Religion for Atheists: A non-believer's guide to the uses of religion - Softcover

De Botton, Alain

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0141046317 ISBN 13: 9780141046310

Publisher: Penguin, 2013

Synopsis

SUNDAY TIMES TOP TEN BESTSELLER

NUMBER ONE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER

From one of our greatest voices in modern philosophy, author of The Course of Love, The Consolations of Philosophy, The Art of Travel and The School of Life

'A serious and optimistic set of practical ideas that could improve and alter the way we live' Jeanette Winterson, The Times

'A beautiful, inspiring book... offering a glimpse of a more enlightened path' Sunday Telegraph

'Smart, stimulating, sensitive. A timely and perceptive appreciation of how much wisdom is embodied in religious traditions and how we godless moderns might learn from it' Financial Times

'There isn't a page in this book that doesn't contain a striking idea or a stimulating parallel' Mail on Sunday

Alain de Botton takes us one step further than Dawkins or Hitchens ventured - into a world of ideas beyond the God debate...

All of us, whether religious, agnostic or atheist, are searching for meaning. And in this wise and life-affirming book, non-believer Alain de Botton both rejects the supernatural claims of the major religions and points out just how many good ideas they sometimes have about how we should live.

And he suggests that non-believers can learn and steal from them.

Picking and choosing from the thousands of years of advice assembled by the world's great religions, Alain de Botton presents a range of fascinating ideas and practical insights on art, community, love, friendship, work, life and death. He shows how they can be of use to us all, irrespective of whether we do or don't believe.

About this title

Review:

"A serious but intellectually wild ride. . . . One has to appreciate his pluck as much as his lucid, enjoyable arguments." --"Miami Herald" "Commonsensical and insightful. . . . The wealth of knowledge and felicity of phrasing that de Botton brings to his task make for a stimulating read." --"Seattle Times" "Quirky, often hilarious. . . . Focusing on just three major faiths--Christianity, Judaism and Buddhism--he makes a convincing case for their ability to create both a sense of community and education that addresses morality and our emotional life." --"Washington Post" "Compelling. . . beautifully and wittily illustrated." --"Los Angeles Times" "A wonderfully dangerous and subversive book." --"San Francisco Chronicle" "A new book by Alain de Botton is always a treat. . . . De Botton is literate, articulate, knowledgeable, funny and idiosyncratic." --"Forbes.com" "De Botton writes at his best when he confronts our abiding human frailty. . . . If only all writers wrote with such unabashedly kind intentions." --"Huffington Post" "Provocative and thoughtful. . . . Particularly noteworthy are de Botton's insights on what education and the arts can borrow from the formats and paradigms of religious delivery." --"The Atlantic " "The eminently quotable de Botton holds forth on the deliberately provocative premise that ancient traditions can solve modern problems. . . . The premise he is testing is a worthy one: The secular world worships consumerism, optimism, and perfection to its doom, and would do well to make room for a little humility, community, and contemplation instead." --"Boston Globe" "[De Botton] demonstrates his usual urbane, intelligent, and witty prose. . . . This book will advance amicable discussion among both believers and disbelievers." --"Library Journal" "Highly original and thought-provoking. . . . De Botton is a lively, engaging writer." --"Publishers Weekly "(starred review)y p Praise for "Religion for Atheists" "Highly original and thought-provoking book..... de Botton is a lively, engaging writer."--"Publishers Weekly" starred review "Quirky, often hilarious ...Focusing on just three major faiths -- Christianity, Judaism and Buddhism -- [de Botton] makes a convincing case for their ability to create both a sense of community and education that addresses morality and our emotional life." -"Washington Post " "One has to appreciate his pluck as much as his lucid, enjoyable arguments, and this book, like his previous titles, is a serious but intellectually wild ride. If anyone can 'rescue some of what is beautiful, touching and wise from all that no longer seems true, ' it's de Botton." -"Miami Herald" "[De Botton] demonstrates his usual urbane, intelligent, and witty prose, always entertaining and worth reading...this book will advance amicable discussion among both believers and disbelievers." "--Library Journal" "His approach, entertaining and enlightening, provides the thoughtful reader with endless enjoyment and an insight into de Botton's beliefs as well as his generous appraisal of the beliefs of others...brings insight and understanding to how religion may enhance the lives of nonbelievers." -Shelf Awareness "In earnest and lyrical prose, de Botton illuminates the practical functions of religion in a secular context...compelling." -"Kansas City Star" "A new book by Alain de Botton is always a treat...De Botton is literate, articulate, knowledgeable, funny and idiosyncratic." -Forbes.com "[De Botton] is a master of the well-heeled, chatty and above all reasonable tone..."Religion for Atheists" is provocative and well-intentioned." -NPR "A wonderfully dangerous and subversive book." -"San Francisco Chronicle " "De Botton writes at his best when he confronts our abiding human frailty...I can't help but wholeheartedly recommend de Botton's new book. It pr

About the Author:

Alain de Botton is the author of Essays in Love, The Romantic Movement, Kiss and Tell, How Proust Can Change Your Life, The Consolations of Philosophy, The Art of Travel, Status Anxiety, The Architecture of Happiness, The Pleasures and Sorrows of Work, A Week at the Airport, Religion for Atheists, The News: A User's Manual, and The Course of Love among many others. Alain is a bestselling author in 30 countries. He lives in London, where he runs The School of Life and Living Architecture.

About this edition

• Publisher: Penguin
• Publication date: 2013
• ISBN 10: 0141046317
• ISBN 13: 9780141046310
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 336