A Manual for Creating Atheists by Peter Boghossian

A Manual for Creating Atheists, Peter Boghossian. Durham N.C.: Pitchstone Publishing, 2013. e-book, 224 pps.


A Manual for Creating Atheists in its basic form utilizes the Socratic Method in order to talk people into basing their lives on reason rather than upon faith. This idea of converting people to atheism is a foreign one to me at best and not something that I have attempted to do in any way, shape, or form. Nevertheless, I did read through the entire book.

What I found was more than a bit of repetition which I could have done without, some antidotes which didn't peak my interests, and some clear definitions of terminology. While I appreciated the latter and the amount of research which went into A Manual for Creating Atheists, the premise wasn't my cup of tea. My preference is for each individual adult to believe and put into practice what makes sense to them without the rest of us always having to have an opinion about it. The same objections that I have to street evangelism hold true regardless of the topic being pushed.

sapphoq reviews says: The most valuable point in A Manual for Creating Atheists was the differentiating between faith and reason. Faith works backwards from the conclusion. Reason [and science] works forward from the evidence. I like scholarly attempts but this one by Peter Boghossian falls way short. The most strident atheists among us will appreciate this book and maybe even enact some of the conversation suggestions. The rest of us will shrug our shoulders. And the religious among us will not find anything valuable here. Not recommended.

The Sun Trail by Erin Hunter and Wayne McLoughlin

The Sun Trail (Warriors: Dawn of the Clans Series #1), Erin Hunter and Wayne McLoughlin. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 2013. e-book, 249 pps.


     I read The Sun Trail with delight. Once again, this Erin Hunter book following the development of [fictitious] cat clans captivated me.

     A group of cats taking refuge in a cave are barely surviving due to lack of food. There is a discussion and then some more discussion. Finally, the group splits into two. One group stays in the cave. The other group sets off along the sun trail to find a new place to live that can sustain it. A young male kit sneaks off with the second group and his mother is forced to send the kit's older brother off to ensure his safety.

sapphoq reviews says: This book traces the early history of the cat clans. There is much to like about The Sun Trail. For those parents who monitor what books their kids are reading, I think this one is suitable for teens and pre-teens. The series has attracted fans which include adolescent boys. And who doesn't love cats? These cats are more rugged than adorable. Yet the magic of kittens is found in the pages along with the charm and dignity of older cats. Highly recommended for pre-teens, teens, and those adults who love cats.

Sherwood Nation by Benjamin Parzybok

Sherwood Nation, Benjamin Parzybok.  Easthampton Mass.: Small Beer Press, 2014. eBook 444 pps.

https://twitter.com/sparkwatson  Benjamin Parzybok on Twitter (tm)

http://levinofearth.com/  on reddit (tm)

     Benjamin Parzybok has also written the book Couch which I read and reviewed some time ago.

     Portland, Oregon is hit with a drought. Corrupted politics separates the haves from the have nots. A young woman inadvertently sets up a micro-nation. She earns the nickname Maid Marian.

sapphoq reviews says: I am a fan of Benjamin Parzybok. I found Sherwood Nation to be an excellent depiction of what could be, especially in regards to the droughts that the western part of the United States experiences with regularity. The characters were vibrant and leapt off the pages, demanding to be heard. Yeah, highly recommended.

Presumed Guilty by Martin Yant

Presumed Guilty: when innocent people are wrongly convicted, Martin Yant. Amherst NY: Prometheus Books, 1991. ebook, 197 pps.


I used to say, "The American justice system is the greatest in the world." Things happened and then I added a caveat, "except when it doesn't work." The recent actions of our increasingly paranoid government politicians and agencies has caused me to re-evaluate my thinking and belief system. I am not so sure anymore. I've witnessed far too much injustice to make any such statements anymore.

Presumed Guilty was a horrifying book. Case after case was presented of innocent people who went to prison [and some who went to the electric chair] because of liars. The liars were found among prosecutors, police, expert witnesses so-called, people seeking revenge, and other players in the judicial system. In the scramble to get tough on crime and get re-elected, suspects are arraigned on multiple charges in the hopes that at least one or two of them will stick.

sapphoq reviews says: I'm all for the guilty being made to pay for their crimes. I am against innocent people being forced to pay for the actions of others. Martin Yant has written an important book. He is not just another liberal whining about people in prison. Read this book. Your views may also change a bit as a result. I am happy that there are people and agencies devoted to helping the truly innocent men and women serving time to get out and get free-- hopefully before they are put to death. Highly recommended.

The Last Child by John Hart

The Last Child, John Hart. New York: Minotaur Books, 2009. e-book, 397 pps. including preview from a next novel.


     The Last Child captivated me from the prologue onward. The story opens with a thirteen year old boy named Johnny. He is no ordinary kid. He knows how to drive. To the consternation of the police-- one Detective Hunt in particular-- Johnny will not give up driving.

     Johnny is equally at home in the woods. He knows things. He is a keen observer of animal nature and this ability gets him into trouble.

     Trouble surrounds Johnny. After a family tragedy, a horn-dog named Ken moved on in and his mother is the worst for it. Ken is not a nice man. And Johnny does not trust Detective Hunt.

     There is a cast of characters in The Last Child who are devious and mean. There are murders and manslaughter, betrayals and tests of friendships. And there are the woods of course. Ancient woods with mossy fragrances and dead bodies.

sapphoq reviews says: John Hart delivers a finely-crafted story which transported me into the back country of North Carolina and held me there until the last page. I don't mind a thirteen year old dropping f-bombs in a work of fiction. If you do, then skip this book. Nasty people abound. The Last Child was pure magic-- a coming of age tale that will stay with me for a very long time. Highly recommended.

Amunhotep El Bey

This review has been modified from the original and will remain thus unless my legal counsel advises me to take it down.


     The following is my sincerely held opinion as a reviewer of books:
Amunhotep El Bey charges fees between fifty and one hundred fifty d0llars [U.S.D.] for these e-books [on the date that I checked];
How to Beat Any Prior Conviction  50 dollars, 100 dollars.
How to Get out of Prison  100 dollars, 150 dollars.
How to Beat Any Criminal and Traffic Case 50 dollars, 100 dollars.
     In my sincerely held opinion as a reviewer of books, those prices are high for e-books which do not appear to be text books used in college-level courses taught at accredited colleges. Other titles are more reasonably priced.

     Although the other e-books written by Amunhotep El Bey were more reasonably priced [on the date that I checked], it is my sincerely held opinion as a reviewer of books that the other e-books appear to be written in a style of writing that I personally didn't care for. 



     Amunhotep El Bey states that he is "an honorary 33◦ degree Mason, comedian, philosopher, metaphysician, author, poet, historian, and a legal genius."

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/Amunhotep-El-Bey?store=allproducts&keyword=Amunhotep+El+Bey

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/how-to-become-a-twitter-god-amunhotep-el-bey/1109601468?ean=2940012845054

https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/TooCooL747

https://www.blogger.com/profile/13994929667719457024

https://thebestebook.info/

https://twitter.com/TooCooL747


     An honorary 33◦ degree Mason is one who is recognized for excellent service according to this website: 
https://www.masonicinfo.com/33rdsrule.htm. 
     This is a great honor in the Scottish Rite system. [The lodge in New Castle, Pennsylvania is stunning and should be seen by anyone who happens to be in the area].
     Towards the bottom of the above mentioned webpage at
https://www.masonicinfo.com/33rdsrule.htm, it is suggested that evidence of this achievement be inquired after. 


     These are somewhat self explanatory: 
comedian, philosopher, author, poet, historian. 


     I had to look up the word metaphysician, sometimes spelled as meta-physician. The websites below informed me that a metaphysician is a philosopher who studies the nature of reality and/or a modern day healer:

https://catherinecollautt.com/blog/what-is-a-metaphysician/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metaphysics


     Bertrand Russell wrote a humorous piece which is reproduced here:

https://stevereads.com/cache/metaphysicians_nightmare.html


     There are on-line universities which confer such degrees after a period of time spent taking the prescribed courses. One such place is found at:

https://umsonline.org/career.htm



     I'm not sure what a legal genius is. Perhaps it is a claim to vast intelligence about the law or legal system. At any rate, there is actually a really cool mug that says "legal genius" that one can purchase:

https://www.carbolicsmokeball.com/legal-genius-mug.html#.VCt4kfldV8E



sapphoq reviews says: I do not care for the New Age at all. I distrust most on-line universities. I abhor any claims having to do with healing that are not backed up by science. Having said that, it is my sincerely held opinion as a reviewer of books that Amunhotep El Bey's e-books would benefit from the services of a professional proof-reader and/or editor. And while I appreciate the amount of work that goes into writing a book, it remains my sincerely held opinion as a reviewer of books that the more highly priced e-books would benefit from a price reduction.


References regarding defamation, libel, and the First Amendment of our Constitution:

https://www.chillingeffects.org/topics/1 [*wonderful site]

https://www.popehat.com/2013/09/26/so-youve-been-threatened-with-a-defamation-suit/   [*personal favorite]

https://www.eff.org/issues/bloggers/legal/liability/defamation  [*I love the E.F.F.].

https://www.dmlp.org/legal-guide/defamation

https://www.bmartin.cc/dissent/documents/defamation.html

https://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/defamation-law-made-simple-29718.html

https://scholarship.law.missouri.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3234&context=mlr&sei-redir=1&referer=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2Fcse%3Fq%3Dlaw%2Bthat%2Bprotects%2Bbook%2Breviewers%2Bfrom%2Bbeing%2Bcharged%2Bwith%2Bdefamation%2Bof%2Bcharacter%26cref%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fwwww.thesocialsearcher.com%252Fcse%252Fv1.xml#search=%22law%20protects%20book%20reviewers%20from%20being%20charged%20defamation%20character%22