Hey!! Let's get some action going! What are we reading?

[Phebe]

Kindle has the new reprints of the Georgette Heyer books. Including her mysteries, which went out of print too soon --- I only read a few of them originally. Now I'm working thru the murder mysteries as well as the romances. Of course, all her mysteries ARE romances: there's always an ambiguous and somewhat dangerous or distant male protag who turns out to be in love with the young woman suspected of the murder and solves it for her satisfactorily.

Women love that stuff ----

[poohbear_nc]

Just started The Weed That Strings the Hangman's Bag - I enjoyed the first Flavia de Luce Mystery (The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie) - an interesting new voice in gentle mysteries with a juvenile detective. Reminds me of I Capture the Castle in tone and set-up: eccentric family, precocious youngest daughter.

[Crusader]

Just finished "Against a dark background". Sad to say that I didn't enjoy it much. It was a struggle to really get into and I almost gave up 300 pages in. Luckily things start to pick up 3/4 through. This is not really comparable to his Culture novels which I enjoy much more.

[Billjr13]

Just finished American on Purpose by Craig Ferguson. I thought is was a really good read. An insightful, funny, slightly sad, and inspirational Scottish/American success story. I heartily recommend it

[JSWolf]

I'm currently working on Ceremony in Death by J. D. Robb. I'll have it finished either today or tomorrow and then I have no idea what will be next.

[Nakor]

The Little Book of Atheist Spirituality by Andre Comte-Sponville

It covers some interesting topics on tolerance and religion as a culture even in the absence of belief.

[kennyc]

I got "The Atheist Manifesto" in paper last week. On my pile, may be a while before I get to it.

[WT Sharpe]

Originally Posted by Nakor

The Little Book of Atheist Spirituality by Andre Comte-Sponville

It covers some interesting topics on tolerance and religion as a culture even in the absence of belief.

I believe this month's issue of Free Inquiry has a review of that book. I'd check, but my copy of that issue is at work.

[neilmarr]

Just reading the intro to *Atheist Manifesto* will set you up for the book, Kenny. Especially considering the serious subject matter, it's beautifully written; almost poetic in parts. Cheers. Neil

[WT Sharpe]

Originally Posted by Nakor

The Little Book of Atheist Spirituality by Andre Comte-Sponville

It covers some interesting topics on tolerance and religion as a culture even in the absence of belief.

Originally Posted by WT Sharpe

I believe this month's issue of Free Inquiry has a review of that book. I'd check, but my copy of that issue is at work.

Just checked, and it's not the latest issue after all. It's the June/July 2009 issue of Free Inquiry (which shows you how far behind I am in some of my reading!). The review of André Comte-Sponville's The Book of Atheist Spirituality by is entitled "Embracing the Unholy Spirit," and it's written by Bill Cooke, one of Free Inquiry's Senior editors and author of Dictionary of Atheism, Skepticism, and Humanism.

Overall, the reviewer gives the book high marks. He admits to being uncomfortable with some of Comte-Sponville's spiritualized language, but he admits that Comte-Sponville is "quite clear about being grounded in the material," and states that his discomfort is more his problem than Comte-Sponville's.

Cooke ends his review with, "As atheists, we need to avoid stiffening with a sectarian shudder when one of our own uses language with which we are uncomfortable. Any form of expression of an essentially atheist world view is good enough for me, and The Book of Atheist Spirituality is the best so far to do so in language I myself might not use."

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by WT Sharpe

Just checked, and it's not the latest issue after all. It's the June/July 2009 issue of Free Inquiry (which shows you how far behind I am in some of my reading!). The review of André Comte-Sponville's The Book of Atheist Spirituality by is entitled "Embracing the Unholy Spirit," and it's written by Bill Cooke, one of Free Inquiry's Senior editors and author of Dictionary of Atheism, Skepticism, and Humanism.

Overall, the reviewer gives the book high marks. He admits to being uncomfortable with some of Comte-Sponville's spiritualized language, but he admits that Comte-Sponville is "quite clear about being grounded in the material," and sates that his discomfort is more his problem than Comte-Sponville's.

Cooke ends his review with, "As atheists, we need to avoid stiffening with a sectarian shudder when one of our own uses language with which we are uncomfortable. Any form of expression of an essentially atheist world view is good enough for me, and The Book of Atheist Spirituality is the best so far to do so in language I myself might not use."

Thanks Tom. I don't see that issue on-line.

How often is FI published?

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

more classic SF now - The Game of Stars and Comets by Andre Norton

Which was OK. A collection of her ‘new planet/PSI/Beasts’ stories.

Now for The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. I've heard it's very good, so although not my usual kind of story it's worth a go.

[Zipr]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Which was OK. A collection of her ‘new planet/PSI/Beasts’ stories.

Now for The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. I've heard it's very good, so although not my usual kind of story it's worth a go.

I envy you. I wish I still had that one ahead of me instead of already read. It was great.

[WT Sharpe]

Originally Posted by kennyc

Thanks Tom. I don't see that issue on-line.

How often is FI published?

Free Inquiry is published bimonthly by the Council for Secular Humanism.

[kennyc]

Thanks. I've got the website bookmarked, but have never subscribed to their publications. I should probably consider subscribing or contributing...