Recommended to me by Alom Shaha, whose own book Sparkle Wildfire and I review here, this book is just too damn quotable! I fell into the first half of the book as if it was an old friend.
This memoir reminded me of everything that is good about religion as well as everything that made me reject it. While reading it, I felt intense love for this man whose battles (both internal and external) resonated deeply with me and spoke of a natural tenderness towards all of humanity.
I would love to take Richard Holloway to a quiet, cosy corner somewhere and talk. I have a feeling I could learn a lot about myself and what it means to be truly human from this man.
Jackie
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Leaving Alexandria: A Memoir of Faith and Doubt - Richard Holloway
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The Young Atheist's Handbook: Lessons for Living a Good Life Without God - Alom Shaha
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I love this book. It feels like a conversation. There are moments of wry humour that made me grin, some utterly heartbreaking bits that had me in tears and as a whole it is never less than warm, compassionate and intelligent in the discussion of why someone might choose to identify themselves as an atheist and the strange feeling of freedom that comes from accepting sole responsibility for one's own happiness and fulfillment.
You do not need to be an atheist to enjoy this book, and it would be a real shame if people of faith were put off reading this because the word "Atheist" appears in the title. You also don't need to be young, but the title makes sense in that anyone who is questioning their belief in the god they have been raised with will find understanding and reassurance in it's pages. Reassurance that it is not necessary to have faith in order to live a good life, that atheism does not make you a bad person and that following any religion should be an informed choice, made willingly and not imposed.
Jackie