Synopses & Reviews
From the #1 New York Times best-selling author of God Is Not Great, a provocative and entertaining guided tour of atheist and agnostic thought through the ages--with never-before-published pieces by Salman Rushdie, Ian McEwan, and Ayaan Hirsi Ali.Christopher Hitchens continues to make the case for a splendidly godless universe in this first-ever gathering of the influential voices--past and present--that have shaped his side of the current (and raging) God/no-god debate. With Hitchens as your erudite and witty guide, youll be led through a wealth of philosophy, literature, and scientific inquiry, including generous portions of the words of Lucretius, Benedict de Spinoza, Charles Darwin, Karl Marx, Mark Twain, George Eliot, Bertrand Russell, Emma Goldman, H. L. Mencken, Albert Einstein, Daniel Dennett, Sam Harris, Richard Dawkins, and many others well-known and lesser known. And theyre all set in context and commented upon as only Christopher Hitchens--political and literary journalist extraordinaire” (Los Angeles Times)--can. Atheist? Believer? Uncertain? No matter: The Portable Atheist will speak to you and engage you every step of the way.
Synopsis
Despite the mistaken use of the label "New Atheists," there is a lot of continuity over the past couple of centuries among atheist authors in their critiques of religion, theism, and superstition. Not every argument is identical, and even when the same basic argument is being offered there can be variety in how it is presented. This evolution...
Synopsis
A provocative and entertaining guided tour of atheist and agnostic thought through the ages selected by bestselling author Christopher Hitchens
About the Author
Christopher Hitchens is a contributing editor to Vanity Fair. His numerous books include Letters to a Young Contrarian and Why Orwell Matters.
Table of Contents
Introduction / Christopher Hitchens --- Lucretius, from De Rerum Natura (On the Nature of Things), Book I, Translated by W. Hannaford Brown --- Omar Khayyam, from Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam: A Paraphrase from Several Literal Translations by Richard Le Gallienne --- Thomas Hobbes, Of Religion, from Leviathan --- Benedict de Spinoza, Theological-Political Treatise --- David Hume, The Natural History of Religion Of Miracles --- James Boswell, An Account of My Last Interview with David Hume, Esq. --- Percy Bysshe Shelley, A Refutation of Deism --- John Stuart Mill, Moral Influences in My Early Youth, From Autobiography --- Karl Marx, Contribution to the Critique of Hegel's Philosophy of Right --- George Elliot, Evangelical Teaching --- Charles Darwin, Autobiography --- Leslie Stephen, An Agnostic's Apology --- Analote France, Miracle --- Mark Twain, Thoughts of God, From Fables of Man Bible Teaching and Religious Practice, From Europe and Elsewhere and A Pen Warmed Up In Hell --- Joseph Conrad, Author's Note to The Shadow Line --- Thomas Hardy, God's Funeral --- Emma Goldman, The Philosophy of Atheism --- H.P. Lovecraft, A Letter on Religion --- Carl Van Doren, Why I Am An Unbeliever --- H.L. Mencken, Memorial Service --- Sigmund Freud, from The Future of an Illusion, Translated and edited by James Strachey --- Albert Einstein, Selected Writings on Religion --- George Orwell, from A Clergyman's Daughter --- John Betjeman, In Westminster Abbey --- Chapman Cohen, Monism and Religion; An Old Story --- Bettrand Russel, An Outline of Intellectual Rubbish --- Philip Larkin, Aubade; Church Going --- Martin Gardner, The Wandering Jew and the Second Coming --- Carl Sagan, The Demon-Haunted World; The God Hypothesis --- John Updike, from Roger's Version --- J.L. Mackie, Conclusions and Implications, From The Miracle of Theism: Arguments for and against the Existence of God --- Michael Shermer, Genesis Revisited: A Scientific Creation Story --- A.J. Ayer, That Undiscovered Country --- Daniel C. Dennett, Thank Goodness! --- Charles Templeton, from A Farewell to God, A Personal Word; Questions to Ask Yourself --- Richard Dawkins, Why There Almost Certainly Is No God; Gerin Oil; Atheists for Jesus --- Victor Stenger, from God: the Failed Hypothesis, Cosmic Evidence --- Daniel C. Dennett, A Working Definition of Religion, From "Breaking Which Spell?" --- Elizabeth Anderson, If God Is Dead, Is Everything Permitted? Penn Jillette, There Is No God --- Ian Mcewan, End of the World Blues --- Steven Weinberg, What About God? From Dreams of a Final Theory --- Salman Rushdie, "Imagine There's No Heaven": A Letter to the Six Billionth World Citizen --- Ibn Warraq, The Koran; The Totalitarian Nature of Islam --- Sam Harris, In the Shadow of God, From The End of Faith --- A.C. Graying, Can an Athiest Be a Fundamentalist? From Against All Gods --- Ayaan Hirsi Ali, How (and Why) I Became an Infidel.