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An Atheist's History of Belief: Understanding Our Most Extraordinary Invention

An Atheist's History of Belief: Understanding Our Most Extraordinary Invention - Paperback

by Matthew Kneale
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Availability:In StockContributor:Matthew KnealePublish date:2015-02-10Pages:272
Language:EnglishPublisher:Counterpoint LLCISBN-13:9781619024694ISBN-10:1619024691UPC:9781619024694Book Category:Religion, HistoryBook Subcategory:Atheism, History, Social HistorySize:8.42 x 6.87 x 0.70 inchesWeight:0.7804Product ID:SCREVFFBQ4

An Atheist's History of Belief: Understanding Our Most Extraordinary Invention

Matthew Kneale, the Man Booker shortlisted author of English Passengers, delivers a comprehensive exploration of humanity's relationship with spirituality and religion. This paperback traces belief systems from prehistoric cave dwellers to contemporary movements, examining how faith has shaped civilizations across millennia.

A Journey Through Religious Evolution

What compelled early humans, sheltering in deep caves, to first invoke the spirit realm? This book answers that question while documenting how belief has thrived through thousands of generations. From shamans and pharaohs to Aztec priests and Mayan rulers, from Jews and Buddhists to Christians and modern movements like Scientology, Kneale chronicles the continuous thread of human spirituality.

Our gods have evolved alongside us, transforming as our dreams and nightmares shifted through time. This narrative encompasses human sacrifice, political upheaval, and bloody wars—all shaped by the belief systems that guided entire civilizations. Religion stands as humanity's most epic labor of invention, our closest companion throughout history, following mankind across continents and through every era.

Language:EnglishPublisher:Counterpoint LLCISBN-13:9781619024694ISBN-10:1619024691UPC:9781619024694Book Category:Religion, HistoryBook Subcategory:Atheism, History, Social HistorySize:8.42 x 6.87 x 0.70 inchesWeight:0.7804Product ID:SCREVFFBQ4

Matthew Kneale studied Modern History at Oxford University before spending a year in Japan, where he began writing short stories. His novel English Passengers (2000) won the Whitbread Award and earned a Man Booker Prize shortlist nomination. He currently resides in Rome, bringing a global perspective to his historical analysis.

What Makes This Book Distinctive

This atheist's perspective offers a poetic yet analytical synopsis of religious history, examining belief systems without theological bias. The book provides context for understanding how spirituality developed, mutated, and influenced human civilization. It serves as both a historical document and a philosophical exploration of humanity's most enduring creation.

Published in February 2015 by Counterpoint LLC, this paperback edition makes Kneale's insights accessible to readers interested in religious history, social history, and world religions. The comprehensive scope covers multiple faiths and movements, providing a secular examination of belief's role in shaping human society.

Publisher: Counterpoint LLC

Contributor(s)

Matthew Kneale

Author

Matthew Kneale

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