However, pointing to the volumes contributed by theologians, philosophers, and lay persons is no reason to conclude that nothing further can be said concerning this vital question. Scholarly journals continue to publish new arguments and discussions focusing on issues that surround God's existence. Indeed, there are three journals devoted exclusively to the treatment of questions and topics in the philosophy of religion. Because they are generally found in university libraries, publications of this type are, for the most part, inaccessible to the public. Even if these journals are readily available, the articles they contain are nonetheless quite long, complicated, and rough-going; few people have the time, persistence, or stamina to wade through them.

    This handbook is, in part, an attempt to summarize the best arguments from these journals, and to offer a concise set of rejoinders for use by atheists in their formal (and informal) debates with theists. Older, more traditional, arguments are included as well, but these are treated in greater detail than ever before. Here and there I have set forth original arguments which I hope will advance the debate if only slightly. Great care has been taken to insure that digressions and rhetoric are minimized. The result is a short book, yet one that contains an unrelenting presentation of argument and analysis.

    For some time now atheists have been in need of firm grounds upon which to base their position. My handbook offers them this foundation. Some will look upon my efforts as a sinister attempt to further undermine social values. Actually, my purpose is to show that atheism is an intellectually respectable viewpoint despite recent efforts to prove otherwise.

    One point should be made concerning the structure of this handbook. In scholarly works there are numerous quotations and references which serve as important study aides. This technique seems inappropriate for a layman's handbook. The value of this work is found in its simplicity. For this reason the text is not interrupted by quotes or references. Where necessary credit has been given in footnotes and in an extensive bibliography. [via]

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  • Mills, David: Atheist Universe: The Thinking Person's Answer to Christian Fundamentalism
    Atheist Universe: The Thinking Person's Answer to Christian Fundamentalism
    by David Mills
    ISBN 1569755671 (1-56975-567-1)
    Softcover, Ulysses Pr

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  • Atheist Universe: Why God Didn't Have A Thing To Do With It
    by David Mills
    ISBN 1413434819 (1-4134-3481-9)
    Softcover, Xlibris Corp

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    Book summary:

    Is there really a God? Or does God exist only in our heads? Is the Bible truly Gods Word, or a jumble of fanciful myths? THE WORLD'S BEST-SELLING BOOK ON ATHEISM is your front-row ticket to mankinds most enthralling debate. An atheist for thirty years, David Mills argues that God is unnecessary to explain the universe and lifes diversity, organization and beauty.

    This unique and captivating book rebuts every argument ever offered to "prove" Gods existence and the Bibles credibility  arguments from logic, common sense, Christian apologetics, philosophy, ethics, history, and up-to-the-minute science.

    Among the intriguing questions addressed in this all-inclusive volume:

    * What, precisely, is atheism, and why is it misunderstood so thoroughly?

    * If God is a myth, then did the universe appear from nothing?

    * Does the meticulous clockwork of planetary motion result from mindless random forces?

    * Do atheists believe that human beings evolved through blind accident from lifeless matter?

    * Do the splendor and intricacy of life on Earth reveal evidence of intelligent design by a supernatural Creator?

    * Can atheists prove that God does NOT exist?

    * What about Creation Science, and the popular new movement to reconcile Scripture and science?

    * Have recent scientific discoveries pointed to Gods governance of the cosmos?

    * Did Albert Einstein believe in God?

    * Does the fact that energy cannot be destroyed lend credibility to a belief in eternal life?

    * Without God, can there be a valid system of ethics or an objective "right" and "wrong"?

    * Does religion encourage moral conduct and civilized behavior? Is the Golden Rule really such a bad idea?

    * What is the meaning of life without God?

    * When we die, are we simply dead like dogs?

    * Did atheists suffer a trauma in childhood that warped them into blasphemous rebellion?

    * Because of ubiquitous injustice on Earth, is an afterlife required to redress the imbalance, where evil is ultimately punished and virtue rewarded?

    * Is atheism just another crackpot religion?

    * Whats the harm in a persons private spirituality? Does humanity have everything to gain, and nothing to lose, through belief in God (even if Hes only imaginary)?

    * Apart from the Bible, is there secular historical evidence of Jesus miracles and resurrection?

    * How do atheists explain "near death" experiences and medical miracles which amaze even skeptical doctors?

    * Why should a tiny minority of atheists be able to force their opinions on everyone else by banning prayer in public schools?

    * Since "there are no atheists in foxholes," have famous nonbelievers recanted on their deathbeds?

    * Did Old and New Testament prophecies correctly predict events which actually unfolded during our own lifetimes?

    * What about the Shroud of Turin and the discovery of wood fragments from Noahs Ark on Mount Ararat in Turkey?

    * Does the Law of Entropy (or the "running down" of the universe) contradict evolutionary theory, which asserts that Natures complexity is increasing?

    * Is there absolute proof that man evolved from a lower form of life?

    * Even if you believe that all life evolved from a single cell, how could complex cellular life originate without a Creator?

    * Is atheism a totally negative philosophy, leading only to cynicism and despair?

    * Does communisms past embrace of atheism prove that atheism is an evil and failed philosophy?

    * Was America really founded upon Christian principles by Christian believers?

    * What is the true, behind-the-scenes relationship between politics and religion in 21st-century America?

    All of these questions  and hundreds of others  are fully confronted and methodically answered in the riveting pages of Atheist Universe. Its all here for you in one richly entertaining, comprehensive, and easy-to-read volume. Few other books provide such spellbinding inquiry and arrive at such a controversial and well-documented conclusion.

    JUST UPDATED FOR 2006! [via]

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  • The Blind Watchmaker
    by Richard Dawkins
    ISBN 0393022161 (0-393-02216-1)
    Hardcover, Norton

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    Book summary:

    Richard Dawkins is not a shy man. Edward Larson's research shows that most scientists today are not formally religious, but Dawkins is an in-your-face atheist in the witty British style:

    I want to persuade the reader, not just that the Darwinian world-view happens to be true, but that it is the only known theory that could, in principle, solve the mystery of our existence.

    The title of this 1986 work, Dawkins's second book, refers to the Rev. William Paley's 1802 work, Natural Theology, which argued that just as finding a watch would lead you to conclude that a watchmaker must exist, the complexity of living organisms proves that a Creator exists. Not so, says Dawkins: "All appearances to the contrary, the only watchmaker in nature is the blind forces of physics, albeit deployed in a very special way... it is the blind watchmaker."

    Dawkins is a hard-core scientist: he doesn't just tell you what is so, he shows you how to find out for yourself. For this book, he wrote Biomorph, one of the first artificial life programs. You can check Dawkins's results on your own Mac or PC. [via]

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  • Blind Watchmaker 1.2: An Evolution Simulation/Mac Version
    by Richard Dawkins
    ISBN 0393993418 (0-393-99341-8)
    Hardcover, W W Norton & Co Inc

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  • Blind Watchmaker: Why the Evidence of Evolution Reveals a Universe Without Design
    by Richard Dawkins
    ISBN 0393315703 (0-393-31570-3)
    Softcover, W W Norton & Co Inc

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    Book summary:

    Richard Dawkins is not a shy man. Edward Larson's research shows that most scientists today are not formally religious, but Dawkins is an in-your-face atheist in the witty British style:

    I want to persuade the reader, not just that the Darwinian world-view happens to be true, but that it is the only known theory that could, in principle, solve the mystery of our existence.

    The title of this 1986 work, Dawkins's second book, refers to the Rev. William Paley's 1802 work, Natural Theology, which argued that just as finding a watch would lead you to conclude that a watchmaker must exist, the complexity of living organisms proves that a Creator exists. Not so, says Dawkins: "All appearances to the contrary, the only watchmaker in nature is the blind forces of physics, albeit deployed in a very special way... it is the blind watchmaker."

    Dawkins is a hard-core scientist: he doesn't just tell you what is so, he shows you how to find out for yourself. For this book, he wrote Biomorph, one of the first artificial life programs. You can check Dawkins's results on your own Mac or PC. [via]

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  • Breaking the Spell: Religion as a Natural Phenomenon
    by Daniel C. Dennett
    ISBN 0143038338 (0-14-303833-8)
    Softcover, Penguin Group USA

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    For all the thousands of books that have been written about religion, few until this one have attempted to examine it scientifically: to ask whyand howit has shaped so many lives so strongly. Is religion a product of blind evolutionary instinct or rational choice? Is it truly the best way to live a moral life? Ranging through biology, history, and psychology, Daniel C. Dennett charts religions evolution from wild folk belief to domesticated dogma. Not an antireligious screed but an unblinking look beneath the veil of orthodoxy, Breaking the Spell will be read and debated by believers and skeptics alike.

    [via]

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  • Breaking the Spell: Religion As a Natural Phenomenon
    by Daniel Clement Dennett
    ISBN 067003472X (0-670-03472-X)
    Hardcover, Viking Pr

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    An innovative thinker tackles the controversial question of why we believe in God and how religion shapes our lives and our future

    For a growing number of people, there is nothing more important than religion. It is an integral part of their marriage, child rearing, and community. In this daring new book, distinguished philosopher Daniel C. Dennett takes a hard look at this phenomenon and asks why. Where does our devotion to God come from and what purpose does it serve? Is religion a blind evolutionary compulsion or a rational choice? In Breaking the Spell, Dennett argues that the time has come to shed the light of science on the fundamental questions of faith.

    In a spirited narrative that ranges widely through history, philosophy, and psychology, Dennett explores how organized religion evolved from folk beliefs and why it is such a potent force today. Deftly and lucidly, he contends that the "belief in belief" has fogged any attempt to rationally consider the existence of God and the relationship between divinity and human need.

    Breaking the Spell is not an antireligious screed but rather an eyeopening exploration of the role that belief plays in our lives, our interactions, and our country. With the gulf between rationalists and adherents of "intelligent design" widening daily, Dennett has written a timely and provocative book that will be read and passionately debated by believers and nonbelievers alike. [via]

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  • Can Man Live Without God
    by Ravi Zacharias
    ISBN 0849945283 (0-8499-4528-3)
    Softcover, Thomas Nelson Inc

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    In this brilliant and compelling defense of the Christian faith, Ravi Zacharias shows how affirming the reality of God's existence matters urgently in our everyday lives. According to Zacharias, how you answer the questions of God's existence will impact your relationship with others, your commitment to integrity, your attitude toward morality and your perception of truth.

    [via]

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  • The Case Against Christianity
    by Michael Martin
    ISBN 1566390818 (1-56639-081-8)
    Softcover, Temple Univ Pr

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    Book summary:

    In this systematic philosophical critique of the major tenets of Christianity, Michael Martin examines the semantic and epistemological bases of religious claims and beliefs. Beginning with a comparison and evaluation of the Apostles Creed, the Niceno-Chalcedonian Creed, and the Athanasian Creed, Martin discusses the principal theological, historical, and eschatological assumptions of Christianity. These include the historicity of Jesus, the Incarnation, the Second Coming, the Virgin Birth, the Resurrection, Salvation through faith in Jesus, and Jesus as a model of ethical behavior.

    Until now, an adequately convincing criticism of Christianity did not exist. Martins use of historical evidence, textual analysis, and interpretations by philosophers and theologians provides the strongest case made to date against the rational justification of Christian doctrines. [via]

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  • Dawkins' God: Genes, Memes, And The Meaning Of Life
    by Alister E. McGrath
    ISBN 1405125381 (1-4051-2538-1)
    Softcover, Blackwell Pub

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    Book summary:

    Alister E. McGrath is one of the worlds leading theologians, with a doctorate in the sciences. Richard Dawkins is one of the bestselling popular science writers, with outspoken and controversial views on religion. This fascinating and provoking work is the first book-length response to Dawkins ideas, and offers an ideal introduction to the topical issues of science and religion.

  • Addresses fundamental questions about Dawkins approach to science and religion: Is the gene actually selfish? Is the blind watchmaker a suitable analogy? Are there other ways of looking at things?
  • Tackles Dawkins hostile and controversial views on religion, and examines the religious implications of his scientific ideas, making for a fascinating and provoking debate
  • Written in a very engaging and accessible style, ideal to those approaching scientific and religious issues for the first time
  • Alister McGrath is uniquely qualified to write this book. He is one of the worlds best known and most respected theologians, with a strong research background in molecular biophysics
  • A superb book by one of the worlds leading theologians, which will attract wide interest in the growing popular science market, similar to Susan Blackmores The Meme Machine (1999).
    • [via]

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  • The Demon-Haunted World: Science As a Candle in the Dark
    by Carl Sagan
    ISBN 0345409469 (0-345-40946-9)
    Softcover, Ballantine Books

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    Carl Sagan muses on the current state of scientific thought, which offers him marvelous opportunities to entertain us with his own childhood experiences, the newspaper morgues, UFO stories, and the assorted flotsam and jetsam of pseudoscience. Along the way he debunks alien abduction, faith-healing, and channeling; refutes the arguments that science destroys spirituality, and provides a "baloney detection kit" for thinking through political, social, religious, and other issues. [via]

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  • A Devil's Chaplain: Selected Essays
    by Richard Dawkins, Latha Menon
    ISBN 0297829734 (0-297-82973-4)
    Hardcover, Weidenfeld & Nicolson

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    Book summary:

    Richard Dawkins has an opinion on everything biological, it seems, and in A Devil's Chaplain, everything is biological. Dawkins weighs in on topics as diverse as ape rights, jury trials, religion, and education, all examined through the lens of natural selection and evolution. Although many of these essays have been published elsewhere, this book is something of a greatest-hits compilation, reprinting many of Dawkins' most famous recent compositions. They are well worth re-reading. His 1998 review of Alan Sokal and Jean Bricmont's Fashionable Nonsense is as bracing an indictment of academic obscurantism as the book it covered, although the review reveals some of Dawkins' personal biases as well. Several essays are devoted to skillfully debunking religion and mysticism, and these are likely to raise the hackles of even casual believers. Science, and more specifically evolutionary science, underlies each essay, giving readers a glimpse into the last several years' debates about the minutiae of natural selection. In one moving piece, Dawkins reflects on his late rival Stephen Jay Gould's magnum opus, The Structure of Evolutionary Theory, and clarifies what it was the two Darwinist heavyweights actually disagreed about. While the collection showcases Dawkins' brilliance and intellectual sparkle, it brings up as many questions as it answers. As an ever-ardent champion of science, honest discourse, and rational debate, Dawkins will obviously relish the challenge of answering them. --Therese Littleton [via]

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  • A Devil's Chaplain: Reflections on Hope, Lies, Science and Love
    by Richard Dawkins
    ISBN 0618485392 (0-618-48539-2)
    Softcover, Houghton Mifflin

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  • Nielsen, Kai: Does God Exist?: The Debate Between Theists & Atheists
    Does God Exist?: The Debate Between Theists & Atheists
    by Kai Nielsen, James Porter Moreland
    ISBN 0879758236 (0-87975-823-6)
    Softcover, Prometheus Books

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  • Nielsen, Kai: Does God Exist? the Great Debate: The Great Debate
    Does God Exist? the Great Debate: The Great Debate
    by Kai Nielsen, James Porter Moreland
    ISBN 0840771800 (0-8407-7180-0)
    Hardcover, Thomas Nelson Inc

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  • Doubt: A History the Great Doubters and Their Legacy of Innovation from Socrates and Jesus to Thomas Jefferson and Emily Dickinson
    by Jennifer Hecht
    ISBN 0060097957 (0-06-009795-7)
    Softcover, Harpercollins

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    Book summary:

    In the tradition of grand sweeping histories such as From Dawn To Decadence, The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, and A History of God, Hecht champions doubt and questioning as one of the great and noble, if unheralded, intellectual traditions that distinguish the Western mind especially-from Socrates to Galileo and Darwin to Wittgenstein and Hawking. This is an account of the world's greatest intellectual virtuosos,' who are also humanity's greatest doubters and disbelievers, from the ancient Greek philosophers, Jesus, and the Eastern religions, to modern secular equivalents Marx, Freud and Darwinand their attempts to reconcile the seeming meaninglessness of the universe with the human need for meaning,

    This remarkable book ranges from the early Greeks, Hebrew figures such as Job and Ecclesiastes, Eastern critical wisdom, Roman stoicism, Jesus as a man of doubt, Gnosticism and Christian mystics, medieval Islamic, Jewish and Christian skeptics, secularism, the rise of science, modern and contemporary critical thinkers such as Schopenhauer, Darwin, Marx, Freud, Nietzsche, the existentialists.

    [via]

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  • De Lubac, Henri: Drama of Atheist Humanism
    Drama of Atheist Humanism
    by Henri De Lubac
    ISBN 089870443X (0-89870-443-X)
    Softcover, Ignatius Pr

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  • End of Faith: Religion, Terror, And the Future of Reason
    by Sam Harris
    ISBN 0393327655 (0-393-32765-5)
    Softcover, W W Norton & Co Inc

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    Book summary:

    Sam Harris cranks out blunt, hard-hitting chapters to make his case for why faith itself is the most dangerous element of modern life. And if the devil's in the details, then you'll find Satan waiting at the back of the book in the very substantial notes section where Harris saves his more esoteric discussions to avoid sidetracking the urgency of his message.

    Interestingly, Harris is not just focused on debunking religious faith, though he makes his compelling arguments with verve and intellectual clarity. The End of Faith is also a bit of a philosophical Swiss Army knife. Once he has presented his arguments on why, in an age of Weapons of Mass Destruction, belief is now a hazard of great proportions, he focuses on proposing alternate approaches to the mysteries of life. Harris recognizes the truth of the human condition, that we fear death, and we often crave "something more" we cannot easily define, and which is not met by accumulating more material possessions. But by attempting to provide the cure for the ills it defines, the book bites off a bit more than it can comfortably chew in its modest page count (however the rich Bibliography provides more than enough background for an intrigued reader to follow up for months on any particular strand of the author' musings.)

    Harris' heart is not as much in the latter chapters, though, but in presenting his main premise. Simply stated, any belief system that speaks with assurance about the hereafter has the potential to place far less value on the here and now. And thus the corollary -- when death is simply a door translating us from one existence to another, it loses its sting and finality. Harris pointedly asks us to consider that those who do not fear death for themselves, and who also revere ancient scriptures instructing them to mete it out generously to others, may soon have these weapons in their own hands. If thoughts along the same line haunt you, this is your book.--Ed Dobeas [via]

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  • Ethics Without God
    by Kai Nielsen
    ISBN 0879755520 (0-87975-552-0)
    Softcover, Prometheus Books

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    Nielsen argues that morality cannot be based on religion, and that there is no evidence to show that non-believers despair or lose their sense of identity and purpose. He shows that the implications of Christian absolutism are more likely to be monstrous than are those of a secular ethic that incorporates an independent principle of justice. [via]

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  • Freethinkers: A History of American Secularism
    by Susan Jacoby
    ISBN 0805077766 (0-8050-7776-6)
    Softcover, Henry Holt & Co

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    Book summary:

    An authoritative history of the vital role of secularist thinkers and activists in the United States, from a writer of fierce intelligence and nimble, unfettered imagination (The New York Times)

    At a time when the separation of church and state is under attack as never before, Freethinkers offers a powerful defense of the secularist heritage that gave Americans the first government in the world founded not on the authority of religion but on the bedrock of human reason.

    In impassioned, elegant prose, celebrated author Susan Jacoby paints a striking portrait of more than two hundred years of secularist activism, beginning with the fierce debate over the omission of God from the Constitution. Moving from nineteenth-century abolitionism and suffragism through the twentieth centurys civil liberties, civil rights, and feminist movements, Freethinkers illuminates the neglected accomplishments of secularists who, allied with liberal and tolerant religious believers, have stood at the forefront of the battle for reforms opposed by reactionary forces in the past and today.

    Rich with such iconic figures as Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and Clarence Darrowas well as once-famous secularists such as Robert Green Ingersoll, the Great AgnosticFreethinkers restores to history generations of dedicated humanists. It is they, Jacoby shows, who have led the struggle to uphold the combination of secular government and religious liberty that is the glory of the American system.
    [via]

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  • The God Delusion
    by Richard Dawkins
    ISBN 0618680004 (0-618-68000-4)
    Hardcover, Houghton Mifflin

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    Book summary:

    A preeminent scientist -- and the world's most prominent atheist -- asserts the irrationality of belief in God and the grievous harm religion has inflicted on society, from the Crusades to 9/11.

    With rigor and wit, Dawkins examines God in all his forms, from the sex-obsessed tyrant of the Old Testament to the more benign (but still illogical) Celestial Watchmaker favored by some Enlightenment thinkers. He eviscerates the major arguments for religion and demonstrates the supreme improbability of a supreme being. He shows how religion fuels war, foments bigotry, and abuses children, buttressing his points with historical and contemporary evidence. The God Delusion makes a compelling case that belief in God is not just wrong but potentially deadly. It also offers exhilarating insight into the advantages of atheism to the individual and society, not the least of which is a clearer, truer appreciation of the universe's wonders than any faith could ever muster.
    [via]

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  • Godless Morality: Keeping Religion Out of Ethics
    by Richard Holloway
    ISBN 1841950076 (1-84195-007-6)
    Softcover, Canongate Books Ltd

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    Reacting against those who use God to back up their own prejudices, Bishop Holloway argues that we should see morality as human. Like the civil law, it is historically evolved, it rests on consent, and it is being continuously renegotiated. [via]

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  • How We Believe: Science, Skepticism, and the Search for God
    by Michael Shermer
    ISBN 0805074791 (0-8050-7479-1)
    Softcover, Owl Books

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    One hundred years ago social scientists predicted that belief in God would decrease by the year 2000. "In fact ... the opposite is has occurred," Shermer writes in his introduction. "Never in history have so many, and such a high percentage of the population, believed in God. Not only is God not dead as Nietzche proclaimed, but he has never been more alive."

    Why do so many believe in the existence of something so inexplicable? That's exactly what Shermer answers in this comprehensive, intelligent, and highly readable discussion about the nature of faith. "People believe in God because the evidence of their senses tell them so," claims Shermer, who is the publisher of Skeptics magazine. Having been a believer and a student of the history of science, Shermer (now an agnostic) is more interested in knowing why and how people believe in God rather than trying to prove who's right or wrong. As a result, this book is not only even-handed and thorough, it is also destined to become a timeless contribution to spirituality as well as science. --Gail Hudson [via]

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  • How We Believe : The Search for God in an Age of Science
    by Michael Shermer
    ISBN 071673561X (0-7167-3561-X)
    Hardcover, Freeman & Company, W. H.

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    Book summary:

    One hundred years ago social scientists predicted that belief in God would decrease by the year 2000. "In fact ... the opposite is has occurred," Shermer writes in his introduction. "Never in history have so many, and such a high percentage of the population, believed in God. Not only is God not dead as Nietzche proclaimed, but he has never been more alive."

    Why do so many believe in the existence of something so inexplicable? That's exactly what Shermer answers in this comprehensive, intelligent, and highly readable discussion about the nature of faith. "People believe in God because the evidence of their senses tell them so," claims Shermer, who is the publisher of Skeptics magazine. Having been a believer and a student of the history of science, Shermer (now an agnostic) is more interested in knowing why and how people believe in God rather than trying to prove who's right or wrong. As a result, this book is not only even-handed and thorough, it is also destined to become a timeless contribution to spirituality as well as science. --Gail Hudson [via]

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  • Letter to a Christian Nation
    by Sam Harris
    ISBN 0307265773 (0-307-26577-3)
    Hardcover, Alfred a Knopf Inc

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    Thousands of people have written to tell me that I am wrong not to believe in God. The most hostile of these communications have come from Christians. This is ironic, as Christians generally imagine that no faith imparts the virtues of love and forgiveness more effectively than their own. The truth is that many who claim to be transformed by Christs love are deeply, even murderously, intolerant of criticism. While we may want to ascribe this to human nature, it is clear that such hatred draws considerable support from the Bible. How do I know this? The most disturbed of my correspondents always cite chapter and verse.

    So begins Letter to a Christian Nation&



    www.samharris.org [via]

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  • Losing Faith in Faith: From Preacher to Atheist
    by Dan Barker
    ISBN 187773313X (1-877733-13-X)
    Hardcover, Freedom from Religion Fndtn

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    Book summary:

    Tells Dan Barker's dramatic story of conversion from fundamentalist minister to atheist, after 19 years of preaching the Gospel. Presents arguments for atheism and godless morality. [via]

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  • The Question of God : C. S. Lewis and Sigmund Freud Debate God, Love, Sex, and the Meaning of Life
    by Nicholi, Armand M., Jr.
    ISBN 0743202376 (0-7432-0237-6)
    Hardcover, Simon & Schuster

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    One way of learning the difference between the sheep and the goats, according to Armand M. Nicholi Jr., is to look at the lives of Sigmund Freud and C.S. Lewis side by side. The Question of God is based on Nicholi's popular Harvard course comparing the two men and their worldviews. Lewis represents "the spiritual worldview, rooted primarily in ancient Israel, with its emphasis on moral truth and right conduct and its motto of Thus saith the Lord"; Freud represents "the materialist ... worldview, rooted in ancient Greece, with its emphasis on reason and acquisition of knowledge and its motto What says Nature?" Nicholi believes that everyone embraces some form of one of these worldviews, and The Question of God helps readers figure out which camp they're in. For the most part, this book remains neutral on the question of who's right and who's wrong. Nevertheless, The Question of God does give Lewis the last word. --Michael Joseph Gross [via]

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  • Question of God: C.s. Lewis and Sigmund Freud Debate God, Love, Sex, and Th
    by A. Nicholi
    ISBN 1417663197 (1-4176-6319-7)
    Hardcover, Bt Bound

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    Book summary:

    One way of learning the difference between the sheep and the goats, according to Armand M. Nicholi Jr., is to look at the lives of Sigmund Freud and C.S. Lewis side by side. The Question of God is based on Nicholi's popular Harvard course comparing the two men and their worldviews. Lewis represents "the spiritual worldview, rooted primarily in ancient Israel, with its emphasis on moral truth and right conduct and its motto of Thus saith the Lord"; Freud represents "the materialist ... worldview, rooted in ancient Greece, with its emphasis on reason and acquisition of knowledge and its motto What says Nature?" Nicholi believes that everyone embraces some form of one of these worldviews, and The Question of God helps readers figure out which camp they're in. For the most part, this book remains neutral on the question of who's right and who's wrong. Nevertheless, The Question of God does give Lewis the last word. --Michael Joseph Gross [via]

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  • Question of God: C.S. Lewis and Sigmund Freud Debate God, Love, Sex, and the Meaning of Life
    by Armand M. Nicholi
    ISBN 074324785X (0-7432-4785-X)
    Softcover, Simon & Schuster

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    Of course we can never really answer the question of whether God exists. And of course it would have been highly unlikely for Sigmund Freud and C.S. Lewis to discuss this question in person, considering that they were born in different countries and a generation apart. Nonetheless, The Question of God allows readers to listen in on one of the most articulate debates possible by creating a virtual meeting of Freud and Lewis. For the past 25 years, Armand M. Nicholi has taught a similar course at Harvard, where he compares Freuds atheist-based reasoning against the atheist-turned-believer C.S. Lewis. Both men were considered brilliant, highly educated thinkers who profoundly influenced 20th-century thought. And both men presented compelling arguments for and against the existence of God.

    At the core is Freuds assertion that God is a figment of the imagination (more accurately, God is an outcome of our deep-seated need for protection, stemming from the helplessness of early childhood). Lewis, on the other hand, did not see the belief in a higher power as a childish need for comfort. In fact, he wrote, "rendering back one's will which we have so long claimed for our own, is, in itself, extremely painful. To surrender a self-will inflamed and swollen with years of usurpation is a kind of death." Nicholi never take sides. Instead he gives both men a chance to eloquently answer the big questions of humanity: why is there suffering? What should be our guiding belief? How do we form a moral compass? Surprisingly, this debate turns out to be a fascinating page-turner, with most of the credit going to Nicholi. Because he understands these men's arguments so well and respects their beliefs so thoroughly, believers could begin to have doubts and atheists could start to wonder. Regardless of where you ultimately land on the question of God, this stellar book will deeply enrich your understanding of humanity. --Gail Hudson [via]

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  • The Quotable Athiest: Ammunition for Nonbelievers, Political Junkies, Gadflies, and Those Generally Hell-Bound
    by Jack Huberman
    ISBN 1560259698 (1-56025-969-8)
    Softcover, Nation Books

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    Book summary:

    Surprisingly, no book of quotations on God and religion by atheists and agnostics exists. Luckily, for the millions of American nonbelievers who have quietly stewed for years as the religious right made gains in politics and culture, the wait is over. Bestselling author Jack Huberman's zeitgeist sense has honed into the backlash building against religious fundamentalism and collected a veritable treasure trove of quotes by philosophers, scientists, poets, writers, artists, entertainers, and political figures. His colorful cast of atheists includes Karen Armstrong, Lance Armstrong, Jules Feiffer, Federico Fellini, H. L. Mencken, Ian McKellen, Isaac Singer, Jonathan Swift, Ludwig Wittgenstein, Virginia Woolf and the Marquis de Sade.
    [via]

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  • The Real Face Of Atheism
    by Ravi Zacharias
    ISBN 0801065119 (0-8010-6511-9)
    Softcover, Baker Pub Group

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    Book summary:

    Atheism is a world without God. Its true nature--whether disguised in Eastern mysticism or American cynicism--is despair. In this thought-provoking and witty book, Ravi Zacharias provides Christians a clear apologetic for their faith.

    Formerly published as A Shattered Visage, The Real Face of Atheism systematically examines atheistic positions on human nature, the meaning of life, morality, the "First Cause," death, and more. With a new introduction and revisions throughout, The Real Face of Atheism is the perfect text for pastors, students, and thinking laypeople who want to improve their apologetic skill and reach out to non-believers. [via]

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  • The Salmon of Doubt
    by Douglas Adams
    ISBN 1400045088 (1-4000-4508-8)
    Hardcover, Random House Inc

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    Book summary:

    On Friday, May 11, 2001, the world mourned the untimely passing of Douglas Adams, beloved creator of The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, dead of a heart attack at age forty-nine. Thankfully, in addition to a magnificent literary legacywhich includes seven novels and three co-authored works of nonfictionDouglas left us something more. The book you are about to enjoy was rescued from his four computers, culled from an archive of chapters from his long-awaited novel-in-progress, as well as his short stories, speeches, articles, interviews, and letters.

    In a way that none of his previous books could, The Salmon of Doubt provides the full, dazzling, laugh-out-loud experience of a journey through the galaxy as perceived by Douglas Adams. From a boys first love letter (to his favorite science fiction magazine) to the distinction of possessing a nose of heroic proportions; from climbing Kilimanjaro in a rhino costume to explaining why Americans cant make a decent cup of tea; from lyrical tributes to the sublime pleasures found in music by Procol Harum, the Beatles, and Bach to the follies of his hopeless infatuation with technology; from fantastic, fictional forays into the private life of Genghis Khan to extended visits with Dirk Gently and Zaphod Beeblebrox: this is the vista from the elevated perch of one of the tallest, funniest, most brilliant, and most penetrating social critics and thinkers of our time.

    Welcome to the wonderful mind of Douglas Adams.


    From the Hardcover edition. [via]

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  • The Selfish Gene
    by Richard Dawkins
    ISBN 0199291152 (0-19-929115-2)
    Softcover, Oxford Univ Pr

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    Inheriting the mantle of revolutionary biologist from Darwin, Watson, and Crick, Richard Dawkins forced an enormous change in the way we see ourselves and the world with the publication of The Selfish Gene. Suppose, instead of thinking about organisms using genes to reproduce themselves, as we had since Mendel's work was rediscovered, we turn it around and imagine that "our" genes build and maintain us in order to make more genes. That simple reversal seems to answer many puzzlers which had stumped scientists for years, and we haven't thought of evolution in the same way since.

    Why are there miles and miles of "unused" DNA within each of our bodies? Why should a bee give up its own chance to reproduce to help raise her sisters and brothers? With a prophet's clarity, Dawkins told us the answers from the perspective of molecules competing for limited space and resources to produce more of their own kind. Drawing fascinating examples from every field of biology, he paved the way for a serious re-evaluation of evolution. He also introduced the concept of self-reproducing ideas, or memes, which (seemingly) use humans exclusively for their propagation. If we are puppets, he says, at least we can try to understand our strings. --Rob Lightner [via]

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  • A Shattered Visage: The Real Face of Atheism
    by Ravi Zacharias
    ISBN 0801099382 (0-8010-9938-2)
    Softcover, Baker Pub Group

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    Book summary:

    The case for atheism is often convincing, and the challenge it presents to the Church is immense. This text offers powerful arguments for belief in God. [via]

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  • Tratado De Ateologia
    by Michael Onfray
    ISBN 950515271X (950-515-271-X)
    Softcover, De LA Flor S.R.L. Ediciones

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    En el mundo posterior al 11 de septiembre de 2001, la religion ha salido de lo privado para estar presente en el espacio publico mas que nunca. El retorno de lo religioso exige construir un arteismo solido, fundamentado, y rescatar a la ateologia (neologismo propuesto por Georges Bataille), del silencio sistematico en que la ha sumido la historiografia oficial de las ideas. El libro consta de cuatro partes: Ateologia, Monoteismos, Cristianismo y Teocracia. [via]

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  • The Twilight of Atheism: The Rise And Fall of Disbelief in the Modern World
    by Alister McGrath
    ISBN 0385500629 (0-385-50062-9)
    Softcover, Bantam Dell Pub Group

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    In this bold and provocative new book, the author of In the Beginning and The Reenchantment of Nature challenges the widely held assumption that the world is becoming more secular and demonstrates why atheism cannot provide the moral and intellectual guidance essential for coping with the complexities of modern life.

    Atheism is one of the most important movements in modern Western culture. For the last two hundred years, it seemed to be on the verge of eliminating religion as an outmoded and dangerous superstition. Recent years, however, have witnessed the decline of disbelief and a rise in religious devotion throughout the world. In THE TWILIGHT OF ATHEISM, the distinguished historian and theologian Alister McGrath examines what went wrong with the atheist dream and explains why religion and faith are destined to play a central role in the twenty-first century.

    A former atheist who is now one of Christianitys foremost scholars, McGrath traces the history of atheism from its emergence in eighteenth-century Europe as a revolutionary worldview that offered liberation from the rigidity of traditional religion and the oppression of tyrannical monarchs, to its golden age in the first half of the twentieth century. Blending thoughtful, authoritative historical analysis with incisive portraits of such leading and influential atheists as Sigmund Freud and Richard Dawkins, McGrath exposes the flaws at the heart of atheism, and argues that the renewal of faith is a natural, inevitable, and necessary response to its failures.

    THE TWILIGHT OF ATHEISM will unsettle believers and nonbelievers alike. A powerful rebuttal of the philosophy that, for better and for worse, has exerted tremendous influence on Western history, it carries major implications for the future of both religion and unbelief in our society. [via]

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  • Unweaving the Rainbow: Science, Delusion and the Appetite for Wonder
    by Richard Dawkins
    ISBN 0618056734 (0-618-05673-4)
    Softcover, Mariner Books

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    Why do poets and artists so often disparage science in their work? For that matter, why does so much scientific literature compare poorly with, say, the phone book? After struggling with questions like these for years, biologist Richard Dawkins has taken a wide-ranging view of the subjects of meaning and beauty in Unweaving the Rainbow, a deeply humanistic examination of science, mysticism, and human nature. Notably strong-willed in a profession of bet-hedgers and wait-and-seers, Dawkins carries the reader along on a romp through the natural and cultural worlds, determined that "science, at its best, should leave room for poetry."

    Inspired by the frequently asked question, "Why do you bother getting up in the morning?" following publication of his book The Selfish Gene, Dawkins set out determined to show that understanding nature's mechanics need not sap one's zest for life. Alternately enlightening and maddening, Unweaving the Rainbow will appeal to all thoughtful readers, whether wild-eyed technophiles or grumpy, cabin-dwelling Luddites. Excoriations of newspaper astrology columns follow quotes from Blake and Shakespeare, which are sandwiched between sparkling, easy-to-follow discussions of probability, behavior, and evolution. In Dawkins's world (and, he hopes, in ours), science is poetry; he ends his journey by referring to his title's author and subject, maintaining that "A Keats and a Newton, listening to each other, might hear the galaxies sing." --Rob Lightner [via]

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  • Russell, Bertrand: Why I Am Not a Christian
    Why I Am Not a Christian
    by Bertrand Russell, National Secular Society
    ISBN 0950103411 (0-9501034-1-1)
    Hardcover, National Secular Society

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  • Why I Am Not a Christian, and Other Essays on Religion and Related Subjects
    by Bertrand Russell Russell
    ISBN 0671203231 (0-671-20323-1)
    Softcover, Simon & Schuster

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    Book summary:

    Dedicated as few men have been to the life of reason, Bertrand Russell has always been concerned with the basic questions to which religion also addresses itself -- questions about man's place in the universe and the nature of the good life, questions that involve life after death, morality, freedom, education, and sexual ethics. He brings to his treatment of these questions the same courage, scrupulous logic, and lofty wisdom for which his other work as philosopher, writer, and teacher has been famous. These qualities make the essays included in this book perhaps the most graceful and moving presentation of the freethinker's position since the days of Hume and Voltaire.

    "I am as firmly convinced that religions do harm as I am that they are untrue," Russell declares in his Preface, and his reasoned opposition to any system or dogma which he feels may shackle man's mind runs through all the essays in this book, whether they were written as early as 1899 or as late as 1954.

    The book has been edited, with Lord Russell's full approval and cooperation, by Professor Paul Edwards of the Philosophy Department of New York University. In an Appendix, Professor Edwards contributes a full account of the highly controversial "Bertrand Russell Case" of 1940, in which Russell was judicially declared "unfit" to teach philosophy at the College of the City of New York.

    Whether the reader shares or rejects Bertrand Russell's views, he will find this book an invigorating challenge to set notions, a masterly statement of a philosophical position, and a pure joy to read. [via]

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  • Why People Believe Weird Things
    by Michael Shermer
    ISBN 1567313590 (1-56731-359-0)
    Hardcover, Fine Communications

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    Book summary:

    Few can talk with more personal authority about the range of human beliefs than Michael Shermer. At various times in the past, Shermer has believed in fundamentalist Christianity, alien abductions, Ayn Rand, megavitamin therapy, and deep-tissue massage. Now he believes in skepticism, and his motto is "Cognite tute--think for yourself." This updated edition of Why People Believe Weird Things covers Holocaust denial and creationism in considerable detail, and has chapters on abductions, Satanism, Afrocentrism, near-death experiences, Randian positivism, and psychics. Shermer has five basic answers to the implied question in his title: for consolation, for immediate gratification, for simplicity, for moral meaning, and because hope springs eternal. He shows the kinds of errors in thinking that lead people to believe weird (that is, unsubstantiated) things, especially the built-in human need to see patterns, even where there is no pattern to be seen. Throughout, Shermer emphasizes that skepticism (in his sense) does not need to be cynicism: "Rationality tied to moral decency is the most powerful joint instrument for good that our planet has ever known." --Mary Ellen Curtin [via]

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  • Why People Believe Weird Things: Pseudoscience, Superstition and Other Confusions of Our Time
    by Michael Shermer
    ISBN 0805070893 (0-8050-7089-3)
    Softcover, Owl Books

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    Book summary:

    Few can talk with more personal authority about the range of human beliefs than Michael Shermer. At various times in the past, Shermer has believed in fundamentalist Christianity, alien abductions, Ayn Rand, megavitamin therapy, and deep-tissue massage. Now he believes in skepticism, and his motto is "Cognite tute--think for yourself." This updated edition of Why People Believe Weird Things covers Holocaust denial and creationism in considerable detail, and has chapters on abductions, Satanism, Afrocentrism, near-death experiences, Randian positivism, and psychics. Shermer has five basic answers to the implied question in his title: for consolation, for immediate gratification, for simplicity, for moral meaning, and because hope springs eternal. He shows the kinds of errors in thinking that lead people to believe weird (that is, unsubstantiated) things, especially the built-in human need to see patterns, even where there is no pattern to be seen. Throughout, Shermer emphasizes that skepticism (in his sense) does not need to be cynicism: "Rationality tied to moral decency is the most powerful joint instrument for good that our planet has ever known." --Mary Ellen Curtin [via]

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  • Gaylor, Annie L.: Women Without Superstition: No Gods - No Masters
    Women Without Superstition: No Gods - No Masters
    by Annie L. Gaylor
    ISBN 1877733091 (1-877733-09-1)
    Hardcover, Freedom from Religion Fndtn

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    Spanish

    • El Catalejo Lacado
      by Philip Pullman, Maria Dolores Gallart Iglesias, Camila Batlles
      ISBN 8440699476 (84-406-9947-6)
      Hardcover, Ediciones B

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      Though ostensibly written for children, this heroic and heart-wrenching His Dark Materials trilogy is beloved by readers of all ages. These three novels unlock the door to parallel universes where demons and winged creatures live side by side with humans, and a mysterious entity called Dust just might have the power to unite the universesif it isn't destroyed first. Lyra, Pantalaimon, Will, and the rest embark on the most breathtaking, heartbreaking adventure of their lives. The fate of the universe is in their hands.

      Startling revelations arrive in this conclusion to the trilogy. Lyra must pay a price to walk through the land of the dead. Dr. Malone's amber spyglass exerts a haunting power. Most shocking of all, someone knows the names of who will liveand who will diefor love. All the while war rages with the Kingdom of Heaven, a brutal battle that will uncover the secret of Dust.
      [via]

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    • Destejiendo El Arco Iris
      by Richard Dawkins
      ISBN 8483106698 (84-8310-669-8)
      Softcover, Ediciones Urano

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      Book summary:

      Desde la astronomia y la genetica hasta el lenguaje y la realidad virtual, Richard Dawkins nos demuestra -y nos convence con ejemplos irreprochables- que la ciencia tambien entrana belleza; y que el descubrimiento de los mecanismos que rigen los fenomenos naturales no solo no destruye su poesia sino que la ensalza, revelandonos aspectos sorprendentes que de ninguna otra manera podriamos apreciar o imaginar. Con un enorme caudal de citas poeticas, Destejiendo el arco iris sugiere que puede aprenderse mucho de los poetas, que la ciencia deberia saber recurrir a imagenes y metaforas inspiradoras que facilitarian una comprension profunda y una investigacion fertil. / Mysteries don't lose their poetry because they are solved: the solution often is more beautiful than the puzzle, uncovering deeper mysteries. Bestselling author, Dawkins takes up important topics in modern science, from astronomy and genetics to language and virtual reality, combining them in a landmark statement of the human appetite for wonder. [via]

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    German

    • Das Bernstein-Teleskop
      by Phillip Pullman
      ISBN 3453864247 (3-453-86424-7)
      Softcover, Distribooks Inc

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      Gleich vom Anfang der ersten Szene an wird Das Bernstein-Teleskop den Leser packen und nicht mehr loslassen. Wir verraten an dieser Stelle allerdings nur, dass man sofort feststellt, wer zum Schluss von Das Magische Messer Lyra gefangen genommen hat, obwohl es nicht klar ist, ob die Absichten dieses Individiums nun gut oder böse sind. Wir erfahren auch, dass Will nach wie vor im Besitz der Klinge ist, die ihn befähigt, sich den Weg von einer Welt zur anderen zu schneiden, und dass sich ihm mittlerweile zwei geflügelte Freunde angeschlossen haben, die fest entschlossen sind, ihn zur Bergfestung Lord Asriels zu begleiten. Der Junge hat allerdings nur ein Ziel vor Augen -- seine Freundin zu retten und ihr den Alethiometer zurückzugeben, ein Instrument, das ihr und den Lesern von Der goldene Kompass und dessen Fortsetzung so viel offenbart hat. Wir müssen auch nicht lange warten, bis wir das "Prickeln des Sternenlichts" auf Serafina Pekkalas Haut erfahren dürfen, während sie einen ausgehungerten Iorek Byrnison ausfindig macht und ihn für Lord Asriels Kreuzzug anwirbt.

      In der Zwischenzeit kämpfen die zwei Fraktionen der Kirche darum, als erste an Lyra heranzukommen. Eine davon ist sogar bereit, einem ihrer Priester schon im Voraus Absolution zu gewähren, sollte es ihm gelingen, die Todsünde zu begehen, das Mädchen zu töten; für diese Tyrannen wäre dies nichts Geringeres als "eine heilige Pflicht".

      In dieser letzten Folge seiner Trilogie hat sich Philip Pullman die höchsten Ziele gesetzt. Sie darf ihren Vorgängern in Sachen schierer Action und Originalität in nichts nachstehen und muss gleichzeitig alle noch bestehenden Rätsel auflösen. Die gute Nachricht hierbei ist, dass es keine ernsthaft schlechten Nachrichten gibt. Nicht, dass Das Bernstein-Teleskop keine verfahrenen und riskant-gefährlichen Situationen enthalten würde -- die gibt es zuhauf (wer wollte es auch anders haben?). Aber Pullman führt seine Trilogie zu einem Schluss, der sowohl friedlich als auch niederschmetternd ist. Mit einem Erzählstil, der klar und dennoch lyrisch und plastisch daherkommt, blendet sich der Autor mühelos in die Gedankenwelt seiner Hauptfiguren ein und wieder aus. Er wartet zudem mit einigen zusätzlichen Welten auf. In einer davon wird Dr. Mary Malone in eine scheinbar einfache Gesellschaft aufgenommen. Das Milieu der Mulefa (auch hier verraten wir nicht mehr) macht sie reich an Bewusstsein, während ihr Leben einem langsamen und gemessenen Rhythmus folgt.

      Im Verlauf seines Epos erhält Pullman seine Szenen gewaltiger Schönheit und Zärtlichkeit aufrecht und gewährt uns sogar den einen oder anderen Moment der humorvollen Entspannung. An einer Stelle beispielsweise schikaniert Lyras Mutter eine Reihe kirchlicher Befehlsempfänger. Mrs. Coulter ist ohne Frage so berauschend und umwerfend wie eh und je. Kann es sein, dass wir sie letztendlich sogar bewundern werden, während sie ihr verzweifeltes Spiel zu Ende bringt? In diesem Fall -- wie auch sonst -- ist Das Bernstein-Teleskop wahrlich ein Buch der Offenbarungen, das sich von der sichtbaren Dunkelheit zur strahlenden Wahrheit bewegt. --Kerry Fried [via]

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