Great Freethinkers: Selected Quotations By Famous Skeptics & Nonconformists

by James C. Sanford (Editor)

Grouped into categories that range from religion and psychology to sex and politics, the 1,000 quotations by the world's great iconoclasts and skeptics collected in this volume challenge conventional notions of god, country, science, art, society, and culture. In eclectic harmony, the words of cynics Mark Twain, Ambrose Bierce, and H. L. Mencken counterbalance those of idealists Ralph Waldo Emerson, Albert Einstein, and Jane Addams. Utopians Emma Goldman and Che Guevara contrast with anti-utopians George Orwell and Albert Camus. Individualists contend with egalitarians as do deists with atheists in these thought-provoking quotations that have been carefully selected from a broad range of writings and chosen on the basis of their wit, eloquence, novelty, and incisiveness.

Genres: Nonfiction

264 pages, Hardcover

First published May 31, 2004

About the author

Trained as a historian, James Sanford has had an active career as college professor, rare book dealer, and most recently, writer and editor. His field of interest is politics and religion in contemporary America, although he strays into other areas as well. Of special concern to him is the country's ideological dysfunction and what lies behind it. Currently, he writes articles in the electronic media, contributes a blog at PoliticalOptic.com, and is the author of two books.

Reviews

[Christina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an interesting book that makes me want to read the books, speeches, and plays they are derived from. I am buying this book.

[Edward · Rating 3 out of 5]

just what u think it is

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book---very useful and well selected collection of quotes