God Is an Atheist: A Novella for Those Who Have Run Out of Time - Softcover

Nosirrah, N.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1591810728 ISBN 13: 9781591810728

Publisher: Sentient Publications, 2008

Synopsis

A profoundly funny romp through religion, spirituality, and the contemporary clash of cultures of belief, with special attention to the human obsession with knowing what can't be known. Nosirrah provokes just about everyone as he describes a world where God is on the run from Islamic extremists, the Pope announces he shares a bed with Richard Dawkins, and Buddha's son disappoints by getting enlightened instead of becoming a doctor. To say this novella is strange might give the reader a way to relate to it, but in fact, nothing will shift the burden away from the reader. In its pages, the world is bent around the reader's mind until either the mind itself begins to bend, or indeed, breaks. A book without plot, characters, structure, or obvious purpose, this is an endless descent into the netherworlds of a dystopian mind. If a thousand monkeys typing endlessly would eventually produce all great works of literature, then God Is an Atheist is their first draft.

About this title

About the Author:

N. Nosirrah is a writer and philosopher who asks his readers to question their existence, God's existence, and in particular, Nosirrah's existence. He has said that those who understand his writings have no need to meet him, those who do not have no reason to meet him, and those who need to meet him have no need to read his writings.

Review:

God as an atheist is like a novelist who doesn't believe in novels. So perhaps it's fitting that N. Nosirrah's highly amusing and deeply thoughtful God is an Atheist is a novella. Specifically, it's "a novella for those who have run out of time." "This is a story without plot, characters, structure, or obvious purpose," Nosirrah writes. "If a thousand monkeys typing endlessly would eventually produce all the great works of literature, then this is their first draft." Nosirrah isn't kidding when he says there's no plot. At the start of the book, he nearly runs God over as He is crossing the street. As way of apology, Nosirrah takes God to a coffeeshop and they talk, although it's as much of a transcendental encounter as a conversation. Nosirrah calls it "magical existentialism." In the exchange, God admits He is an atheist. The novella is Nosirrah's account of the encounter, which is really just a flimsy--but very cleverly executed--excuse for the author to talk about big-picture concepts like belief and being. He does it with a court jester's demeanor, though. The result is a text that reads like the caffeinated love-child of flip stream-of-consciousness and thoughtful wit, raised by lonely mountaintop guru starved for human contact. Nosirrah babbles along merrily, with almost incessant, indomitable charm. Hints of cynicism creep in, but Nosirrah always pulls back from the brink with a good-natured shoulder shrug or, better yet, a smart-ass remark. The book is not intended as a religious or an anti-religious diatribe. There's plenty to offend believers and nonbelievers alike. But there's also plenty of thoughtful fodder about the nature of belief itself. There's also, running as an undercurrent, a sincere appeal to readers to think about what God means to them. It's too hipster, too manic, and too self-aware to get too deep--but the book also gives off enough vibes to suggest that this is, indeed, deep stuff if the reader slows down long enough to really dive in for him or herself. In the meantime, Nosirrah barrels along, pummeling the reader with witty banter, pop culture references, and classical philosophy gussied up as slapstick (picture an apoplectic Immanuel Kant getting red-faced and bug-eyed). God never takes Himself too seriously--and far from being all-knowing and all-powerful, He can't even place Mother Theresa, although He says He'll try and Google the name when He gets home. God is an Atheist is a quick yet provocative read--although whether it provokes thought, anger, or mere annoyance will depend on the reader. Nosirrah is either irresistibly engaging or in dire need of Ritalin. But his whirling dervish style is distinctive and smart. He offers much to think about and much to laugh about, too. -- Scholars & Rogues, July 7, 2008

About this edition

• Publisher: Sentient Publications
• Publication date: 2008
• ISBN 10: 1591810728
• ISBN 13: 9781591810728
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 119