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Reading and Book Recommendations

  • 12-01-2012 12:25am
    #1
    L.Jenkins
    Moderators, Computer Games Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 19,241 Mod ✭✭✭✭


    I've read The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins and I must say it was a great read. Now I know of a few authors out there, but I'm looking for a few more to add a few titles to my reading list this year. So any good suggestions. I've yet to read the bible ancient fiction hasnt really held my interest.


Comments

  • #2
    [-0-]
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,981 ✭✭✭[-0-]


    Read the following by Christopher Hitchens:
    God is Not Great
    Letters to a Young Contrarian.
    The Portable Atheist.

    Also read A Universe from Nothing by Laurence Krauss. It came out yesterday and Hitchens was supposed to write the preface but was unable to do to his declining health before he died.


  • #3
    MrPudding
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,788 ✭✭✭MrPudding


    Get a bit of Bertrand Russell into you as well. "Why I am not a Christian" is a great read.

    "End of Faith" by Sam Harris is also well worth a look.

    I also +1 the suggestions above.

    MrP


  • #4
    Beruthiel
    Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators Posts: 42,362 Mod ✭✭✭✭Beruthiel


    Cosmos, Carl Sagan.


  • #5
    Dades
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 25,558 Mod ✭✭✭✭Dades


    A few the same, and many more in this thread. :)


  • #6
    fitz0
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,753 ✭✭✭fitz0


    I've just finished reading 'A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man' by James Joyce. I'd definitely recommend it. It revolves around Stephen Dedalus and his evolving views on religion and nationalism, eventually leading him to abandon them. I would hazard a guess that most people here could identify with him at some points in the story, not so much in others. Some of the passages in it are extremely powerful and frightening, but nothing sums up my loathing for the church as the 3 page description of hell and torment.

    I second Mr.P's recommendation of 'Why I am Not a Christian'

    Also, more just for the pure fantasticness of it, Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams.


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  • #7
    L.Jenkins
    Moderators, Computer Games Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 19,241 Mod ✭✭✭✭L.Jenkins


    Thanks for all the suggestions. I'll be sure to pick up a few books in the coming weeks.


  • #8
    Beruthiel
    Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators Posts: 42,362 Mod ✭✭✭✭Beruthiel


    Have you read the Selfish Gene yet?
    Cos that's a must imo.


  • #9
    fitz0
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,753 ✭✭✭fitz0


    BTW theres a great bookshop on the corner of College Green called Books Upstairs that sells classics like Portrait for very cheap. I got mine for €3.


  • #10
    Penn
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 34,414 ✭✭✭✭Penn


    Reading "God no! Signs you may be an atheist and other magical tales" by Penn Jillette at the minute. Sort of half biography/half religion and atheism, but very entertaining. Much more light-hearted than most other books about religion/atheism, interjected with stories about his own life which are very funny. Really enjoying it so far.


  • #11
    Coriolanus
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,879 ✭✭✭Coriolanus


    The bible and the catechism. Know thy enemy andd all that. Though ill admit to not having read the catechism, only data mined it for ammo.


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  • #12
    Sarky
    Closed Accounts Posts: 31,967 ✭✭✭✭Sarky


    The Science of Discworld series is well worth a look. More or less about a universe accidentally created by wizards which seems to operate without any magic or narrative direction, and thus confuses the hell out of them, especially when a little blue-green planet develops humans. Each chapter of the story is followed by a chapter on evidence and explanations for what just happened. Easy reading, lots of interesting topics from biological to cultural evolution.


  • #13
    HUNK
    Closed Accounts Posts: 383 ✭✭HUNK


    You could try "Ethics: Inventing Right and Wrong" by J.L Mackie. You might need to read it more than once, or re-read bits.


  • #14
    Sonics2k
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,257 ✭✭✭Sonics2k


    Penn wrote: »
    Reading "God no! Signs you may be an atheist and other magical tales" by Penn Jillette at the minute. Sort of half biography/half religion and atheism, but very entertaining. Much more light-hearted than most other books about religion/atheism, interjected with stories about his own life which are very funny. Really enjoying it so far.

    Big +1 on this, Penn Jillette is a fantastic comedian and his books are very very good as well.


  • #15
    [-0-]
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,981 ✭✭✭[-0-]


    Sonics2k wrote: »
    Big +1 on this, Penn Jillette is a fantastic comedian and his books are very very good as well.

    It's mildly entertaining but I wouldn't say it's very very good.


  • #16
    amacachi
    Closed Accounts Posts: 23,316 ✭✭✭✭amacachi


    Maybe not quite on-topic but Bad Science by Ben Goldacre is well worth a read for most.


  • #17
    Muppet Man
    Registered Users Posts: 1,668 ✭✭✭Muppet Man


    +1 for Bad Science by Ben Goldacre its an absolutely brilliant read.

    Shout out for "The End of Faith" - Sam Harris and also "God is not Great" by Hitchens.


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