God, no! : signs you may already be an atheist and other magical tales
(Book)

Jillette, of the wonderfully entertaining Penn & Teller stage magicians, entertainers, and debunkers of the pseudoscientific via their TV series, Penn & Teller: Bullshit! is adept at engaging our intellects as often as he tickles our funny bones. For some reason, though, he's adopted here the tone of an angry man, full of bluster and venom. Many segments of the book are clearly supposed to be funny, but they come off sounding arrogant or (even worse) insulting to the reader. The book's subject matter is certainly engaging: Jillette explores his atheism and urges readers to examine their own philosophical leanings (while reminding us that it doesn't take bravery or heroism to be an atheist, simply the ability to sa. I don't know ). There's some serious intellectual exploration here, and even an occasional profundity, but the tone is so angry and frequently condescending that many readers are likely to abandon the book before they've finished it. Still, Penn & Teller fans will surely be intrigued.--Pitt, Davi. Copyright 2010 Booklist

This hilarious and often jaw-dropping audio version of magician Penn Jillette's reimagining of the 10 Commandments is a delightful romp from start to finish. As a narrator, Jillette offers an inspired reading as he outlines his political and social viewpoints in a deep and raspy voice. From his personal feelings about Richard Nixon to his thoughts about organized religion, Jillette leaves no stone unturned-and he doesn't feel an ounce of shame about any of his opinions either. Unlike his silent on-stage partner, Jillette is never short on words. Listening to this larger-than-life performer rant is entertaining and pretty darn compulsive, too. Jillette proves to be as strong a writer and narrator as he is magician. A Simon & Schuster hardcover. (Aug.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

Admittedly digressive, tangential collection of random thoughts and observations about life from the perspective of a wise-cracking atheist.Critically acclaimed magician and comedian Jillette (The Bible of Unspeakable Truths, 2010, etc.) organizeshis latestinto chapters that replace each of the Ten Commandments with an atheistic suggestion on how to live life. As such, the author creates his own atheist-libertarian manifesto aimed to disgust and enrage any God-loving churchgoer who dares to peruse even a few pages. Many of his stories, however, do not directly preach atheism or criticize organized religion but instead illustrate "how one goofy atheist lives his life in turn-of-the-century America." Jillette delivers provocative commentary on a variety of controversial topics, such as global warming, 9/11 and airline security. These thoughts are interspersed with personal anecdotes about his outrageous adventures and escapades before and after becoming a celebrity, including sex while scuba-diving, relationships with strippers and a mishap involving a hair dryer and scorched genitals. While Jillette writes with a witty finesse that certainly adds humor to his stories, it is usually masked underneath layers of unbridled profanity and vulgarity. Favoring shock value, the author gives the impression that he would be extremely disappointed if his audience did not find him offensive.Fans of Jillette's outspoken sarcasm and indecency will not be disappointed.]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Jillette, of the wonderfully entertaining Penn & Teller—stage magicians, entertainers, and debunkers of the pseudoscientific via their TV series, Penn & Teller: Bullshit!—is adept at engaging our intellects as often as he tickles our funny bones. For some reason, though, he's adopted here the tone of an angry man, full of bluster and venom. Many segments of the book are clearly supposed to be funny, but they come off sounding arrogant or (even worse) insulting to the reader. The book's subject matter is certainly engaging: Jillette explores his atheism and urges readers to examine their own philosophical leanings (while reminding us that it doesn't take bravery or heroism to be an atheist, simply the ability to say "I don't know"). There's some serious intellectual exploration here, and even an occasional profundity, but the tone is so angry and frequently condescending that many readers are likely to abandon the book before they've finished it. Still, Penn & Teller fans will surely be intrigued. Copyright 2011 Booklist Reviews.