His Dark Materials

I'm coming in to this thread late, but I just have to say that I read the "His Dark Materials" trilogy last year and loved every single word.I cried, even.I could really relate to Lyra in many ways; the man understands the psyches of little girls.I read another one of his earlier books but it wasn't as good.I seem to be on a kids book bent these days between the above-mentioned series, the Harry Potter books, and Holes (anyone read that one?).I like good fiction but can never decide what to buy. I am going to be on a plane for 13 hours soon...any reccomendations for what to read?I want softback and entertaining. No histories or analysis. I want stories.So far I have purchased "Kitchen Confidential" by Anthony Bordaine.Help!

Thanks for the suggestions, Paul!

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From what I've heard about Kitchen Confidential I don't think that I would take it on a long flight. Unless it's to kill your appetite enough to refuse airline meals :-)

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I have worked in the retail food and restaurant business for almost 10 years...I know exactly what goes on in kitchens!Thanks for the concern for my appetite, however.

All recomendations appreciated!Here's what I have bought so far to read on the plane:Kitchen Confidential-scathing restaurant memoirThree Junes-chick novel about three familiesLife of Pi-wierd-sounding story about an Indian boy and a Bengal tiger trying to survive on a lifeboat after their ship sinks.The Man Who Ate Everything-Food Writer Jeffrey Steingarten describes how he overcame his many food predjudices.Comfort Me With Apples-Food Writer Rught Reichel chronicles her life in food where her last book (Tender at the Bone, which I loved) left off.Lonely Planet Guidebook's "Tokyo"All are books I have had in mind to read anyway.I am hoping to have the same experience as when I was 10; getting so lost in several books that a whole day would go by and I wouldn't even notice the passing of time.

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By my reading the only God in the multiverses is killed. That he was an imposter doesn't really matter. He was all the God there was. Turned out, everybody was better off without the fucker.

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That was my take on the books as well. That God was an imposter because he wasn't "all that", not that he wasn't God....if that makes sense.

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As Atheism becomes more and more evangelical it will cause people to actually think about which faith it is that makes the most sense to them.

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Or, if having any faith makes sense at all.

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Atheism is every bit as much a faith Christianity. You have faith that no God exists, which is something that you can't prove, and I have faith that God does exist which is something I can't prove.

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Actually, I'm an agnostic.I don't have any religious faith in anything.But tell me, do you have religious faith that Vishnu, or Loki, or Zeus, or Santa Claus don't exist?

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But you still have to base your life on some basic faith system.

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No, you don't, actually.

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As an Atheist you are putting your faith in the concept that humanity is on its own

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Not really.I don't actually know if humanity is on its own or not, but all the evidence seems to indicate that it is, so that's the working hypothesis I operate under until there's a reason to change it.See the difference? No faith, just evidence.

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and that there is no purpose or meaning to life beyond what we can discern from the physical world.

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I don't know if there is a purpose or meaning to this life other than that we determine for ourselves, but this certainly seems to be the case based upon the evidence. That is the working hypothesis I use, but I'll change it if there's ever evidence that I need to.See the difference? No faith, just evidence.

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There is no need to promote or evamngelize a non-faith.

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You don't think there's a need to promote the rejection of superstition in favor of rationality?I'll bet you would agree that there is such a need if we were discussing the promotion of the Heaven's Gate cult, or Homeopathy, or any number of irrational beliefs you don't personally adhere to.