Price: $36.99 as of 11/08/2009 10:46 EST
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Binding: Hardcover
EAN: 9780007231607
Format: Import
ISBN: 0007231601
Label: HarperCollins Entertainment
Manufacturer: HarperCollins Entertainment
Number Of Pages: 240
Publication Date: August 07, 2006
Publisher: HarperCollins Entertainment
Studio: HarperCollins Entertainment
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Average Rating: 
Rating:  -
There are already over 100 reviews on this book, most of which talk about the content of it. Rather than add yet another you will likely skim over and ignore, I'm going to talk about the quality of the hard cover version of the book.
Many of the reviews comment about the rather poor quality of the paperback. It gets bent, curls, falls apart, or otherwise is just not that sturdy. The hard cover on the other hand is much better. This is how the book should have been published in the first place. The cover has a smooth red finish, and all of the writing and FSM logo are stamped in gold foil onto the cover. It's about 3/4" thick and weighs than a Kindle. In addition to all this, you are also provided with a single gold ribbon bookmark that fits nicely between the pages without creating a bulge.
The only downfall of the hardcover version is its price. While you can get the Gospel in paperback for a few dollars, the hard cover version will set you back $25-35. If you want a quick read, get the paperback, but if you want a quality version that can stand on your bookshelf next to your Bible, Qu'ran, and Bhagavad Gita, get the hard cover one.
Rating:  -
The Gospel of the Flying Spaghetti Monster is a hoot, depending on who you are (or more specifically what you believe and how willing you are to find humor in the origins of the universe). This book will likely appeal primarily to people who are already fans of his noodliness, although it may appeal to religious people as well, provided they don't take it all too seriously.
The Gospel of the FSM expands upon an open letter written by Bobby Henderson to the Kansas School Board regarding its decision, at the time, to include Intelligent Design in the science curriculum. While it's fair to say that ID proponents make pretty easy targets, Henderson's letter was especially clever and extremely funny. As a result, the letter soon made the rounds on the internet, a website was born, merchandising followed, and before long the atheist and agnostic community had found a prophet in 25 year old physics graduate Bobby Henderson and a Spaghedeity they could really get into.
The original letter supports the notion that ID should be taught in school but feels that equal time should also be given to Flying Spaghetti Monsterism. You see, the FSM made the world in such a way that we would think that the earth is actually older than it is. For example, when scientists conduct carbon dating of artifacts, what they don't realize is that the Flying Spaghetti Monster is there, changing the results with his noodly appendage. Henderson goes on to explain that the FSM likes people to wear full pirate regalia and notes that there is an inverse relationship between the number of pirates on the planet and global temperature. He closes the letter by saying that he thinks we can all look forward to a time when all three theories are given equal time in our science classrooms, one-third time for Intelligent Design, one-third time for Flying Spaghetti Monsterism, and one-third time for logical conjecture based on overwhelming observable evidence. (Pretty clever stuff)
The book doesn't completely manage to sustain the sharp satirical edge of the original letter, but there are enough laughs in the Gospel of the FSM to make it worthwhile. The humor is a little broad at times for my tastes and some jokes fall a bit flat. The overall effect is a little uneven. Henderson is at his best when he is making clever social commentary or parodying religious texts/beliefs. In `A History of Heretics' a footnote regarding Plato states: "Today Plato is nearly forgotten. His beliefs include the notion that people who govern should be intelligent, rational, self-controlled, and in love with wisdom, an idea that has long since been discredited." In parody of Genesis, Henderson offers readers The Holy Noodle, mimicking much of the language from the Old Testament text we are familiar with. Of course, in the Holy Noodle, the FSM is so proud of himself on the fifth day that he celebrates by hitting the beer volcano hard that afternoon and waking up with a hangover. He decides to take an extended break from the whole creation gig (which is why Friday is a holiday for Pastafarians and it helps explain the so-called Unintelligent Design of things like the Duck Billed Platypus, Jar Jar Binks, and Disco Music).
In reality, the premise of the book is a little thin to fill 150+ pages and as a result there is some padding and some weaker material to help stretch out the page count. Not every chapter is a winner, but when Henderson is taking aim directly at advocates of ID or providing advice on how to convert others to FSMism (he suggests seeking out celebrities like Lindsay Lohan who look like they could use a good meal) the book is laugh-out-loud funny.
Rating: -
I want to start by commenting on the negative reviews that basically call this juvenile toilet humor. The Title IS The Gospel of The FLYING SPEGHETTI MONSTER.
OK got that out of the way. All that I really have to say otherwise about this book is that I too almost bought the paperback until I realized that the cover shot actually is the cover and that I guess is really flimsy paper. So I decided an extra $10 was worth a hardcover - it absolutely is! It looks exactly how you think it should. And the pages for me were fine - alot like one reviewer said "like a textbook's pages". Which is a lot better than most modern bibles.
Rating: -
You can define art in two ways. One way is to say that art is something exceptionally beautiful or enjoyable, be it a stunning painting or an engaging, intriguing text. In other words: art inspire feelings through its form.
The other definition is that art comes with a message, that it is something created for the purpose of conveying something to us (mostly through analogies and symbols). Art teaches us one or other moral, and/or it is supposed to make us think about something (or just plainly make us think).
Things that fulfil both these acquirements are called great art, and one such thing is this; "The Gospel of the Flying Spaghetti Monster", written by Bobby Henderson.
Hiding under a veil of sincerity, this book is a wonderful work of satire directed at religion in general and christianity in particular. Especially ID, or Intelligent Design, is targeted, and in the church of the FSM (Flying Spaghetti Monster) it has been replaced by what is called "Unintelligent Design". This "alternative theory" is argued for with the same kind of faulty logic as the ID supporters use, and presented in such a way that it actually seems plausible despite its obvious silliness.
Thoroughly Henderson presents this religion and argue for it very "well", using circular arguments and faulty conclusions in the very same way as other religious leaders do. He presents facts and his own version of it, and so diverse topics as the creation of earth, historical figures as Aristotle, Captain Mosey and Dolly the Sheep, String theory and many more are discussed. For example: did you know that global warming is closely connected to the steady decline of the population of pirates (the chosen people of the FSM)? Did you not? Well, in this book you get statistic proof of it, and, as we all know, statistics never lie.
Also, the book comes complete with a guide on how to propagate for the religion to the masses, and pamphlets for you to copy and hand out. Moreover, the books' final chapter includes several reports and papers by scientists and other smart people, presenting ever more undeniable proof of the existence of the FSM. And who are we to argue with Landon W. Rabern from the Department of Mathematics, UC Santa Barbara?
In conclusion, no matter who you are you will certainly get a laugh out of this book. Are you even remotely intelligent you will also get something to think about, whether you are a born again christian, a fundamentalist atheist, a hindu in doubt or just an everyday average Joe. It's truly a book for anyone.
RAmen.
Rating: -
"The Gospel of the Flying Spaghetti Monster" is a fantastic read. It is important to realize the context behind Pastafarianism before reading, however, lest you take the contents too seriously. I'd recommend doing a little research first.
The text itself is full of hilarious anecdotes; some are true, many are exaggerated, and a select few are completely false. Each are easily identifiable, though, so don't worry.
In short, I received this book this afternoon, and finished it the same day. It is easy and enjoyable to read, especially for those of us who prefer a bit more complicated humor. The message the author delivers, however, is not lighthearted at all. Hopefully reading the book changes the viewpoints of those who are satisfied with the absolutism and dogma of many prevalent religions.
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