Mark Vernon is a writer, broadcaster and journalist. His academic interests led him from physics to philosophy via theology (he began his professional life as a priest in the Church of England). He went freelance ten years ago and now writes regularly for the Guardian, The Philosophers’ Magazine, TLS, Financial Times and New Statesman, alongside a range of business titles, including Management Today. He also broadcasts, notably on BBC Radio 4’s In Our Time.
Mark’s most recent book is Plato’s Podcasts: The Ancients’ Guide to Modern Living. You can hear a podcast about that book by clicking here. His other publications include: Wellbeing, After Atheism, The Philosophy of Friendship, and Science, Religion and the Meaning of Life.
On Religion, John Caputo (2001)
This book appeared in 2001. Had those folk who waged battle in the God wars of the decade read it first, we might have had a more informed debate.
Caputo aims to do a difficult thing: define religion. He does so with great verve, seeing that at heart, religion is a form of love – for good or ill.
The Athenian Murders, José Carlos Somoza (2001)
It is rare for a novel to combine the excitement of the thriller with the insight of great philosophy.
Umberto Eco manages it, and Somoza does too, in a plot that starts with an apparently minor conundrum and ends up engaging nothing less than the secret of knowledge itself. Brilliant.
The Kingdom of Infinite Space: A Fantastical Journey Around Your Head, Raymond Tallis (2008)
I read this book whilst taking a long train trip, and it was so engaging that when I got off, I’d swear I saw the world in brighter colours.
Tallis combines the science of the body with the philosophy of consciousness and, pulling no punches, produces a truly remarkable exploration of what goes on with our heads.
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