The Mortal Atheist
The Mortal Atheist
Secular discussions about mortality and meaning

Welcome to The Mortal Atheist, where I blog about death, dying, and meaning from a secular perspective. If you’re interested in the latest blog posts from every topic, check out BLOG in the top right. Otherwise, “Books on Mortality” is where you’ll find my reviews of books about mortality, death, grief, etc., and “Books on Meaning” for reviews on meaning, spirituality, and transcendence; “Interviews” and “Discussions” has just about everything else. Have ideas for future posts or just want to say hi? Send me an email.

Books on Mortality
Should You Choose to Live Forever? (Stephen Cave and John Martin Fischer)
Should You Choose to Live Forever? (Stephen Cave and John Martin Fischer)
Free Yourself from Death Anxiety (Rachel E. Menzies and David Veale)
Free Yourself from Death Anxiety (Rachel E. Menzies and David Veale)
On the Shortness of Life (Seneca)
On the Shortness of Life (Seneca)
When Words Are Not Enough (Jane Harris and Jimmy Edmonds)
When Words Are Not Enough (Jane Harris and Jimmy Edmonds)
Heaven and Hell (Bart D. Ehrman)
Heaven and Hell (Bart D. Ehrman)
Book List 2: 100 Books about Mortality
Book List 2: 100 Books about Mortality
The Grim Reader (edited by Maura Spiegel and Richard Tristman)
The Grim Reader (edited by Maura Spiegel and Richard Tristman)
Novels about Death
Novels about Death
Ashes to Admin (Evie King)
Ashes to Admin (Evie King)
Sister Death – Political Theologies for Living and Dying (Beatrice Marovich)
Sister Death – Political Theologies for Living and Dying (Beatrice Marovich)
Die With Zero (Bill Perkins)
Die With Zero (Bill Perkins)
Stiff (Mary Roach)
Stiff (Mary Roach)
Living in the Light of Death (Larry Rosenberg with David Guy)
Living in the Light of Death (Larry Rosenberg with David Guy)
The Light of the World (Elizabeth Alexander)
The Light of the World (Elizabeth Alexander)
What Dying People Want (David Kuhl)
What Dying People Want (David Kuhl)
The Human Predicament (David Benatar)
The Human Predicament (David Benatar)
Books on Meaning & Spirituality
An Immense World (Ed Yong)
An Immense World (Ed Yong)
No Nonsense Spirituality (Brittney L. Hartley)
No Nonsense Spirituality (Brittney L. Hartley)
Unseen Beings (Erik Jampa Andersson)
Unseen Beings (Erik Jampa Andersson)
Books about Meaning and Purpose for Atheists
Books about Meaning and Purpose for Atheists
Books about Spirituality for Atheists
Books about Spirituality for Atheists
The Transcendent Brain (Alan Lightman)
The Transcendent Brain (Alan Lightman)
Nature Is Enough (Loyal Rue)
Nature Is Enough (Loyal Rue)
The Sacred Depths of Nature (Ursula Goodenough)
The Sacred Depths of Nature (Ursula Goodenough)
The Contemplative Skeptic (Barrett A. Evans)
The Contemplative Skeptic (Barrett A. Evans)
Life on Purpose (Victor J. Stretcher)
Life on Purpose (Victor J. Stretcher)
Finding Purpose in a Godless World (Ralph Lewis)
Finding Purpose in a Godless World (Ralph Lewis)
The Little Book of Atheist Spirituality (André Comte-Sponville)
The Little Book of Atheist Spirituality (André Comte-Sponville)
Flourish (Martin Seligman)
Flourish (Martin Seligman)
Savoring (Bryant and Veroff)
Savoring (Bryant and Veroff)
The Brain and the Meaning of Life (Paul Thagard)
The Brain and the Meaning of Life (Paul Thagard)
Discussions
Books about Meaning and Purpose for Atheists
Books about Meaning and Purpose for Atheists
Books about Spirituality for Atheists
Books about Spirituality for Atheists
Book List 2: 100 Books about Mortality
Book List 2: 100 Books about Mortality
Novels about Death
Novels about Death
Full Summary of John Vervaeke’s “Awakening from the Meaning Crisis”
Full Summary of John Vervaeke’s “Awakening from the Meaning Crisis”
The Secular Satisfaction of Death (Bruce Ledewitz)
The Secular Satisfaction of Death (Bruce Ledewitz)
Spirituality for Atheists
Spirituality for Atheists
Why do we fear death?
Why do we fear death?
10 Books about Death for Atheists
10 Books about Death for Atheists
What happens to an atheist when they die?
What happens to an atheist when they die?
Interviews
Interview with Brittney Hartley (author and atheist spiritual director)
Interview with Brittney Hartley (author and atheist spiritual director)
Interview with Stephen Cave (author and philosopher)
Interview with Stephen Cave (author and philosopher)
Interview with Valerie Jack (author)
Interview with Valerie Jack (author)
Interview with Meredith E (mortal atheist)
Interview with Meredith E (mortal atheist)
Interview with Carol Fiore (author)
Interview with Carol Fiore (author)
Interview with Penny Hawkins (hospice nurse)
Interview with Penny Hawkins (hospice nurse)
Interview with Claudia Biçen (artist and designer)
Interview with Claudia Biçen (artist and designer)
Interview with Sheldon Solomon (professor/psychologist)
Interview with Sheldon Solomon (professor/psychologist)
Interview with Annetta Mallon (death doula)
Interview with Annetta Mallon (death doula)
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