Last night Alom Shaha launched his new book The Young Atheist’s Handbook: Living a Good Life Without God. The event, which was organised by the British Humanist Association (BHA), included a drinks reception and talks from several BHA distinguished supporters, followed by a reading from the book and a question and answer session. The book is made up of a series of ‘lessons’, which combine factual content with a personal narrative. They take in the religious beliefs and practices of Alom’s childhood, the contrast between his strict family life on a council estate and his education at a privileged private school, his growing interest in science, his philosophical reflections and his questioning of received wisdom.
Alom is a physics teacher, writer, film-maker and science communicator. In The Young Atheist’s Handbook he describes his upbringing in a strict Bangladeshi Muslim area in south-east London in the 1970s and 80s. He outlines the intellectual journey which led him to atheism, and to his belief that it is possible to live a compassionate, fulfilling, and meaningful life without God. He also hopes that the book will be a handbook for those who may need the facts, ideas, and courage to break free from inherited beliefs, and that it will help them decide for themselves what they believe and who they want to be.
The event was introduced by BHA Chief Executive Andrew Copson in a packed Conway Hall. This was followed by a series of lively and enlightening talks from comedian Robin Ince, broadcaster Samira Ahmed, geneticist Adam Rutherford, and philosopher A. C. Grayling. Alom then read a passage from the book, in which he described various experiences of his teenage years: youthful misdeeds, the response of his strict disciplinarian father, and the postgraduate student lodging in his house who provided him with a positive role model. Alom then took part in an engaging question and answer session with Robin Ince, before mingling with the audience to sign copies of the book.
The book is published in the UK by Biteback Publishing, and will be available from 19 July.
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For further comment or information contact Pavan Dhaliwal, Head of Public Affairs at pavan@humanists.uk or on 0773 843 5059.
Alom Shaha’s website:
http://alomshaha.com/
Details of how to buy the book:
http://alomshaha.com/buy-the-book.html
Pre-order the book on Amazon:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Young-Atheists-Handbook-Lessons-without/dp/1849543119/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1342005154&sr=1-1
Biteback Publishing:
http://www.bitebackpublishing.com/
The British Humanist Association is the national charity working on behalf of ethically concerned, non-religious people in the UK. It is the largest organisation in the UK campaigning for an end to religious privilege and to discrimination based on religion or belief, and for a secular state.