Philosophy Books

Nice text; well-written, but the ridiculous index makes this somewhat of a joke. Whoever wrote the index (looks author-generated?) doesn't know the purpose/function of an index.

Information is presented in a clear and concise fashion with good graphs and charts. Easy reading makes this a quick review.

The book was too "wordy". It used a lot of words to say the same thing over and over, to perhaps fill pages for a publisher.

The book description and some of the reviews do not refer to this text. The book primarily reviews development of theory and then presents an overview of various nursing grand and middle range theories, followed by theories from biological, behavioral, education, management, and sociology that are useful and applicable to nursing.

This is a great book as a quick review and by using this book as your sole review source you could probably answer many questions of the test, but dont expect to ace it! This book is good (but not great) on many chapters specially on developement and psychopathology (enough to get the big clinical picture), but it is very weak on biostats. So if your looking for biostats, go look somewhere else! If you want to study from the best source there is, there's not much left... try kaplan notes and lectures wich I found best..
4 Stars for all the vital details I consider this book is lacking.. but stillit is an outstanding of review.

Thank you very much for the experience, although, being that I reside in the State of Hawaii, I was a little "foggy" once I purchased the product. I could not find anywhere on the page on how to adjust the "shipping", is it "because" I live in Hawaii that I am only allowed the "standard" media mail option? There is no such thing as 2-3 business day shipping? I would really like this clarified before purchasing again. I am willing to pay more for the shipping, as long as I can receive my product in a timely manner. If I need to allow additional time for "standard shipping", then I need to know! Because I am definitely planning on purchasing again now that I have gone back to school! Thank you very much for your time.

While some of the lesser known religions and cults are left out of this book, it does a fabulous job of providing a clear overview to the most influential religions in the world. The historical and cultural perspective provided by the author brought the appropriate perspective to the student.

For almost $100.00, you'd think they'd at least give you a hard-cover. But that's what you must expect from college text books. Thank goodness for Amazon!

This is the review of the 3rd edition.

This is a good introductory textbook. Each religion is introduced with a "First Encounter", based on the author's travels. The chapter then proceeds to describe the history, timeline, basic teachings and practice, and art and literature. Photographs give a taste of the iconography, temples or shrines, and worshippers of each faith, all done in a respectful manner. The chapter on each religion concludes with personal story from the author (for example, visiting the Dalai Lama or inside the monastery on Mount Athos), and then thoughts on the contemporary developments on the religion. These reflect the author's opinion at the time (2005), and I suspect would change from edition to edition. The final chapter "The Modern Search" is perhaps more of an essay on the authors own view on contemporary issues, and perhaps seems focused on the west. At times the text seems like a travelogue, but I do think that allows the reader to focus on cultural aspect.

Mr. Wright has done an outstanding job of connecting the dots from the first hints of Islamic terrorism to the catastrophic events of 9/11. The book is very readable and gives a clear understanding of this small group of disenfranchised, Middle-Eastern religious windbags and why they were allowed to fester. Also it fleshes out how the bureaucratic infighting between, primarily, the CIA and FBI helped Al-Qaeda to succeed in the terrorists' attacks. The book '102 Minutes' by Jim Dwyer & Kevin Flynn compliments Mr. Wrights book by explaining the bureaucratic snafus and political pettiness that contributed to many of the unnecessary deaths in the Twin Towers. Illuminating, frustrating and places the events and key individuals in proper perspective. Please do yourself a favor and read it.

It is easy to see how the author won the Pulitzer for this book. It is the definitive account of Al Qaeda's genesis leading up to 9/11. The book is both detailed but also concise and extremely readable. The author has a talent to make these events of non-fiction read like the best thriller novel. For those that want to understand our enemy and how we got to 9/11, this is essential reading. Highly recommended.

The Looming Tower: Al-Qaeda and the Road to 9/11 is appropriately titled. If I had to recommend a first book for one who wants to gain insight into the formation of the world's most sinister terrorist organization and the events leading to September 11, 2001, this is the book. Lawrence Wright is concise, to the point and does not allow the book's tentacles to wander too far away from the main subject, Al-Qaeda, in an attempt to cover the fundamentals. Mr. Wright also covers "The Wall" very well. The Wall was the operational restrictions mainly between the FBI and the CIA exposed during the 911 Commission. The Wall discouraged mutual cooperation between the CIA and the FBI in investigating the very terrorists that would wreak havoc in America on that fateful date. The book focuses on many individuals involved in the investigation of Al-Qaeda, especially the late FBI Special Agent John O'Neill's battles with "The Wall", US Ambassador-to-Yemen Barbara Bodine, and Al-Qaeda in general. John O'Neill is a true American hero and this book explains why. Mr. Wright also ties the 1998 US Embassy bombings in East Africa, the 2000 attack on the USS Cole in Yemen, and the September 11, 2001 attacks in a simple package. Sometimes the book lacks substance but that can be directly attributed to a lack of information or suspect resources associated with Al-Qaeda which to date remains a shadowy terrorist organization. Great book.

First of all, this book makes it clear that 9/11 had many roots that stem from many factors, all of which combined to create the perfect storm that we know as 9/11. However, most of the activities that directly led up to the even occurred during the Clinton Administration. I think Wright tried to protect the reputations of such key people as Sandy Berger, George Tenet, Madeline Albright, Louis Freeh and others -- mainly by omitting or scarcely mentioning them -- leaders who must bear responsibility for success or failure. Instead, Wright goes after the lesser officials -- the guys on the ground, the expendable professionals. And it's clear that he's a big fan of Richard Clarke, who probably provided him with a great deal of the inside baseball in which Clarke is hardly a disinterested party. Therefore Clarke comes out good in this book, despite his attempts to shift blame from his shoulders on others. Wright also seems to favor the FBI, probably because one of the main characters of this book is uber-FBI agent and philanderer John O'Neil. I imagine the CIA didn't help its own cause due to its institutionalized and deep-seated secrecy that probably thwarted its ability to effectively tell its side of the story.

All that said, however, there is no taking away from the fact that this book is a monumental chronology of the rise of jihadist terrorism and and almost Keystone Kops bureaucracy battles between the FBI and the CIA that unwillingly abetted 9/11. If Wright is to be believed -- and I think he should be -- 9/11 could have easily been prevented had the CIA and FBI coordinated better. There were enough warnings but those warnings weren't often shared because each group had a separate agenda --the CIA wanting to recruit spies; the FBI seeking to put them in jail. Also, the book paints a picture of Osama Bin Laden that is revealing. We see that he is not invincible. Instead, he is largely flawed and vulnerable. To my mind, he's a dangerous but unstable mental case who just got lucky. He's still dangerous, but not invincible. Another message is that the U.S. is quite capable of protecting itself against the terrorists if it can correct the infighting among the intelligence/law enforcement instituions. All in all, this is a book for our times and screams to be on bookshelves all over America. The murders and psycopaths are coming back. Will we be ready for them? This book may help you answer that question.

The Looming Tower does a superb examination of the 9/11 attacks and their attackers. The author did extensive research for this history of terrorism, describing its morph from anti-Communist/Left-wing agenda (as atheists, the Communists and the Left-Wing were a huge abomination to the militant Muslims) in Afghanistan to the present day. He details how the group led by Osama bin Laden, called Al-Qaeda, was formed in that country along with their ideology blaming America. As a modestly wealthy member of a prominent Saudi construction family, bin Laden lived a Spartan life and created a responsive and insular organization with a strong sense of publicity. The list of terrorist attacks include East Africa embassy attacks, the USS Cole and more. Like war, counterterrorism is not a scientific activity with 100% assurance of results. It's inexact at best and we see that the FBI, CIA and other agencies are pursuing an uneven and cloudy trail. One of the most dangerous aspects of bin Laden's efforts are the seeds that he tossed into the wind to create a considerable, unconnected (and therefore untraceable) waves of terrorist imitators.

Michael Mandaville, Author: "Citizen Soldier Handbook: 101 Ways for Every American to Fight Terrorism"

This was a good book to read and the story line showed an interesting and unraveling plot twisting its way through major contents of philosophical knowledge. It is a pleasant read and one that is relaxing and kind to the mind. It is worth buying if you want to know philosophy in a simple and historical way and it will give you some basic understanding on how philosophy evolved. The author has written it in his unique perspective and it has many creative moments making it very special and memorable.

This is my first philosophy book. I'm no 14- or 15-year-old, but I was so delighted and intrigued by the way an abstract subject is explained with such concrete examples, occasional good humor as well as the story within story technique used to illustrate some of the contemporary philosophical ideas towards the second half of the book. As a result, I've gone on to purchase my second philosophy book. And looking forward to learning more through more books and discussion with others.

I would certainly recommend this to anyone (young or old, male or female) who's new to philosophy and wants to learn it in a relatively painless way. By the way, the story (or history) is long, over 500 pages. And the book makes no pretense (in any way) to be literature. The subtitle says it all: A Novel About the History of Philosophy.

If you want an easy way to learn about philosophy this is the book to ready! It is also a bit of a mystery which makes it more fun.

Take the plunge. This really is a great introduction to philosophy--If that is what you want to read this book for, then as of yet I have not found a better book. The plot can be gimmicky, but you won't care if you'll realize it is just a little flavor to move the book along while tackling certain philosophical questions outside of history and instead inside the actual novel. There are over 500 reviews written on this book. It currently has a four star review and the only real criticism I see is that people say that it is not 'real literature.' Well I just find that elitist humbug of people who are too proud to admit that this is a wonderful introduction to philosophy.

I forget where I found this book - not, I think, on Amazon. I took it on vacation, thinking a novel about philosophy should at least help me sleep at night. Not only did I race through it eagerly, but my better half, who has not been seen reading a book for pleasure in the 8 years we've been together, also picked it up and couldn't put it down. We've just ordered six more copies to give to friends. This time from Amazon - a much better deal.

I read a lot. I average 2-4 non-fiction books a month. Zander's book - The Art of Possibility - is in my top ten list. I read it one or two times every year. It doesn't get old.

I was very fortunate to be part of a conference a few years ago where Dr. Zander spoke for two hours. It was the single-most powerful presentation I've ever seen. He takes that same energy and passion and weaves it into this book.

The basic concepts or themes behind each chapter are simple, poignant and memorable.

The principles in this book have helped me get "unstuck" many times when I had to approach a problem or challenge in a fresh way.

You must read this book!

This book came to me from my employer with a suggestion that it might do what the subtitle suggests. I found it full of feel-good ideas of limited applicability to real-world living, combined with the kind of smug superiority that only comes with the unself-conscious noblesse oblige of those who are born to expect that they really are better than the rest of us.

Now, truth be told, after seeing Mr. Zander speak in person (at an event hosted by my employer, again!), he was a very dynamic and captivating speaker, about whom no one could speak or think bad thoughts.

And today, 18 months after the speaking event, it is also fair to say that the net impact on my life (professional, personal, or protean) has been pretty much zero. Perhaps I've left my share of the possibilities in the book for the rest of you to use.

I ordered this book recently because I wanted to give a copy to some folks, specifically in a church context, that I thought would appreciate the leadership approach presented by the Zanders. I am enthusiastic about what the book has to say since hearing Ben in a lecture presentation a few years ago. What stuck with me was the excitement of his method of engaging his audience. I heard as the primary message that a good leader focuses on encouraging the best from his staff. In his case, of course, the staff would be the members of his orchestra.

As a college professor I know how hard it is to yield control and focus instead on the individual interests and contributions of one's students. As a psychologist, I know there's nothing really new in this concept. But that's the point. No matter how often organizational psychologists try to make it clear, leaders still want to rule with hierarchical dictates from above. Ros and Ben do much to make it clear that focusing on the art of possibility evokes from everyone the very best they can give to the project/task, whatever the task may be.

So, in a way, there's nothing new in what they have to say. And the truth is, I didn't get excited enough to attach any of my sticky arrows until I reached page 68. Recognizing that "the profession of conductor is one of the last bastions of totalitarianism in the civilized world," Ben goes on to say "I had been conducting for nearly twenty years when it suddenly dawned on me that the conductor of an orchestra does not make a sound." That led him to ask (page 69) "What makes a group lively and engaged.?"

I think he got, at that point, that it's not about how well I'm appreciated. It's how well others are appreciated. "Rule Number 6" presented in Chapter 6, says it clearly, though not terribly delicately. "Don't take yourself so g--- damn seriously."

From page 68 on, I was thoroughly engaged, with the points and the examples. I will lend the book to the folks I believe will enjoy it and profit from its lessons.

The Art of Possibility by Stone and Zander was a slow read for me, not because of how it was written, but because I had to keep stopping to think about what it said. The text throughout was light, but the subjects were very deep. How many defenses did you create in childhood that you still use now? How do you feel about what you are doing right now! How do those feelings link up with the defensive walls of your childhood? Do you still need those defensive walls. In what state are your personal defenses now you are a grown up? These are some of the questions I had to stop and ask myself and what should have been an afternoon read took several days. To get the most out of this book you have to be brave enough to rip into yourself and take a good look at what's going on.
Some of what I read, I had already learned from life. Rule number 6 with all its glorious profanity pops into my head daily, but there were other things and ways of looking at them that I had not consciously examined. The authors explore the what ifs of life and make suggestions that radically change the game. No one wins every game so don't take sides, be the game board! Now your not winner or loser, you're where it's all happening.
This book is unique in its layout, with Roz and Ben each writing independently of various experiences and then joining together in one voice to move on to the next topic. I don't think the work would have been as effective without this combination of Maestro and Shrink. The blending of music and emotions creates a wondrous porthole that is possibility itself and can take you to amazing places.

The Art of Possibility is excellent. I think everyone should read it and seek to implement the suggestions made concerning how to diffuse highly emotional situations. It is very helpful in getting one to look at one's perspective of situations. In a nutshell, it would help individuals with conflicting opinions and ideas to resolve their differences. It would result with a win/win resolution.

Loneliness: Human Nature and the Need for Social Connection summarizes thirty years of work by John Cacioppo of the University of Chicago and his colleagues.

Reading this book was not always a good time. I found myself feeling sad at times while reading the book, but the authors through in enough humor to lighten the tone.

Though it can be hard to get through at times, people can learn a lot from this book. The authors use a step-by-step approach to reducing a person's loneliness. It is worth the read.

From http://www.laurafreberg.com/blog

I just finished reading Loneliness: Human Nature and the Need for Social Connection, which is coming out towards the end of August. The book summarizes, in very accessible terms, thirty years of work by John Cacioppo of the University of Chicago and his colleagues.

It's initially hard to get past the title. William Patrick, John's coauthor, relates how a friend reading an early manuscript found the word "loneliness" to be disturbing, even more so than "rape," "murder," or "death." This reaction fits perfectly with the major theme of the book-we humans are a very social bunch, and being cut off from other people, as in solitary confinement, might be the very worst punishment of all.
What I especially liked about the book is the constant, seamless integration of what we call "perspectives" in psychology, harkening back to William James. In other words, the neuroscience, social psychology, and cognitive science is all woven together so that you get the big picture. In other writing, John has compared psychology to a symphony, with the different perspectives contributing to the whole of our understanding just as the score, musicians, instruments, and conductor join together to produce fantastic music. He and William have definitely succeeded in bringing this integration to the study of loneliness. Given the all-too-frequent Balkanization of psychology into little subdomains, this approach is refreshing and informative.

Like William's friend, I found myself feeling sad at times while reading the book. I don't consider myself a lonely person, as I am blessed by having a close family and good friends. But I know a lot of lonely people, and reading the various case studies brought these people to mind in a vivid way. The sad mood lifted, however, when John would throw in some of his modest and self-deprecating humor, as in his description of his trip to "Grenada." Enough said. You need to read the book to find out the rest.

In spite of the sober topic, I think many people will jump at the chance to learn more from this book. My mother-in-law, over at our house for lunch, snatched up my copy and asked to borrow it. My daughters are pre-ordering theirs on Amazon. Kristin has mentioned that loneliness is such a huge issue for her soldiers, not only while they deploy, but even more so when they return to families who can't begin to relate to the things they've seen and done in combat. She's hoping that John will take a look at the vulnerability of soldiers to PTSD as a function of their initial loneliness scores, following up on research listed on the Loneliness site.

Best of all, the authors do not stop after describing the origins and implications of loneliness. Instead, there is a careful, thoughtful, step-by-step approach to reducing one's own loneliness. Following the recommended steps is never presented as a magic bullet, or a quick fix, but just a practical way, grounded in good science, to move from point A to point B. No matter how lonely or not lonely you feel, there are suggestions here to make the social aspects of life more meaningful.
Finally, I'd like to end by pointing out that these authors really do practice what they preach. The website for Loneliness has a menu feature called "socialize." In one of the blog entries, William Patrick describes how John insisted that he should be a "full co-author," instead of receiving his usual credits.

For those of you on Facebook, hope you join the Science of Loneliness group. There's something inherently ironic about that statement, but I hope to see you there soon. --Laura Freberg

Loneliness: Human Nature and the Need for Social Connection

I read this book after reading Ekhart Tolle's two books and listening to Jon Kabat-Zinn on Oprah's radio program. His ideas parallel Tolle. I devoured the book and recommend it to anyone who wants to grow in mindfulness.

This is a book to keep in your library for periodic re-reading. I wish I hadn't waited so long this time, to re-read it. Understanding and practicing this "philosophy" can change one's life for the positive.

I love the book, this was my second copy that I wanted to give as gift,however the seller did a very bad job of packing it for shipping, it arrived, but was completely open on one end. It had water and dampness damage, not from the mailing process. I could not give it as a gift. Seller would not contact me.

It's a great book and i am enjoying it. it had a good bit more markings in it than was described, but it's not a big deal.

Explore the new realm, of your mind. Becoming aware is the first step to solve any problem. If you do not know there is a problem, how can you fix it? This book is the prequel to, You.

I over all liked this book. I would get a little bored sometimes with some of the stories because the writing didn't capture my attention.

This a good book for it you want a lot of different greek and roman myths.

Very good book on a basic guide to ancient mythology, but I was disappointed to find out how basic it was. I like how it seemed the author was mixing Greek, Roman, Nordic, and other ancient mythologies together... However, this book seems to stick to Greek and Roman and barely touch on Nordic, and the other mythologies might as well have been deleted they tell so little. Certainly not a bible for mythology at all!

Overall I learned a little, and it was interesting, none-the-less. I don't feel cheated, but I wouldn't buy it again.

I remember being captivated by this book and its stories when I was in the 5th grade. I recently bought it for my 5th-grade daughter, when she started reading the "Pendragon" series, so she would have a better understanding of the mythological references in that modern children's series. She liked it better than Pendragon!

Mythology is classicist Edith Hamilton's book on Greek, Roman and Norse mythology, illustrated by Steele Savage (no kidding). The bulk of the work is devoted to the Greek, and the Norse is mentioned only in passing. Myths are arranged thematically, not chronologically (except for the initial creation), which is disruptive to the flow of the work.

Hamilton does several things well. First, she gives history on the authors from whom these stories have descended, and differentiates between their styles. Second, she gives good insight into the character of the people of the time as well as into the character of the mythological figures. She obviously knows the material and cares about it.

Mythology reads like a history book. Many stories get wrapped up too quickly, and quite a few are told too simplistically. Many details are left out. The writing is juvenile at times, and paragraph flow is occasionally an issue. This is almost a Cliff's Notes on mythology. Ultimately, Hamilton makes most of these myths boring. Others, with too many details cut out, the reader will find hard to get into.

Mythology has some good things to offer, but on the whole, this is an inferior way to enjoy the myths. This book may be useful to some as a quick-reference guide, but that's about it.

TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT

I thought this book was so boring. I had to force myself to read it. I had to read it for school, i had to end up finding the summary so i wouldn't have to read the rest.I know that its considered a classic, i guess this was seriously not my type of book. I give it 2 stars because it could have been worst.

Okay; So Candide's biography of a 20 something manages to address the breadth of Humanistic concerns that we all think about, i.e., The Meaning Of Life, Morals, Religion, Character, Fate, Destiny, Etc... And yet, I still feel empty handed having read it. Outside of it's mediocre "entertainment value" of story telling, the take away was (and is) weak. His Great Pearl and Coveted Gem at the end? (which no reviewer wants to reveal, but I will here...), Is This: Voltaire says: "If you work hard and are honest Everyday, you will AVOID Unhappiness..." What?!!! BFD! R U KIdding Me??? AND I care NEVER to hear the protagonist's names REPEATED, ad nauseum, over AND OVER AND OVERRRRR AGAIN!!!! The names "CUNEGUNDE" and "CACAMBO"!!!!!! They were mentioned HUNDREDS of times! (I.E./"My Dear Sweet Cunegude," Or "MY Loyal Cacambo"- WE GET IT VOLTAIRE! ENough). >Poor Form<. Ubiquitous and trite already!

I was hoping to be "Enlightened" after all the hype... I felt more like I was patronizing a Classic book just because of it's street credit. I discovered it was a fantastic chore delight to finish Candide... Nothing New here... NEXT! So, Voltaire is not telling me something I don't AlREADY Know??? My time is more valuable than that!

~Jay-Zackal.

~The Jackal.

At a time that followed witch hunts and religious persecution, Voltaire wrote Candid as a scream in the face of church's authority and nobility's arrogance.

Candid is a simple Pollyannaish young man who mirrored all the views of his tutor Pangloss, who has the optimistic belief that this world is "the best of all possible worlds", and despite all the misfortune he endures he remains faithful to his optimism. Pangloss obviously is an exaggerated character, who symbolizes the overly optimistic Enlightenment philosophy.
When Candid is expelled from his adopted childhood home, he starts a journey around the world pursuing peace and looking for the love of his life, Cunegonde. During the journey, Candid encounters many different characters, who have symbolic importance, like the baron who has homosexual tendencies, Cacambo; Candid's close friend, whose practicality opposes any philosophy, the Grand Inquisitor, whose hypocrisy points clearly to religious leaders, and Martin, the cynical scholar, who is blinded by his pessimism.

The long journey was a series of chaotic incidents that bring to the forefront significant controversial topics, like the uselessness of philosophical speculation, hypocrisy of religions, political and religious oppression, and resurrection.

In Candid, Voltaire, artistically displays his objections to the school of optimism that argues rational thought restricts evil committed by human beings. Voltaire also criticizes the philosophy of enlightenment that couldn't stop the fear and chaos caused by religious persecution. He ends the novel by presenting us with an unexpected gift, his philosophical meaning of life.

Candid is simply a great work, worth the time.

Holy crap - we get it already - you dislike Leibniz.

I can appreciate satire - I love satire. But Candide is essentially a collection of horrific happenings each told as a separate joke ending in the exact same punch-line each time: "blah, blah, blah - but I guess it can't be so bad since this is the greatest of all possible worlds."

This is really satire at its lowest point. I give it two stars only because the book is a classic (albeit undeserving of the title). I've never been so relieved to be done with a book as when I finished this one.

This is a timeless story. It is one I have not read before but I recommed it to all who who want humor and insight in a story.

From an optimist point of view, this book is simply in supportive of Leibniz's Best of all Possible Worlds theory. However, this book is a Voltaire's satire to Leibniz's theory. It is comical and gruesome but in the end, you learn to deal and live peacefully. You do get some interesting insight into life from this, for ex. you'll find out what the greatest vice of men is.

It's nice to read the viewpoints of different authors. I never tire of reading how intelligent people view religion. I do, however, tire of dogmatic imbeciles like Rush Limbaugh, Jerry Falwell, Pat Robertson etc. who blather on about "what the bible says." Maybe that should read those books someday and understand that no civilized society should look to them as anything more than literary entertainment.

It sometimes takes courage and conviction to do your own thinking, especially about matters religious, and the selections here present thought and arguments through the ages about unbelief and imaginary friends, about the cruelties forced upon others by people who think that they will gain a diety's favor by murdering or torturing others. All believers are enablers. Nice people, huh? These murderers and torturers are the believers, not the unbelievers. Believers also try to make unbelievers uncomfortable. I for one will no longer tolerate that.
The burden of proof is always upon the believer. "Faith" is no argument. It's a belief not based on fact. Children believe things on faith. Not thinking, responsible adults.
My copy of this book is by now dog-eared and highlighted. Some authors are better than others and some are easier to read, but I feel I am in good company with these authors for all they have learned in life and for their ability to think for themselves. For their courage and conviction I salute all who have gone before and fought their oppressors. Their path was harder than mine.
I don't need to believe in an ego induced afterlife. Fear of death is the motivator for religion, nothing more, nothing less. The ego, over and over and over again.
Buy this book and let it be your friend. Let it rid you of guilt and free you of your imagined sins against an imagined "lord" and jealous "god." Enjoy the only life you ever will have. On death you will be in the same "place" you were "at" before you were born.

Being a fan of Christopher Hitchens, Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, Daniel Dennet, and other authors/thinkers pertaining to this "genre", I have no choice but to offer Kudos. There are many views from various characters throughout world history to our present time included in this compilation of quotes, notations, and essays etc.etc. This book should be included in any collection of voices representing freethought and even as a reference for any research along these same lines.
Thank You, Don Ward

This book is a nice collection of essays, letters and excerpts from other writings from a number of different non-believing and freethinking authors throughout history.

The introduction by Hitchens does a nice (and poignant as always) job at framing the chronologically arranged collection of pieces. Along with contemporary writers such as Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, Daniel Dennet and Salman Rushdie, other 'jewels' are collected from times past: from Benedict de Spinoza and Thomas Hobbes, to H.P. Lovecraft, Albert Einstein, Mark Twain, George Orwell and many more.

Most of the segments are accessible reads. Some offer interesting insight, like Thomas Hobbes and Bertrand Russell. Some show the sharpest wit, such as Mark Twain and George Eliot, and a couple (in my opinion) were on the boring side, most notably Karl Marx's introduction to Hegel's Critique of Pure Reason.

The book closes with Salman Rushdie's remarkable letter to a new-born baby written for the UN-sponsored book, "A Letter to Six Billion People". All in all, a great (and long!) read.

Monsieur Christopher Hitchens has performed a necessary intellectual work of mercy. Once humankind desists from its vulgar notion of deity, it can begin the tiresome duties of keeping as much of us as possible alive.

Since we are competently trained in ancient Semitic and Ind-European languages and theoretical mathematics, we twin brothers know who has been doing the heavy lifting of keeping humanity alive and prosperous. It certainly is not the dolts in political, religious or military systems (they who live off the backs of the common people).

Mr. Hitchens has given us fresh fruit from the tree of 'real' knowledge to advance the survivability of our species. Professor Dawkins and to-be Dr. Sam Harris (neuro-science technical background) have enriched the soil of these trees in the enclosed orchard of learning.

If we presently do not get beyond this vulgar Bronze Age duplicity of rulership and priestcraft, we will be doomed to extinction as a species in our niche biosphere, or filmy skin of Earth!

The fools in religion merely have to adduce one rare, slender piece of evidence for the existence of deity. Perchance, our archeologists will find the finger of Yahweh on Mt. Sinai who impertinently gave us the incompetent Ten Commandments (Do not read in Egyptian Hieroglyphics the Book of the Dead for the 'real' 42 commandments---from whence the Hebrews shamefully and slavishly stole!) to bolster their puny claims.

Right ideas for the right time!


Respectfully,


John E.D.P. Malin,
Chairman of the Board & Chief Executive Officer
James F.D.P. Malin,
Vice Chairman of the Board & Chief Research & Development Officer
Informatica Corporation [A.D. 1984-2008]
Executive Division
P.O. Drawer 460
Cecilia, Louisiana 70521-0460

"Fathers of the Silicon Bayou"

Contact Information: InformaticaMalin@gmail.com

P.S. Master the higher mathematics of Algebraic Geometry, it is the genuine and authentic language of global human survival; presently, it is the mathematics adduced by our structured and unstructured data systems running our economic business structures or organizations.

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