Customer Reviews

The Atheist's Guide to Christmas

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You wait years for a funny contribution to the culture wars and then 42 turn up at once. Honestly...

Why 42? Well, as the introduction says, this is the answer to the question of Life, the Universe and Everything as calculated by one deserving contributor who sadly died some years too early to see this come to fruition. Luckily, a friend of his, Richard Dawkins, was around to add his own first, witty foray into fiction writing. And a friend of Dawkins, the adorable Ariane Sherine, organised and edited it all. It is, of course, the Atheist Bus Campaign reified in book form. And very lighthearted it is, too.

This is not a "serious" piece of work. It is some serious Xmas fun for those who wish to reclaim the midwinter festival and restore its true, pagan message of lots of food and drink with your community at the darkest part of the year. Now, you might think that this does not need reclaiming as it is what people are already doing. Believe it or not, though, there are persistent efforts by one of the later-arriving, monotheistic faiths to annexe this festival for their own aggrandisement. Just as aggressive and terrifying proselytising on buses by such a religious group provoked the light and cheerful message of the Atheist Bus Campaign, now aggressive and moralising annexation of Xmas by the same religious group has provoked this light-hearted staking-out of this common territory for the rest of us.

It is a collection of 42 short pastiches and thoughtful essays on the subject of the Xmas period and what it means to us atheists and humanists. It is too common knowledge to be clever these days that Xmas is originally a pagan celebration, like Easter. Be that as it may, one is occasionally confronted by theists demanding to know why one celebrates Xmas if one does not believe in the Christian God, in whose own Book flying reindeer, bearded men in red-and-white pyjamas, totemic trees and egg-nog obviously feature most prominently. Read this book and you'll have some answers lined up.

The contributors range from professional scientists and philosophers to comedians and pop stars. What they all have in common is that they are atheists and/or humanists. As a movement we are finally starting to come together in small ways like this and express our aspiration to recognition on an equal basis with supernaturalist belief groups. Not before time. In addition, the proceeds from the book go to the Terence Higgins Trust, a charity helping AIDS victims. There is no downside to this book and it is a pleasant, light read. None of the contributors threaten you with being burned alive for all eternity, they just tell you how to have some fun at Xmas without feeling incongruous. It is a great read and would make a fitting present for a humanist, or tolerant theist, friend or relative.

I am not a contributor, by the way!

I want to begin by admitting that I am one of the 42 contributors to this book. When Matt Kirshen asked me to forward Ariane Sherine's email on to fellow Atheists who might want to submit stories for consideration, I knew I wanted to toss my proverbial hat in the ring. I was after-all, born on Christmas.

So I forwarded the request to many atheists I knew, some well known and others, not so much. Then I set out to write the truth about being born on Christmas.

After sending a first draft to Ariane I got a response that sent me through the roof. I was giddy with excitement because I knew I was going to have my scratching publish within the same pages as; Richard Dawkins, Charlie Brooker, Ben Goldacre, Phil Plait, AC Grayling, Richard Herring, Simon Le Bon and my friend, Matt Kirshen. And while all of these people of note have written wonderful stories, filled with amazing anecdotes, sound advice and absolutely wonderful and well spirited humor, I was thoroughly stunned after opening my personal copy to page 91 where I found Nick Doody's offering.

Nick is a wonderfully funny stand up comedian and writer. He is very close friends with Matt Kirshen and I am proud to say that I have, on a number of occasions, had the chance to hang out with him. He's charming, extremely original in his comedic style and always spot on with perfectly structured stories and ideally placed punchlines.

How To Understand Christmas: A Scientific Overview by Nick Doody is a work of pure genius. His laser guided satire has it's way with not just the idea of Christmas, the word itself and rituals surrounding it, he takes the art of written word and annihilates the very medium as well.

As he pulls you along through a scientific mindset, analyzing Christmassiness while citing studies that are duly footnoted and clearly documented and confirmed, Doody never lets on that anything he is saying might be anything but pure fact with peer review backing and published in the highest order of scientific journal.

He begins with an apology to the purists who will be disappointed that he does not have enough space for an in-depth explanation of Barsky's Chimney Hypothesis but he promises an overview of the scientific history of Christmasology that will be accessible to the layman.

I found myself harassing my wife as I held back howls and laughter and read passages aloud through tears. We were simply giddy with how Doody had managed to make fun of not only the absurdities in the holiday, but the age old dialogue between Atheists and the religious. His piece is a perfect satire of how utterly masturbatory any discussion is when one side has it's beliefs in faith and the other, science.

Nick Doody, shows no respect for either argument and simply drives a stake through all our hearts and offers us each up like a pig on a skewer. If you take yourself remotely serious, Nick Doody will happily show you how silly you are for doing so.

I am very proud to have been published alongside so many atheistic luminaries and I am quite pleased with my own offering. It's nice to be translated into another accent. But I felt compelled to compliment Nick Doody specifically in a public forum because this little book that is meant to bring humor and joy and to raise money for the Higgins Trust Foundation to battle HIV and AIDS, may come and go and that's fine: but when someone writes something that is as complex and original as Nick Doody has, It should not be overlooked or downplayed.

Thank you Nick, for writing the most important and the most funny story in the entire book. You are a brilliant writer and a legendary comedic mind.

This is a great collection of opinion pieces about the meaning of Christmas from an atheists point of view. Essentially starting from the point of - What really is the meaning of christmas. They are divided into categories such as science and philosophy and while some of the pieces are patchy I think there is a lot in here for everyone.

Some of the more famous - such as Richard Dawkins, are along side less than well known (well form most people anyway) the novelist Kapka Kabossova (sp). What I really appreciated was the variety of perspectives on a subject which is, of course, pertinent. Why do atheists celebrate Christmas?

The first section on science I found the most interesting. The Jewish astronomer (I've forgotten his name off hand) was wonderful. His early years discussing the lack of Christmas celebrations in his family, and his own fascination with the sky and the supposed phenomena of a super-star at the time of Christ's birth was beautiful.

The rise of the pagan and pre-christian celebrations of a mid-winter festival and the forms it took - including all the mythical links to Christian and Christmas celebrations offer a much deeper perspective into the human psyche.

After about 30 of these peices I started to lose interest, I found that they were a lot of the same kind of thing. One man who was a bit of a christmas hater, who went to the Middle east one year for teh festive season to escape it.

The essential message is that the Christmas spirit is there, and it is not about the birth of Christ and 3 wise men. The humanity of the midwinter festivals is about hope, eating, giving gifts, sharing time together, laughter, revelry, and new dawns. Pretty much what our festival is about these days. And if anyone complains that it is called Christmas so has to be about Christ, tell 'em that Easter is about the Scandanavian Goddess Oester and is a fertility festival, not about Christ's resurrection at all.

Merry Christmas!

This volume is a compilation of essays by those who may label themselves atheist, or at least agnostic. So what do they have to say about Christmas? Actually, there are a number of entries which are very relevant to the spirit of Christmas (atheist or not) and the historical significance of the date itself. Even Christian scholars are likely to agree that Jesus was not born on December 25th. In fact, he probably was born two to four years BC. Anyhow, those subjects are broached, but others too. Many of the chapters are very good reads, but I would warn you that most are very "British." Some of the humor may be tough to get by an American. There are times when I really had to think about what was being said and then I realized the writer was being funny. There are times when some of the writers refer to things that I was completely ignorant of because I don't watch BBC 1,2,3 or 4 (or whatever). One chapter of particular interest to astronomers was contributed by American astronomer Phil Plait. He addresses the issue of the star of Christmas, if indeed that is what it was. He also reveals much about his own history, which may be of interest to his thousands of bloggers. Many of the contributions are thought provoking, whether you agree with them or not. There are a few chapters which I think, had they been left out, would have made this volume better, and shorter.

What I Can Tell You:
As someone who holds onto the belief of God with all my might and who celebrates Christmas and all that goes along with it, I found this book to be quite interesting. I have never met an Atheist but if I did would never judge them as I would hope they wouldn't judge me.

The stories range from Neil Pollack's Revenge of the Christmas Spirit where his son receives for Christmas a Sponge Bob, Square Pants Connect Four and he decides to play Santa and give the "already have" gift away to a shelter. To Nick Doody's How To Understand Christmas: A Scientific Overview. I was very interested in the scientific history of Christmasology.

Best section of the book, the How To sections which include titles like:
How to Have the Perfect Jewish Christmas
How to Have A Peaceful Pagan Christmas
How to Decorate the Outside of Your House with Lights and Not Have Your Neighbors Hate You: A guide to turning your home into a festive something that is so bright it can be seen from Space.

Favorite quote by Allison Kilkenny:
"It was no longer a holiday meant to worship the birth of a now dead Palestinian who once claimed to be the Son of God but who is now used as a marketing ploy by huge Corporations to sell more Xbox consoles."

While I understand the skepticism, appreciate the scientific evidence of evolution, wonder in the history of the earth, marvel at the educated, scientists knowledge in the book, I long for the magic Christmas brings. Fake, real, I don't care! While this Christmas didn't feel Chistmassy for me, (health problems and unable to move), it was still the best day of the year. Life is hard, days turn into other days, but for a short time, everyone loves each other, decorated trees are featured and movies on TV pull the family together as we enjoy our time with each other. Life is short! Whether there is something else or whether there is nothing, we need to appreciate our time here and get the most out of life we can.

I enjoyed this book very much. I'm always a sucker for anything based on the number 42 (Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy) and was looking forward to the promised 42 essays. However the Kindle edition only has 40. Does anyone know what happened to the missing two? Did they get lost on the voyage across the Atlantic?

If you choose to read this book (& are an atheist), then one of the most repetitive questions you'll get asked is 'Why do you, as an Atheist, celebrate Christ-mas?' (usually accompanied by the wry smile of someone who thinks they've come up with a devastatingly original ironic statement!)

Fortunately this book has a number of answers. Furthermore, I could only find one of the 42 chapters that appeared to be for changing Christmas to 'Festiwintervus' (or similar) & the other 41 seemed to want to keep Christmas just as it is.

So, what's the main reason? Christmas is bigger than just one story, one religion or one idea (despite what its name may indicate) & most of its ritual's & history have little or no association with Christianity.

Take the most definitive story of Christmas - The Muppet Christmas Carol. It is mentioned more than once, with affection & one writer even says it is a good yet Godless story as Scrooge's redemption notably does not include going to church!
There is also things like Yulelogs, Christmas Trees, feasting, candles & mistletoe which have roots in Paganism.

& the best argument of all? Days (e.g. 'Thor's Day) & months (e.g. Mars/March) are named after Gods of antiquity & yet no-one has tried to rename them following a change to multiculturalism (with the possible exception of the French in 1789).

Aside from this, there are a myriad of other justifications & the book is crammed like a Christmas Turkey full of useful & insightful stories & tips about Christmas. Such was its effect on me that I even asked my mother (a Christian) to arrange a 'Christian's Guide to Christmas' (even though it would be terribly copy-cat).

So, if *your* first observation about this book is the apparent contradiction of the title, then let it be known that Christmas has been around for as long as shepherds have known that the Sun sets on the Equinox (21st December) & 'rises again' on the third day - Christmas!

And if that wonderful curious nature guides you to still question 'Why do Atheist's celebrate Christmas?', then this book is the best place to find an answer...

I thought there would be some pretty deep thinking in here, but so far the stories all tend to be along the same theme - adult atheists describe their relationship to the Christmas holiday, beginning with childhood memories. The stories are a little bit humorous, or interesting, or memorable, but not too much. So far, anyway. I've read about a half-dozen stories so far. I may be holding this book against too-high standards, since I just finished reading David Sedaris' christmas book, which is literarily stunning, laugh-out-loud, smack-you-in-the-face FUNNY.

In short, there's nothing really wrong with this book, and I'm sure I'll end up reading all the stories sooner or later, but it's also not as engaging as I had thought it would be.

I've read the first dozen stories or so, and am enjoying most of them. I wanted to shoot a quick warning, though. Although this is technically the American edition of this book, many of the essays are (I believe) the same as in the British edition released last year. So if you don't know much about British Christmas traditions, couldn't define lurgy, or identify when an author is parodying Wodehouse, be aware that you will enjoy some stories, and others may just confuse you.

(If you can do the above, have no fear, it's all good!)

I've only read 6 chapters thus far (out of order...I love that feature about this book). One chapter was one of the most hilarious things I've ever read, and a couple others were pretty darn funny. Some aren't so much funny as cute stories. For a $10.00 book, I'd say you more than get your money's worth in this one - definitely a good read for any agnostic or athiest.