Leading British humanist editor and author Herrick sets out the basic principles of the philosophy, which emphasizes the human, the here-and-now, and the humane. Humanists are atheists or agnostics and expect no afterlife, he explains, and the essence of humanism is to bring values and meaning into this life. First published in Britain by the Rationalist Press Association in 2003. Annotation ©2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)