The Portable Atheist

[Elind]

I was looking for what used to be a section to list a book recommendation. Can't find it now, but as this one is religion related I might as well do it here.

The Portable Atheist is a compilation, by Hitchens, of writers through the ages who were by all accounts Atheists (some would argue Agnostic), some long before we knew of galaxies and the like. The prose is most interesting to someone like me, more used to the one liner quips of today and, I might add, makes me wish somewhat for earlier time; but then again perhaps I am not well read enough.

In any case, it is refreshing to find oneself in the company of the likes of Omar Khayyam, Hobbes, Hume, Shelley, Conrad, Freud, and of course Twain, just to mention a few.

Strange how such writers can condense so much meaning into single sentences without running on; or perhaps they do, but with reason.

Anyone else read these essays?

 

[X]

It's not very portable.

 

[Elind]

It's not very portable.

True, if you are shy about what you are reading.

 

[X]

Not shy.
It's low on my list at the moment, due to university.

But aside from that, the thing is bloody huge!
I have smaller textbooks!
(Gas Turbine Theory by Saravanamutto, et al.; Systems Engineering by Kossiakoff and Sweet; Fundamentals of Vibrations by Meirovitch; People and Nature by Moran...)

However, it does seem to have some interesting pieces. I look forward to having more time for it over summer.

 

[Elind]

It's essays. Most can be read in 30 minutes or less, depending on how much one contemplates. I am less than half through, on perhaps two a week, but one does want a quiet 30 minutes..