In Filling the Void, editor Jonathan MS Pearce has compiled a collection of humanist and atheist poetry which brings a mix of voices on the subjects together like never before seen.
The voices throughout the book force the reader to contemplate, agree and even at times strongly disagree with a statement by a poet, as when Norman Littleford recites in his poem Serious Clown that atheism "is the only true religion."
While Littleford is not implying that atheism is a religion, it forces the reader into an uncomfortable mindset in which we remember that Christians the like tell us on a daily basis that atheism is, in fact, a religion.
When asked to review this book, my main hesitation was that I personally don't find my pleasure in reading poetry. Before this book, the last poetry I enjoyed came from Stephen Perry's Questions About God.
Yet, I found myself turning each page, enjoying each line and found the challenge of understanding the authors intentions to be a wonderful exercise of the mind.
If you're a fan of poetry or just fan of being forced to think in ways you never have before, I highly recommend picking up Filling the Void.
Available now on Amazon.
Dan Arel