Humanly Possible

By Sarah Bakewell,

Book cover of Humanly Possible: Seven Hundred Years of Humanist Freethinking, Inquiry, and Hope

Book description

Seven hundred years of heroic humanists (and their enemies), from the acclaimed author of How to Live and At The Existentialist Cafe

THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

***AS READ ON RADIO 4***

The bestselling, prizewinning author of How to Live and At the Existentialist Cafe explores 700 years of writers,…

When you buy books, we may earn a commission that helps keep our lights on (or join the rebellion as a member).

Why read it?

1 author picked Humanly Possible as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

This book shocked me. It shouldn’t have, I knew that humanist ideas have been oppressed and their advocates killed and persecuted.

But reading about it in the course of history and how much of these ideas seem the most natural to me, are continuing to be challenged by official authorities and more subtle lobbies that shape social narratives was very eye opening.

Fighting for freedom will never be easy, but always be the most important thing we can do. 

Want books like Humanly Possible?

Our community of 12,000+ authors has personally recommended 99 books like Humanly Possible.

Browse books like Humanly Possible

Book cover of The Lies That Bind: Rethinking Identity
Book cover of Straw Dogs: Thoughts on Humans and Other Animals
Book cover of All About Love: New Visions

Share your top 3 reads of 2024!

And get a beautiful page showing off your 3 favorite reads.

1,531

readers submitted
so far, will you?

5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in humanism, existentialism, and the Age of Enlightenment?

Humanism 34 books
Existentialism 67 books