I have to say this is a hilarious book. I also have to say, if you are a person who is not 100% confident in your faith, whatever it may be, it might not be a great idea to read it. You may do nothing more than stir an inner conflict and miss the utter hilarity of this work. The author is a former fundamentalist Christian who has embraced Secular Humanism as her new faith. She claims it is in no way a religion, but she is practicing it as one and trying to proselytize it just as she did her former faith many years ago. Irreverent, like it could be anything else, and charming at points, this book is a scream. Not from cover to cover, but some of the synopses and outlines are truly side splitting. The writing does not really attack Judaism. There are only a few references to that faith and others. It primarily rages against Christianity and Islam to a lesser extent. The critical analyses given of Biblical text is strict of a Christian nature and from the Christian Bible. There are a few references to the Koran but the thrust of this work is to rail against fundamentalist Christianity. Though humorous and not likely to offend anyone other than Christians, sadly, the author embraces her newly found faith, or lack thereof as she maintains, with the same fervor as her former one. Readers are now to believe mankind will be delivered from all social affliction and economic adversity if only Secular Humanism is accepted by all. Euthanasia, secularism, nihilism, all lauded as agents of deliverance from the yoke of organized religion, but no mention of the atrocities committed upon mankind by those same ideals. The author never goes on to rationalize her ideology to its logical conclusion. What will happen to the old and infirm if our society does not regard them as useful or productive? How will international disputes be settled with a humanistic morality? One wherein there is nothing but antipathy for religion and tradition and one wherein survival of the fittest reigns supreme? The world has already seen and felt the sad results of this thinking. I am not sure if the author knows who Nietzsche was, but her philosophy is quite the same, only driven by the same evangelical enthusiasm she claims she so loathes. Other than the naivete of the basic premise of the book, it's a great read and a lot of fun. Not to be taken too seriously and not to be taken as a basis of human endeavor, no matter hat the writer says.

With this collection of essays, rants, and email responses sent to her website, "The Happy Heretic", Hayes has constructed a book on atheism/freethought/civil liberties that is by turns hysterically funny and appallingly tragic.

From tales of people seeing the Virgin Mary in a waffle to the Pope declaring that "Gravity Exists!" Hayes explores the lengths to which people will go to in order to satisfy their hunger for a "miracle". On the darker side, the author submits personal accounts of people in her own life that have sacrificed their freedoms, intellect, and even the safety of their own children in order to be a part of a religious system that offers to do the thinking for them.

One does not need to be an atheist to get something out of this book. Hayes' attack isn't on God; but rather on the crimes perpetuated by people who claim a form of "divine right" to force their beliefs on others.

(...)This book means more to me than any other I've ever read.(...) Judith Hayes, now my favorite author, makes this one of the easiest read due to it's wit, sharpness, and non-repetitiveness. This book can be read in a sitting quite easily, just because it's so hard to put down. I have never read a book that had me going through so many different emotions. I laughed (oh, did I laugh!), cried, and just inhaled fresher air with every page I read. (...) This book, in the most uproarious and effortless way, presents the facts without trying to coerce you into believing on thing or another. All she seems to ask is for you to think about. I really enjoyed the examples of a humanists reaction to pretty difficult (and joyous) situations that she has in one of the chapters. (...) This is an easy read that is well worth it, especially if you are in doubt about your viewpoint (from any background), or you are just feeling needless guilt that I've found faith-based religion often supplies. (...)

As she approaches her 60th birthday, Vicomptesse Eve de Lancel remembers her years as a madcap music hall singer before her marriage into the Lancel champagne family.

Her daughters, beautiful Delphine and the irrepressible Freddy, live adventurous and sometimes scandalous lives. Delphine is a seductive actress and Freddy a flamboyant aviatrix. While Delphine struggles through the German occupation of WWII Paris, Freddy plies the skies of Britain, delivering Spitfires to RAF squadrons. Brother Bruno plots his way to a fortune.

This one's a slow starter but if you're a Krantz fan you won't be disappointed in the last 2/3rds of the book. The characters are unpredictable and once it gets going, readers become more and more involved in the story. It's an entertaining way to spend an afternoon.

I am admittedly not a great fan of Judith Krantz's upperclass, usually eccentric and oversexed protagonists, but this novel about three women (the mother and two daughters) who, in their private way, become heroines of the World Wars, truly impressed me. Krantz weaves a very tight atmosphere around her settings, giving even the most unlikely situations cerrdibility (like one scene where a freight plane plays 'dare' with a Messerschmitt propelled fighter-and wins!)

This and other slightly unhistorical accounts are what made me subtract a star from the rating, but as far as reading pleasure goes, I could not put this book down. I started it at around ten p.m., and was still at it by five in the morning, so well had the characters and the storylines caught me.

I recommend reading this book, so long as you're not looking for a lesson in European history, but for a story and protagonists that you can feel for.

It was action packed. A wonderful saga with a bit of romance. The characters came alive, especially Mac!!

Here is a perfect example of wasted time. An over paid over opinionated author with little or no clue to what THEY wrote. Asking US to believe words they have twisted. This is the typical, "I'll wave my hands in the air and hope to be seen."style of defiance that went out in the 60's.Why would one expect to have others believe,what they have written is true,when THEY say what has been written before them is fraudulent?.It is an opinon that has little effect on life as we know it.Always let your conscience be your guide.

"Free thinker?" Try non-thinker. I must laugh whenever I read someone state as an absolute truth that there is no absolute truth. The contradiction is self evident, but they're not in the Bible. I've read much better efforts than this piece. Usually on the back of the door on a bathroom stall...

This book is good for beginners. It does provide some adequate criticisms of christianity, but, at times, is too emotional. As a scientist, I am logical and must be emotionless, and prefer books that are the same. Mrs. Hayes does know what she is talking about, and writes with just a touch of sarcasm. Perhaps the last chapter should have been the first chapter. This is not a scholarly book for serious study, but for light reading.