The Portable Atheist: Essential Readings for the Nonbeliever
by: Christopher Hitchens
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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, you'll 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 they're 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.
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, you'll 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 they're 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.
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Customer Reviews
Average Rating:
Rating: 
- Indispensable as a Social Reference for Freethought
As an atheist, I've found this to be an indispensable reference of the history and extent of atheism and freethought in history. For the atheist, it provides confirmation and philosophical perspective; for the agnostic, it gives insight and understanding of why its okay to question, doubt and inquire; and for the theist, it provides insight to the mind and worldview of the atheist and perhaps sheds light on why the so-called "new atheists" aren't really all that "new." As a collection of works, this ... Read More
Rating: - Various writers.
I like the eclectic collection of different authors. I haven't even gotten through the whole book yet. These are not fly-by-night people but well respected, historical figures and scientists.
Rating: - Methods, malprops & methodology
The most important thing I've ever learned about God is likely just this:
I AIN'T HIM.
As one who's lived on both sides of this great debate, first as a born-again 16-year-old, who, having found Jesus as only an apathetic, underachieving son of a network newscaster could (that is, surrounded by a gaggle of gorgeous girls at a church retreat the summer before my junior year of HS), I believe I offer a unique perspective on this particular subject.
When I was spending ... Read More
Rating: - A bright ornament
It gladdens my heart to see such an array of books on non-belief now available to the general public. Local book stores display shelves and shelves of titles. Finally we are standing up to the tyranny of religious belief! Christopher Hitchen's compendium is a welcome addition to the literature. His introduction itself is worth the price of the book. My one complaint is that a few of the essays could have been pared down. The Karl Marx piece, for example, goes on for pages about the contemporary political situation ... Read More
Rating: 
- a good book
Some of the essays in this book were written by philosophers and as such they tend to be quite dry and boring.Most of the book contains witty articles that are quite easy to read.
All in all the book supports my belief that god, the tooth fairy and santa claus are equally fictitious and the bible is no better than grimm's fairy tales.
- Indispensable as a Social Reference for FreethoughtAs an atheist, I've found this to be an indispensable reference of the history and extent of atheism and freethought in history. For the atheist, it provides confirmation and philosophical perspective; for the agnostic, it gives insight and understanding of why its okay to question, doubt and inquire; and for the theist, it provides insight to the mind and worldview of the atheist and perhaps sheds light on why the so-called "new atheists" aren't really all that "new." As a collection of works, this ... Read More
- Various writers.I like the eclectic collection of different authors. I haven't even gotten through the whole book yet. These are not fly-by-night people but well respected, historical figures and scientists.
- Methods, malprops & methodologyThe most important thing I've ever learned about God is likely just this:
I AIN'T HIM.
As one who's lived on both sides of this great debate, first as a born-again 16-year-old, who, having found Jesus as only an apathetic, underachieving son of a network newscaster could (that is, surrounded by a gaggle of gorgeous girls at a church retreat the summer before my junior year of HS), I believe I offer a unique perspective on this particular subject.
When I was spending ... Read More
- A bright ornamentIt gladdens my heart to see such an array of books on non-belief now available to the general public. Local book stores display shelves and shelves of titles. Finally we are standing up to the tyranny of religious belief! Christopher Hitchen's compendium is a welcome addition to the literature. His introduction itself is worth the price of the book. My one complaint is that a few of the essays could have been pared down. The Karl Marx piece, for example, goes on for pages about the contemporary political situation ... Read More
- a good bookSome of the essays in this book were written by philosophers and as such they tend to be quite dry and boring.Most of the book contains witty articles that are quite easy to read.
All in all the book supports my belief that god, the tooth fairy and santa claus are equally fictitious and the bible is no better than grimm's fairy tales.
