Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Or maybe just finished up reading? Now that I have more free time I'd like to dedicate time back to extracurricular reading. Just finished reading a compilation of writings by Thomas Paine. Really good stuff.
Please share your recommendations.
Last edited by ayahuasca_mike; 07-05-2011 at 02:18 AM..
Because I am a former Christian, I like all of Bart Ehrman's books. He explains the evidence that Jesus existed, the historicity of the gnostic gospels (along with Elaine Pagels), and how & when the NT was written. Fundamentalists would hate his books, but I find them enlightening. I've been reading facts after more than a decade in the dark.
A heavy read, but absolutely wonderful, is Jennifer Michael Hecht's Doubt: a History. It is a history of famous (or infamous) doubters. It took me three weeks to wade through it, but it introduced me to so many wonderful politicians, philosophers, and skeptics.
Another along the same lines is Susan Jacoby's Freethinkers: A History of American Secularism. Faster read. Great book.
Of course, there are your Dawkins, Hitchens, Sam Harris, Dennett, and Sagan. I also liked Why We Believe What We Believe by Andrew Newberg. He's a neuroscientist that studies brain functions. Very interesting, IMO.
I have some ethics books checked out from the library right now. I'll let you know if those are good. If you run into a wall with the read, check out ALA's banned or challenged book lists (you can google that). I love reading what other people say I shouldn't.
I am reading America Aflame by David Goldfield, an excellent book about the Civil War and its causes. The author points out the not inconsiderable role which religion, particularly evangelical Christianity, had in it. I recommend it highly. Most of my pleasure reading is about history.
Revenge of the Middle-Aged Woman by Elizabeth Buchan. About a woman who starts over later in life. I'm just starting to get to the good part.
I don't know about you, but I have a stack of books that I read from. Don't know where most of them come from, but on holiday, I read fiction (or travel books).
I'm reading the Dexter series. Really good. The TV show based off them is very good as well.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
