These are some of the books that have had a great impact on my
thinking. I have linked them all to Amazon for convenience so
that you may read some snippets and check out the books first
hand/ I am not a fan of big business and have come to the
understanding that it can be detrimental to the environment and local
businesses. Here is a site that helps you contact
local book stores.
Globalization has affected many businesses negatively, and I feel that
whenever possible, go local.
Daniel Quinn, in my opinion, put the
final nail in the coffin in regards to me being a theist of any
kind. He is an excellent author. Ishmael won the the Turner
Tomorrow Fellowship Award, which is an award that goes to any book that
offers solutions to ecological problems.
"Ishmael" by Daniel Quinn
ISBN:
0553375407
Publisher: Bantam Books
"My Ishmael" by Daniel Quinn
ISBN:
0553379658
Publisher: Bantam Books
"The Story of B" by Daniel Quinn
ISBN:
0553379011
Publisher: Bantam Books
Books on Atheism
"The Impossibility of God" by Michael Martin
ISBN:
1591021200
Publisher: Prometheus Books
Comments:
This book thoroughly refutes different types of gods especially the omni-god of the Judeo-Christian and Islamic folds. This book is somewhat meaty and requires a college level reading ability at least.
"Atheism: The Case Against God" by George
H. Smith
ISBN:
087975124X
Publisher: Prometheus Books
Comments:
This book is almost standard among
atheists. Very readable.
"Atheism: A Reader" edited by S.T. Joshi
ISBN:
1573928550
Publisher: Prometheus Books
Comments: This is a compilation
of essays. Bertrand Russell, A.J. Ayer and Gore Vidal to name a
few.
"Atheism: A Philosophical Justification"
by Michael
Martin
ISBN:
0877229430
Publisher: Temple Univ Press
Comments: Very similar in
spirit to the George H. Smith book mentioned above. It is a lot
more technical and explores many theistic arguments in a more rigorous
manner. This book is not for everyone, as it is not meant for
laymen. This has to be one of the best books on theistic
arguments with corresponding refutations on the market.
"Losing Faith in Faith: From
Preacher to Atheist"
by Dan Barker
ISBN:
1877733075
Publisher: Freedom From Religion Foundation, Inc.
Comments: This book should
offer many Christians that are bordering on atheism some solace.
Offers a closer look at Biblical errancy than other books
mentioned. It is absolutely a great read.
"The Age of Reason" by Thomas Paine
ISBN:
0806505494
Publisher: Lyle Stuart
Comments: Although Paine is a
Deist, He offers a lot of the similar criticisms of the Bible by
various philosophers.
"Why People Believe Weird Things: Pseudoscience, Superstition,
and Other Confusions of Our Time"
by Michael Shermer
ISBN:
0805070893
Publisher: Owl Books
Comments: Michael Shermer is a
columnist for Scientific American magazine as well as the founder of
Skeptic magazine. He has a more embracing tone [toward theism]
than the other authors mentioned, but offers a lot of insight into the
psychology of belief.
"Why I Am Not A Muslim" by Ibn Warraq
ISBN:
0879759844
Publisher: Prometheus Books
Comments: Since Islam has taken
center stage as of late, this book tackles the nature of Islam.
This book is modeled after Bertrand Russell's "Why I am Not a
Christian."
"The Demon-Haunted World: Science As a
Candle in the Dark" by Carl Sagan
ISBN:
0345409469
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Comments: Carl Sagan was
a great Scientist and has spent his life trying to popularize
science. The book explores many issues such as beliefs,
pseudoscience and other topics. This book was actually my first
introduction to skepticism.
"How We Believe: The Search for God in an
Age of Science" by Michael Shermer
ISBN:
0613354133
Publisher: Bt Bound
Comments:Michael Shermer is a
columnist for Scientific American magazine as well
as the founder of Skeptic magazine. He has a more embracing tone
[toward theism] than the other authors mentioned, but offers a lot of
insight into the psychology of belief.
The following, although unrealted to atheism per se, are books that
have influenced me with respects to free trade and globalization.
"Going
Local: Creating Self-Reliant Communities in a Global Age" by Michael H. Shuman
ISBN:
0415927684
Publisher: Routledge
"The
Ecology of Commerce: A Declaration of Sustainability" by Paul Hawken
ISBN:
0887307043
Publisher: HarperBusiness
Comments: This book will scare
the shit out of you!!!!
"Mid-Course
Correction: Toward a Sustainable Enterprise: The Interface Model" by Ray Anderson
ISBN:
0964595354
Publisher: Chelsea Green Pub Co
Comments: This book was
influenced by "The Ecology of Commerce" and "Ishmael"