Description: Do we really understand others and their beliefs? Martyn Percy believes that if we better understand the people in our churches, in our communities and in our societies, then we might cultivate more ease in the 21st century, not only in local and national politics but also in international politics.

Verdict: Others: A Very Short Book About Beliefs takes a curious, anti-prejudiced look at some weird and wacky beliefs. And although odd beliefs are wryly observed throughout, its subversive subtext aims to challenge people not to write off others beliefs as irrational, weird or daft but to invite the reader to reconsider others in the light of what we don’t know.

And as Martyn The Very Revd. Professor Percy himself says in the opening of his book, one on prejudices and beliefs, he almost wrote it anonymously, fearing his name/title would immediately cause some readers to prejudice the text within.

And therein sums up why this book is so needed in today’s society, for the book, which is basically one long essay, is designed to hopefully make you think outside the box.

But it doesn’t really matter at all if you are religious, or even spiritual in any way, shape or form, open-minded, close-minded, a deeply-rooted atheist, or just one really stubborn SOB (my words, not his), for the book is more about airing a better understanding of people’s beliefs, to get to understand them better, to delve into why they believe such things, et al.

Therein, Others: A Very Short Book About Beliefs, is what some might well call a life-changing piece of writing ... [Rev. Ian Markham, PhD], but being that this very same senior cleric re: Martyn The Very Revd. Professor Percy, who fought an epic three-and-a-half-year battle over efforts to oust him as head of Christ Church, Oxford, and who recently announced he had quit the Church of England, is himself going through a life-changing period of existence, well, what better source would you desire to write such a meaningful, and dedicated prose?

About the Author - The Very Revd Prof. Martyn was the Dean of Christ Church, Oxford, where he lives. From 2004-14 Martyn was the Principal of Ripon College, Cuddesdon. Martyn writes on religion in contemporary culture and modern ecclesiology, and taught for the Faculty of Theology and Religion at the University of Oxford.

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