As it happens, Jillette is only the latest in a long line of famous magicians to do so. Many readers will wonder why the author of previous books such as “ Penn & Teller’s How to Play With Your Food” and “ Cruel Tricks for Dear Friends” should find it necessary to hold forth on theology. Penn Jillette the author sounds much like Penn Jillette the performer - sharp and subversive with occasional dark notes, a carnival barker with a blackjack up his sleeve. The author claims he’s trying to give the reader a feel for “how one goofy atheist lives his life in turn-of-the-century America.” The goofy atheist in question is the larger, talking half of the legendary magic-comedy duo Penn & Teller, and “goofy” seems much too amiable a word to describe him. It’s fascinating to watch Jillette bounce from topic to topic - letters to Penthouse, nude Elvis impersonators, the Amazing Kreskin - pausing here and there to offer a parenthetical digression or a crisp, witty aside: “Tattoos used to mean you lived outside the law now tattoos mean you’ve been at a mall.” In truth, there are several truckloads of rambling. I’ve tried to throw in a couple of funny stories, and there’s a lot of rambling.” “This book is just some thoughts from someone who doesn’t know. ‘I am an atheist whack job that’s my culture,” writes Penn Jillette in this giddily blasphemous chronicle of his religious beliefs, or lack thereof.
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