Religion for Atheists A Non-believer's Guide to the Uses of Religion

What if religion is neither all true nor all nonsense? In Religion for Atheists Alain de Botton, the bestselling author of The Consolations of Philosophy , takes us one step further than Dawkins and Hitchens have ventured and into a world of ideas beyond the God debate...All of us, whether religious, agnostic or atheist, are searching for meaning. And in the wise and life-affirming Religion for Atheists , non-believer Alain de Botton suggests that religions, far from being nonsensical as atheists maintain, are instead full of good ideas on how to live. And that we should steal from them. Picking and choosing from the thousands of years of advice assembled by the world's great religions to get practical insights on art, community, love, friendship, work, life and death, Alain de Botton will show how each of us may find our place in the world. For too long people have faced the stark choice of having to either swallow unpalatable doctrine or do without an array of beautiful and life-enhancing rituals and structures. Finally, in Religion for Atheists , Alain de Botton suggests an alternative way to live. A beautiful, inspiring book...offering a glimpse of a more enlightened path. (Sunday Telegraph). Packed with tantalizing goads to thought and playful prompts to action. (Independent). Smart, stimulating, sensitive. A timely and perceptive appreciation of how much wisdom is embodied in religious traditions and how we godless moderns might learn from it. ( Financial Times ). There isn't a page in this book that doesn't contain a striking idea or a stimulating parallel. ( Mail on Sunday ). Alain de Botton was born in 1969 and is the author of non-fiction essays on themes ranging from love and travel to architecture and philosophy. His bestselling books include How Proust Can Change Your Life , The Art of Travel , and The Architecture of Happiness . He lives in London and founded The School of Life and Living Architecture.