The Bible of Humanity

Quental, Antero de, 1842-1891Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

2.0

Word count: 25K words
Chapters: 3

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.A Biblia da Humanidade by Antero de QuentalAuthor: Quental, Antero de, 1842-1891,Language: Portuguese, Class: BL: Philosophy, Psychology, Religion: Religion: General, Miscellaneous and Atheism, Release Date: Jun 18, 2010

Editor's review

This book is a religious-philosophical work written in Portuguese by the Portuguese poet and thinker Antero de Quental; its title means “The Bible of Humanity.” In a literary style, the author discusses religion, morality, and the spiritual evolution of humanity, reflecting the 19th-century Portuguese intellectual world’s reexamination of traditional faith. The text is freely distributed by Project Gutenberg as a public-domain e-book, making the original directly accessible to readers. Its value lies not in systematic theological argument but in presenting a poet-philosopher’s spiritual exploration and the atmosphere of the age. It may be read as intellectual essays rather than a doctrinal manual, with attention to how the author uses literary language to address abstract propositions. It is suitable for readers interested in Portuguese literature, religious philosophy, and 19th-century European intellectual history, and also as extensive reading material in Portuguese.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers interested in Portuguese literature and religious philosophy
Readers of history and literature who want to understand the 19th-century European intellectual atmosphere
Learners with some Portuguese who wish to do extensive reading of intellectual texts

Not a good fit for

Readers seeking systematic theology textbooks or catechisms
Beginners with no Portuguese reading ability and no translation available

Reading tips

Read the preface or opening first to grasp the author’s intent, then read chapter by chapter and record core ideas.
Treat it as intellectual essays; after each section, write a short personal response rather than trying to understand every sentence.
Read alongside background materials on 19th-century Portuguese history to understand the author’s concerns.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Is the title “The Bible of Humanity” a religious scripture?

It is not a religious scripture in the traditional sense, but a work in which Antero de Quental discusses human spirituality and faith in literary and philosophical terms; it should be read as a work of thought.

Can I read it without any Portuguese?

The original is in Portuguese, and reading it without any foundation is difficult. It is advisable to first find a translation or bilingual materials, then attempt extensive reading of the original.

Is this book suitable for classroom use?

It can serve as supplementary reading for courses in Portuguese literature or intellectual history, but teachers need to provide background explanation; it is not suitable as a stand-alone textbook.

Comments

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About the author

Quental, Antero de, 1842-1891 Author

Antero de Quental (1842–1891) was a Portuguese poet and thinker who holds an important place in nineteenth-century Portuguese literature and intellectual history. He is best known for his sonnets, and the works listed here—Sonetos de Anthero, Os sonetos completos de Anthero de Quental and Sonetos—show him returning to this form again and again, with a concentrated poetic thought that combines philosophical depth and lyrical tension. He also wrote reflective prose, such as Considerações sobre a Philosophia da Historia Litteraria Portugueza and Portugal perante a revolução de Hespanha, discussing Portuguese literary history and Iberian political questions, and he produced critical works on figures such as Sá de Miranda and Oliveira Martins. His poem Raios de extincta luz also appears in the collection. Public information on the details of his life is limited, so this entry confines itself to a brief account of his subjects and style.