Nothing: Something to Believe in

by Nica Lalli

Book Overview

What is it like to grow up in a house with no religion? What kind of experiences does someone have when one is not a believer and yet comes into constant contact with religion? How can a person find out what they are when they focus primarily on what they are not? These are the questions raised in the memoir Nothing. With humor, wit, and poignant insight, Nica Lalli recounts her mishaps and misadventures with religion from early childhood into her...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 159102529X
• ISBN13: 9781591025290
• Release Date: March 2007
• Publisher: Prometheus Books
• Length: 224 Pages
• Weight: 3.25 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.4" x 8.3"

Customer Reviews

Great!!

I was looking for a book to help me understand some of the things my son has been experiencing growing up in our non-religious household when all of his friends' families practice religions of one sort or another (I was raised as a somewhat conservative Mormon, so non-religious parenting is new for me). I found his book incredibly helpful and very fun to read! I would highly recommend it!

Great look inside the life and mind of an atheist

This book is different than most of the atheist books on the market today, because it includes no arguments against religion or the existence of god. It has no arguments at all, except for those that Nica had with her family members in the past. This book is the story of Nica's personal journey from being uncomfortable as the only child in her school who was "nothing" to her coming to terms with the fact that she really does have many things to believe in, but none of them have anything to do with god or religion. The book is well written, funny, touching, and always interesting. Nica is open and honest about the twists and turns in her own spiritual adventures and search for meaning outside of the religious American mainstream. Sometimes a personal story does more to get to the heart of an issue than pages and pages of logical argument and polemics. I think Nothing should be required reading for both believers and unbelievers because it shows that we actually have more in common than is often acknowledged.

Wonderful Read that everyone can garner something from

The great thing about the book is that its about an average person working through one of life's challenges - who am I and what do I believe. Lalli's telling of her journey is entertaining, witty, humourous, which makes the book highly enjoyable. I find it hard to believe that anyone wouldn't be able to find something in the book to indentify with and be inspired by. On a related note - in response to Maria's review below of "disappointing" - Isn't the whole point that it's OK to be who you are without proselytizing to others? The way I read it, in the end she resolved the conflict she had with herself, so the characters were there to help her come to terms with who she really was.

Something to relate to...

I picked this up on a whim one night, started reading it when I got home, and I just couldn't put it down! So many of Nica's experiences seemed like my own, and I even cried at parts. This memoir shows what it's like to be a "nothing" in America. And more importantly, it shows that we're really not all that different from everybody else. I highly recommend this, no matter if you're a "nothing" or a "something." This memoir has something everyone can relate to-- the struggle everyone goes through in life to find oneself, to define one's own beliefs.

Excellent Memoir of Nonbelief

With all of the hype around books such as The God Delusion and Letter to a Christian Nation, I am sure that many people feel surrounded by the supposed "New Atheism" (a misnomer; the term only exists since we all got a bit louder). While the other two review the scientific and social reasons for atheism and religion, this book instead is a personal account of nonbelief and will leave readers of all religions feeling that they have made a new connection with nonbelievers. While the other books out today dwell on the differences between nonbelievers and believers, this book shows how similar we all are, how many experiences we share, and the reasons nonbelievers feel uncomfortable with many aspects of society. Not to mention this is an excellent read, I couldn't put it down! I would recommend this book to anyone, especially people who feel like they "don't get" nonbelievers, including those who answered in recent polls that they would not vote for an atheist or allow a child to marry one.