The Young Atheist's Handbook, by Alom Shaha, may not be out until July, but there's so much going on with it that I simply couldn't forgive myself if I didn't bring you the news, the lowdown, the 411.
In fact, there's so much 411 going down in this joint that I've made you a LIST. That's right, a list. Enjoy.
1) Alom on the cover of New Humanist
Alom's feature on the book, and his atheism in general, is on the cover of the latest edition of New Humanist. The piece is, quite simply, brilliant. Bravery is a term most commonly used in a positive light. With searing honesty, Alom deconstructs the idea that he is, somehow, brave for deciding to write his book.
'the people under the impression that I am somehow heroic have come to this conclusion based on the fact that I have written a book.
My publisher must also be brave. Other publishers liked my book, but declined the opportunity to publish it. One wrote to say that, while she was personally very keen to publish my book, a “number of people” in her company would be “uncomfortable” about it. She then confessed that she really meant “afraid”, not “uncomfortable”.
So what is this terrible tome I have written? At this point, if you haven’t read my book, you might be forgiven for thinking that, to have struck such fear into the heart of Britain’s literary elite, I must have written a pornographically blasphemous account of the life of Muhammad. But I have done no such thing. My book, The Young Atheist’s Handbook, simply tells the story of my personal journey to becoming an atheist.'
...
'So why am I so open about my atheism? Is it because, as some seem to think, I am brave? No. The simple reason why I’m open about my atheism, when others like me are not, is because both my parents are dead. My mother died when I was 13 and my father did not play a large part in my upbringing following her death. It seems perverse to say it, but I may have been lucky in having had little in the way of parenting as a teenager. I suspect that, had my mother lived, I would not be so open or outspoken about my atheism. I loved my mother deeply, and, had I thought it was something she wanted, I am sure I would have made more of an effort to be a Good Muslim, or at least kept up more of a pretence of being one. But with my mother dead and a deep lack of respect for my father, I was relieved of the reason why many atheists I know, particularly ex-Muslim ones, continue to pretend to be religious – I no longer had a desire to “protect” my parents from being upset, or from being “shamed”. I was freed of the pressure to believe what my parents believe. But this is a pressure that most people, especially, I would suggest, from communities such as the one I came from, have to live with well into adulthood.'
I'd highly recommend that you read the piece, which is available here.
2) Alom on Channel 4's 4thought
Appearing in a 90 second film entitled 'What would make you lose your faith?', on Channel 4, Alom discusses the childhood experiences that led him to atheism.
'I couldn't accept that an all powerful, loving God would punish children simply because they hadn't been born into Muslim families, like I had'.
3) World Book Night
In honour of yesterday's World Book Night, and Shakespeare's birthday, Alom presented a video which explains why he loves books.
'Every book, every single book, without exception, was written by someone like you...'
4) Alom speaking this Sunday
Alom will deliver Conway Hall's Sunday Lecture on 'how to be good without God'. Details can be found here.
So there you have it! Stay tuned, as there will be lots more to come...