The Quotable Atheist - Available in the NSS online shop

Here’s a very recommendable book that should be on every non-believers bookshelf. The Quotable Atheist is just that – a great collection of quips and aphorisms by some of the world’s wittiest and wisest. Sensing a backlash against the fundamentalism and ignorance that have made America a worldwide laughing-stock, best-selling author Jack Huberman has collected a treasure trove of quotes by philosophers, scientists, poets, writers, artists, entertainers, and political figures. And not the usual suspects, either.

The colourful cast of atheist, agnostic, cynical, and spiritual characters includes Woody Allen, Lance Armstrong, Bjork, Buddha, George Carlin, Noam Chomsky, Larry Flynt, E.M. Forster, Benjamin Franklin, Sigmund Freud, Galileo, Matt Groening, Stephen Hawking, Christopher Hitchens, Thomas Jefferson, John Lennon, the Marquis de Sade, Carl Sagan, Sarah Silverman, Gertrude Stein, Howard Stern, Oscar Wilde, Virginia Woolf, and Frank Zappa. £9.99 plus £1.50 p&p.

And, while you leaf through your newly-purchased book, please take refreshment from one of our elegant and highly desirable beverage serving units (BSUs) – known by common folk as mugs (an ugly word that would surely be outlawed if we had the equivalent of the Academie Francaise in this country!). But there is nothing common or ugly about our BSUs. Indeed, they are unique and uniquely available only from our on-line boutique and sales outlet, which you can access at www.secularism.org.uk and make payment securely and with confidence from your credit card.

Ladies and gentlemen – if only we could share with you the many hundreds of testimonials of satisfaction that we have received from previous purchasers of our adorable, not to say, utilitarian beverage serving devices. Regrettably, recent Consumer Protection legislation precludes us from doing so, but you can take our word for it. You will never regret having purchased one or more of these lovely blue BSUs, adorned as they are with witty and wise sayings such as “The National Secular Society”, “Atheist” and “Happy Heathen”. They are formed from rare clay found only in the depths of the Tibetan plateau… (that’s enough of that – what were you saying about Consumer Protection laws? – ed).

Anyway, our mugs can be sent away for either through our website (as above) or by traditional postal methods (while they still exist) if a cheque is despatched with a note of your full particulars to our sumptuous office at NSS (Mugs), 25 Red Lion Square, London WC1R 4RL. Do this today and you will never regret it until the day you, or some clumsy guest, foolishly drops it and breaks the handle off.

30 May 2008