Customer Reviews

A Celebration of Humanism and Freethought

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I think the other reviewer missed the point of the whole book. It presents the philosophy of Humanism without bitterness against religion. If you're looking for an attack on religion, don't buy this book. If you're looking for insight into humanism, then it's a great buy (cheaper used editions available).

It is a book to thumb through and find inspiration. Almost every page has a beautiful rare engraving that makes the book worthwhile even without the quotations that match the engravings so perfectly. It is in reality an great art book that has been overlooked because of it's title.

Yes, the author includes a small amount of his own commentary, but this only enriches the quotations and gives them context. And, of course, with so many quotations, how can they all be consistent? This is as it should be. This is the nature of life. "Consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds," is one of several great quotations from Emerson.

There are many witty engravings that stand out. One shows "A preacher pointing to Scripture, arguing with an angel from God!" The quotation that goes with it is: "For, he argues razor-witted/That can't be which is not permitted." By Christian Morgenstern (1805-1867). Subtle humor!

There are also quotations from the great poets. John Donne's "No Man Is An Island," for example. Below it is an engraving of a bell tower, and on the opposite page is an engraving of a man standing by a wall looking out at the bell tower on the opposite page. The facing engravings are a perfect match for Donne's famous lines.

There are quotations from the Bible, but the Bible is our common heritage and should be mined for its beauty and inspiration. For example (Proverbs 30:18-19): "There be three things which are too wonderful for me, yea, four which I know not: the way of an eagle in the air; the way of a serpent upon a rock; the way of a ship in the midst of the sea; and the way of a man with a maid."

How beautiful--especially when the opposite page shows an old man offering a young woman a chest of jewels and a young man with his hand over his heart. The engraving is by Willaim Bouguereau (1825-1905) and is entitled, "Between Love and Riches." The book is full of such engravings and little-known quotations.

There is an engraving of a sunset with these lines from Matthew Arnold (1822-1888). The selection is titled, "An Answer To Paul" (New Testament).
Is it so small of thing
To have enjoyed the sun,
To have lived light in the spring,
To have loved, to have thought, to have don;
To have advanced true friends, and
beat down baffling foes?

On another page has a rare engraving of a man tripping over an ankor as he chases an angel and below that is an engraving of a bunch of men hanging from a tree. The quotation that goes with it is from the poet John Keats: "Fanatics have their dreams, wherewith they weave a paradise for a sect."

Another page shows a goat about to headbutt winged figure. The quotation that goes with it is from the philosopher Will Durant (1885-1981): "The cleverest defenders of a faith are its greatest enemies; for their subtleties engender doubt and stimiluate the mind."

There is a very impressive comparison of Creationism with Evolution. On the one page is a rare engraving showing God pulling Eve out of Adam's side, and on the opposite page is the "Tower of Time" showing man rising up from the apes.

Another engravings shows a man asleep on a mountain trail with a nude "mountain sprite" teasing him with a rose. Opposite this picture are Thomas H. Huxley's great lines on "The Splendor of Man's Capacities." It goes in part that man is "...of one substance with the dullest clay, but raised by inward forces to that place of proud and seemingly inaccessible glory."

There's an engraving of two Catholic priests laughing their heads off. The author entitled it, "A Good Story, the Medicine of Philosophy." He has a great sense of humor in quoting Archbishop Temple: "My aunt," Bishop Temple said, "was suddenly prevented from going on a voyage in a ship that went down--would you call that a case of Providential interference?" The other man says, "Can't tell; didn't know your aunt."

This is a great book that deserves a place on the shelf of anybody with an open mind and a sense of humor about their own beliefs (either skeptics or believers).

The cover is beautiful, too. The rare engraving shows "Time Pulling Truth To Light" (out of the dark clouds of ignorance).

The kind of book that is picked up from time to time for a fresh dose of insight. The illustrations are very detailed - fascinating. Useful for pointing the reader to important ideas and writers, and further reading. A great addition to home libraries - highly recommended.

Thisw book fails on a few levels. First, the quotes picked are often short, unrelated, or contradictory, including a couple which are simply theistic. Second,Williams iserts his own little exclamatory remarks throughout the book (things like "Oh Aristotle, how lucky we were to know you!). The format has the quote from the famous luminary on the right page, and Williams words, thoughts or praise on the left. With all due respect, William's words could have been kept to an introduction, rather then half the book. Especially considering he just acts as an MC for those quoted, he doesn't add any thoughts of substance.

Were this book ($$$), I wouldn't be so harsh on it. But ($$$) for a book that's a not particularly well produced, undersized hardcover, it's ridiculous. Take the money and by the works of the contributors instead.