It is hard to write one review about a compilation of 50 different essays. It is quite a mixed bag. Most of them were good. A few really stood out as great. Several just rehashed all the old points in the style of a beginning writer, who seemed to write the essay more for their own therapy than the reader’s benefit, which isn’t a bad thing.
Overall I would recommend this to a newbie atheist, as it can help firm up your thoughts to make them more readily expressed if the need should ever arise. Also, it can help to see that there are many others out there who see things the way you do. In our society, atheism can be a lonely, isolating experience.
Reading this inspires me to write an essay, in order to push myself to consolidate and clarify my thoughts on this, so I could better express them.
If you have read a lot of books about atheism, you might not find much here that you haven’t already read. I don’t mean that to put down this compilation, just to help people have reasonable expectations.
If there is one take-away to get from this book, it is that religion in general should be viewed not just as a harmless belief that some chose to follow, (or more often, don’t bother to reject). We need to see it more for what it is, a harmful system that has injured many people specifically, and more generally harmed and impeded our society as a whole. It is something we need to help society overcome and leave behind before we can truly improve life. I don’t want to call it a call to arms, but an encouragement to be bold. Athiests should not hide in fear of rejection, but instead should lead the discussion. The religious speak boldy when they are confident that truth is on their side. Could we not do the same?