The Portable Atheist: Essential Readings for the Nonbeliever

Features

• Cover Type: Paperback with 528 pages
• Published by: Da Capo Press; 1st Da Capo Press Ed edition November 5, 2007
• Written in: English
• ISBN 10 Number: 0306816083
• ISBN 13 Number: 978-0306816086
• Book Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 1.7 inches
• Weighs: 1.5 pounds

From Publishers Weekly
Hitchens, an avowed atheist and author of the bestseller God Is Not Great, is a formidable intellectual who finds the notion of belief in God to be utter nonsense. The author is clear in his introduction that religion has caused more than its fair share of world problems. "Religion invents a problem where none exists by describing the wicked as also made in the image of god and the sexually nonconformist as existing in a state of incurable mortal sin that can incidentally cause floods and earthquakes." The readings Hitchens chooses to bolster his atheist argument are indeed engaging and important. Hobbes, Spinoza, Mill and Marx are some of the heavyweights representing a philosophical viewpoint. From the world of literature the author assembles excerpts from Shelley, Twain, Conrad, Orwell and Updike. All are enjoyable to read and will make even religious believers envious of the talent gathered for this anthology. What these dynamic writers are railing against often enough, however, is a strawman: an immature, fundamentalist, outdated, and even embarrassing style of religion that many intelligent believers have long since cast off. It could be that Hitchens and his cast of nonbelievers are preaching to the choir and their message is tired and spent. However, this remains a fascinating collection of readings from some of the Wests greatest thinkers.

Product Review
"Those objections and the writings Hitchens assembles to buttress them will surely bring on new controversies, which is just the sort of thing on which he has thrived over a long and fruitful career."—Kirkus

"My prayers are answered!"—The New York Observer

"A fascinating collection of articles that just say no to religion…Required reading for anyone who believes, disbelieves, or just isn’t sure yet."—People, "Critic's Choice"

"Hitchens has returned to the Belief Wars backed by a full army…the Godless Warrior marshals in an Atheist A-Team…to buttress his own arguments…Hitchens is the guide as well as the commentartor linking it all together."—San Diego Tribune

"Contrarian Christopher Hitchens' The Portable Atheist: Essential Readings for the Nonbeliever should be sufficient fodder for anyone uncomfortable with the notion of a creator."—Hartford Courant

Reader Reviews
Christopher "Hitch" Hitchens is the literate jackanapes of the New Atheism, an unofficial affiliation that includes Richard Dawkins, Dan Dennett, Sam Harris, A.C. Grayling, Victor Stenger, PZ Myers, and others. Hitch once quipped that Dawkins had been invited, along with him, to present atheism so that the audience could also get a more moderate view of the position. (If you don't know why that's funny, read Dawkins's "The God Delusion," which is uncompromisingly immoderate.) Hitch's book, "god is Not Great" cemented his reputation as the Sweeney Todd of antitheism, for whom words are razors and arrogant ignorance is the prey. This was the guy, after all, who several years ago wrote a slashing diatribe against Mother Teresa. The introduction that Hitchens writes for this volume is just excellent. Funny, barbed, witty...a real showcase of his rhetorical skill. And the selections made for this book are uniformly excellent. It's easy to quibble that this should have been included or that could have been left out, but on the whole, this volume represents a compendium of some of the best literature in atheology. From Hume to Penn Jillette, Hobbes to Salman Rushdie, some of the most brilliant, sharpest criticisms of the notion of gods and the practices of religion are represented. I know too many believers to think that something as mere as reading a great many genius writers making mountains of sense could change their minds; but certainly this tome presents a substantial challenge to easy assumptions, and a buffet banquet for thought. Comments (9) | | (Report this)