Resources
There is no ‘required reading’ in order to identify yourself as a Humanist, but we often hear from people that they would like to learn more about this philosophy of life. The following are a few resources that allow you to find out more about the history of Humanism, famous Humanists and Humanism in popular culture…
The British Humanist Association offers a simple guide:
The Really Simple Guide to Humanism
Free courses in Humanism are offered by the Humanist Institute at:
http://cohe.humanistinstitute.org/free-courses
Find out how to celebrate Humanism on World Humanist Day:
http://iheu.org/humanism/world-humanist-day/
You are in good company – have a look at this list of famous Humanists:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_secular_humanists
Stay informed by reading this Canadian Humanist magazine:
http://www.humanistperspectives.org
Further Reading
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The Philosophy of Humanism – Corliss Lamont
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Good without God, what a billion non-religious people do believe
– by Greg Epstein, -
Humanism: A Very Short Introduction – Stephen Law
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Freethinkers: A History of American Secularism – Susan Jacoby
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Making the Manifesto – William Schulz
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The Good Book: A Humanist Bible – A.C. Grayling
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Parenting Beyond Belief – Dale McGowan
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The Magic of Reality – Richard Dawkins
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Letter to a Christian Nation – Sam Harris
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Why I Am Not a Christian – Bertrand Russell
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Why are You Atheists So Angry? – Greta Christina
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Comforting Thoughts about Death that have Nothing to do with God
– Greta Christina -
The Quest for a Moral Compass: A Global History of Ethics
– Kenan Malik
Humanism in Popular Culture
The following are a collection of films, television shows, books and authors that may appeal to Humanists. They may not be aimed specifically at Humanists, but they embrace a Humanist mindset.
Movies
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American Beauty (1999)
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Inherit the Wind (1960)
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Monty Python’s Life of Brian (1979)
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Cosmos with Carl Sagan (1980)
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Little Buddha (1993)
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The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
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The Crucible (1996)
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Chocolat (2000)
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Jesus Camp (2006)
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The Invention of Lying (2009)
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Agora (2009)
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Creation (2009)
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The Nature of Existence (2010)
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The Grey (2012)
TV Shows
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Star Trek
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Firefly
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The Wire
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The Mentalist
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QI
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Doctor Who
Literature
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Candide – Voltaire
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Sirens of the Titan – Kurt Vonnegut
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The Handmaid’s Tale – Margaret Atwood
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1984 – George Orwell
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Peaches for Monsieur le Cure – Joanne Harris
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Letters from the Earth – Mark Twain
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The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy – Douglas Adams
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Brave New World – Aldous Huxley
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The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam
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The Elegance of the Hedgehog – Muriel Barbery
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His Dark Materials Trilogy – Phillip Pullman
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Good Omens – Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett



Humanist Authors
Many of the people on this list have identified themselves as Humanists, others write with a Humanist perspective that makes their books well worth a read. A few specific book suggestions are included below.
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Louisa May Alcott
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Isaac Asimov
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Margaret Atwood
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L. Frank Baum
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Ambrose Bierce
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Charles Dickens
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Alexander Dumas
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Neil Gaiman
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Joanne Harris
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Nathaniel Hawthorne
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Robert Heinlein
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Aldous Huxley
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Jack London
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H.P. Lovecraft
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James A. Michener
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A.A. Milne
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George Orwell
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Edgar Allen Poe
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Beatrix Potter
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Terry Pratchett
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Philip Pullman
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Gene Roddenberry
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Dr. Seuss
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Robert Louis Stevenson
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Mark Twain
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Kurt Vonnegut
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H.G. Wells
Rescue Lake Simcoe Coalition
Little Res Q (non-profit turtle rescue)
True North Aid
World Beyond War (this one operates globally)
Canadian Voice of Women for Peace
UTM Direct Action and Art Society
Canadian Friends Service Committee (social activism)
F.R.O.G.S. (Forbidden Roads Over Green Spaces)
Action Canada for Sexual Health & Rights
Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives