Excellent! Too bad this man is not alive today to offer his lectures. ( )

Ingersoll was a great orator of the 19th century, who also happened to be an outspoken atheist. In the best orations collected in this volume, he uses logic and common sense to demolish any case the bible has for being a moral book, and he also delights in lambasting the clergy. The other essays touch on the centennial of the American Revolution, his brother's death, and farming. At times, Ingersoll is prone to the prejudices of his time, calling Native Americans "savages"--although he says British soldiers in the Revolutionary War were worse. He also pretty much says that intelligent people can only develop in the proper climate of places like America. He believes strongly in the healing power of winter. Despite these shortcomings, Ingersoll was a strong opponent of slavery and the church's support of slavery forms part of his indictment of religion. This book is free on Amazon and from other sources. Ingersoll is a voice from the past who, despite his sometimes too flowery rhetoric, is well worth hearing from. And on occasion, he will surprise you with his dry humor. ( )