The Young Atheist’s Handbook

lessons for living a good life without God
Alom Shaha

‘[A] moving memoir of enlightenment.’

The Age

‘If the style is a guide to the man, he is gentle and persuasive — the type of teacher you would have loved to have had educate you.’

Nick Cohen, The Observer

View all reviews

‘A touching personal account that makes for a courageous and compelling read. This is among the most powerful and convincing arguments against religion I have come across, written in a way that is never patronising or trivialising.’

Professor Jim Al-Khalili OBE, physicist and broadcaster

‘Alom's circumstances will be shared by many young people from Muslim backgrounds … His personal account of his own experiences will be an indispensable source of comfort for them and a movingly written insight for any reader.’

Andrew Copson, director of the British Humanist Association

‘Moving, heartwarming, and thoughtful. Alom’s honest journey of why and how he has freed himself from religion will surely empower and inspire.’

Maryam Namazie, human rights activist

‘A book that destroys the cliche of the atheist as joyless rationalist and shows the humanity, love, and concern that often lies behind godless thinking.’

Robin Ince, UK comedian

‘Illuminates the route to a better destination for all those who seek what Alom found: namely, that precious liberty of mind which makes its possessor open to all good things.’

A.C. Grayling, author of The Good Book

‘Alom Shaha has shrugged off the shackles of poverty, racism and, most of all, religious supersitition to begin to fulfill his potential as a human being. In this wise, compassionate, honest and often heartbreaking book, he tells of his remarkable journey … It took a lot of guts to 'come out' as a nonbeliever, but Shaha did it to show others who harbour doubts about their faith that they are not alone. An important and courageous book.’

Marcus Chown, author and broadcaster

‘Insightful, conversational, intelligent, enlightening, intimate, and just plain eye-opening. Shaha opens his life, his heart, and his mind to us in a compelling journey towards unbelief.’

Leslie Cannold, author of The Book of Rachael

‘An honest and often very moving story about valuing truth over hope, even in the face of grief.’

Tim Minchin, musician and comedian

‘Frisbee your skullcap, grill up a bacon sandwich, and enjoy The Young Atheist’s Handbook.’

John Safran, documentary-maker and broadcaster

‘Shaha’s rational exploration of the corrosive power of religious indoctrination is refreshingly down to earth, heartfelt, and deeply moving. An inspiring and brave book that speaks for thousands who dare not admit their atheism.’

Samira Ahmed, journalist and broadcaster

‘This is all very annoying. While most of us struggle to put two coherent sentences together, Alom Shaha seems to have knocked out this beautifully written and important book at the same time as teaching physics and making films. Atheists and religious people alike should read this to see that the path to enlightenment is not always easy, especially if you come from a culture in which being faithless is derided. But more importantly, young people who are working out their own path should read it to see that you can be free to think for yourself.’

Adam Rutherford, science broadcaster

‘Like an intelligent, frank conversation with a vibrant teacher ... Shaha’s talent for raw, lucid narrative makes this an uncommonly moving contribution to debate.’

Sydney Morning Herald

Growing up in a strict Muslim community in south-east London, Alom Shaha learnt that religion was not to be questioned. Reciting the Qur’an without understanding what it meant was simply a part of life; so, too, was obeying the imam and enduring beatings when he failed to attend the local mosque. Shaha was more drawn to science and its power to illuminate. As a teen, he lived between two worlds: the home controlled by his authoritarian father, and a school alive with books and ideas.

In a charming blend of memoir, philosophy, and science, Shaha explores the questions about faith and the afterlife that we all ponder. Through a series of loose ‘lessons’, he tells his own compelling story, drawing on the theories of some of history’s greatest thinkers and interrogating the fallacies that have impeded humanity for centuries. Shaha recounts how his education and formative experiences led him to question how to live without being tied to what his parents, priests, or teachers told him to believe, and offers insights so that others may do the same.

This is a book for anyone who thinks about what they should believe and how they should live. It’s for those who may need the facts and the ideas, as well as the courage, to break free from inherited beliefs. In this powerful narrative, Shaha shows that it is possible to live a compassionate, fulfilling, and meaningful life without God.

‘[A] moving memoir of enlightenment.’

The Age

‘If the style is a guide to the man, he is gentle and persuasive — the type of teacher you would have loved to have had educate you.’

Nick Cohen, The Observer

View all reviews

Professor Jim Al-Khalili OBE, physicist and broadcaster

Andrew Copson, director of the British Humanist Association

‘Moving, heartwarming, and thoughtful. Alom’s honest journey of why and how he has freed himself from religion will surely empower and inspire.’

Maryam Namazie, human rights activist

‘A book that destroys the cliche of the atheist as joyless rationalist and shows the humanity, love, and concern that often lies behind godless thinking.’

Robin Ince, UK comedian

‘Illuminates the route to a better destination for all those who seek what Alom found: namely, that precious liberty of mind which makes its possessor open to all good things.’

A.C. Grayling, author of The Good Book

Marcus Chown, author and broadcaster

‘Insightful, conversational, intelligent, enlightening, intimate, and just plain eye-opening. Shaha opens his life, his heart, and his mind to us in a compelling journey towards unbelief.’

Leslie Cannold, author of The Book of Rachael

‘An honest and often very moving story about valuing truth over hope, even in the face of grief.’

Tim Minchin, musician and comedian

‘Frisbee your skullcap, grill up a bacon sandwich, and enjoy The Young Atheist’s Handbook.’

John Safran, documentary-maker and broadcaster

Samira Ahmed, journalist and broadcaster

Adam Rutherford, science broadcaster

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Details

Format:Paperback

Size: 210mm × 135mm

Extent:240pp

ISBN (13):9781921844560

RRP:$27.99

Pub date:22 Feb 2012

Rights Held: UK & Commonwealth

Rights Sold: UK (Biteback), Audio (Audible)

High-res cover:Download Image

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AUTHOR

Alom Shaha

Alom Shaha was born in Bangladesh but grew up in London. A parent, teacher, science writer, and filmmaker, he has spent most of his professional life trying to share his passion for science and education with the public. Alom has produced, directed, and appeared in a number of television programmes for broadcasters such as the BBC, and has received fellowships from the National Endowment for Science, Technology, and the Arts (NESTA) and the Nuffield Foundation. He has represented his community as an elected politician and volunteered at a range of charitable organisations. He teaches at a comprehensive school in London and writes for a number of print and online publications, including The Guardian.