By: Robert Curry To: Tim Ross Re: List 1 of 2 Here are some authors whose books you might

By: Robert Curry
To: Tim Ross
Re: List           1 of 2

Here are some authors whose books you might find very interesting
(selections taken from alt.atheism's resources FAQ).


MICHAEL MARTIN

"Atheism: A Philosophical Justification", Temple University Press,
 Philadelphia, USA.
A detailed and scholarly justification of atheism.
541 pages. ISBN 0-87722-642-3 (hardcover; paperback also available)

"The Case Against Christianity", Temple University Press
A comprehensive critique of Christianity, in which he considers
the best contemporary defences of Christianity and (ultimately)
demonstrates that they are unsupportable and/or incoherent.
273 pages. ISBN 0-87722-767-5


JAMES A. HAUGHT

"Holy Horrors: An Illustrated History of Religious Murder and Madness",
 Prometheus Books
Looks at religious persecution from ancient times to the present day -- and
not only by Christians.
Library of Congress Catalog Card Number 89-64079. 1990.


GORDON STEIN

"An Anthology of Atheism and Rationalism", Prometheus Books
An anthology covering a wide range of subjects, including 'The Devil, Evil
and Morality' and 'The History of Freethought'.  Comprehensive bibliography.


EDMUND D. COHEN

"The Mind of The Bible-Believer", Prometheus Books
A study of why people become Christian fundamentalists, and what effect it
has on them.


GEORGE H. SMITH

"Atheism: The Case Against God", Prometheus Books
Describes the positions of atheism, theism and agnosticism.  Reviews many
of the arguments used in favour of the existence of God.  Concludes with an
assessment of the impact of God on people's lives.

ISAAC ASIMOV

"Asimov's Guide to the Bible", Outlet Book Company, Inc
2 volumes, 1988, ISBN 0-517-34582-X

Asimov surveys and describes contemporary Biblical scholarship on the
Bible, book by book, coupled with his own very interesting asides and
speculations.  Especially worthwhile are his descriptions of the
apochrapha and many Christian and Rabbinical legends and traditions,
some of which the general public only knows as idioms of speech.  Also
available as two paperback volumes:

"Asimov's Guide to the Bible:  Old Testament" and
"Asimov's Guide to the Bible:  New Testament" Avon Books, 1971
ISBN 0-380-01031-3 and ISBN 0-380-01032-1

"In the Beginning"

A book describing the differences between science and the Bible vis a
vis the first several chapters of Genesis.  Different in outlook,
content, and purpose from the same chapters of his "Guide".  The intent
is to present an even-handed explanation of each side, but science
comes off rather better overall, since the focus is on the science of
the book of Genesis.


BERTRAND RUSSELL

"Why I Am Not a Christian & Other Essays on Religion and Related Subjects"
Touchstone Books, Simon & Schuster, 1967, ISBN 0-671-20323-1

This book has many essays (some clearly transcriptions of lectures)
with Russell giving religion in general and Christianity in general a
much harder time than is ordinary in common discourse.  However, many
of the discussions in alt.atheism have recognizable echos in these
essays and Russell's lucid arguments, whether one agrees with them or
not, are worth reading for their succinct description of the atheist
position on issues that are taken up almost daily on alt.atheism.


CHARLES MACKAY

"Extraordinary Popular Delusions & the Madness of Crowds"
Crown Publishing Group, paperback, ISBN 0-517-53919-5, Harmony

Most of us give too short a shrift to the reality of fad, fancy, and
its serious side-effect; mob-think.  This classic book describes witch
trials, slow poisoning (a fad where Italian and French nobles were
socially sanctioned to murder each other provided a sufficiently subtle
poison was used) and the various forms of "Ponzi" schemes such as the
South Sea Bubble and the Dutch Tulip Mania.  One gets the feeling the
US' Founding Fathers were familiar with this book.  Those who assume
they will always be on the same side as the majority or that the
majority can be counted on to be rational would particularly profit
from reading it.  Besides, it is enormously entertaining as it
highlights human folly in an engaging way.


LEE CARTER

"Lucifer's Handbook", Academic Associates
ISBN 0-918260-01-9

A compilation of all the arguments for the existence of God, condensed
and simplified into one neat volume.