Oh, Wait-Now I Get It

Peter Heinegg's book of practical philosophy is bold, honest and brilliant. A gadfly with an attitude, a contemporary Voltaire, an honest broker of uncomfortable truths, Heinegg's essays are wonderfully wide ranging, incisive, informative, and humorous... Oh, WaitNow I Get It is a book for the philosopher in all of us. -- Bill Vitek, author of Promising, and the co-editor of Rooted in the Land, and the forthcoming The Virtues of Ignorance

Peter Heinegg received his B.A. from Fordham University and a Ph.D. in Comparative Literature from Harvard (1971). He is currently a professor of English at Union College in Schnenectady, NY, and served as the Director of Religious Studies. He was awarded the Stillman prize for teaching. Professor Heinegg has translated some fifty books on religion and philosophy, written numerous essays and editorials, and reviewed extensively for America and Cross Currents. This is his third book with University Press of America.

Chapter 1 Introduction Part 2 True Confessions Chapter 3 Sisyphus ShrivenMoments of Absurdity in Early Adolescence Chapter 4 Intimations of Mortality from Practically Everything in Sight Chapter 5 From the Cloister to the Classroom: Life in the Academy Part 6 Religion Chapter 7 Why the Bible is All Wet: Reflections on Religious Metaphors Chapter 8 All God's ChildrenGrow Up! Chapter 9 Thou Shalt Not Kill...Animals? Chapter 10 The Disappearance of Hell Part 11 The College Scene Chapter 12 The "F" Word Chapter 13 Friedrich Nietzsche, Frat House Guru Chapter 14 The Poverty of Literacy Chapter 15 College and the Denial of Death Part 16 Politics Chapter 17 Clarence King: A Great American Failure Chapter 18 Here Comes Democracy (Duck!) Chapter 19 The High Price of Winning the Civil War Chapter 20 A Woman's Place is at the Helm Chapter 21 Liddy and Macho Politics Chapter 22 American Graffiti Part 23 Life (and Related Stuff) Chapter 24 Pass the Dramamine Chapter 25 Is Life Worth Living? The Greeks Thought Not Chapter 26 Sick, Sick, Sick: Thoughts for Valentine's Day Chapter 27 Sartorial DimorphismEnough Already Chapter 28 When you're Hot, You're HotUnfortunately Chapter 29 Philosopher in the Playground: Notes on the Meaning of Sport Chapter 30 Blissful Ignorance Chapter 31 Living with the American Rabble Part 32 Family Chapter 33 The Wisdom of Lilliput Chapter 34 AnthropophagyA Family Affair Chapter 35 All (But Absolutely All) in the Family Chapter 36 Keep Those Home Fires Burning Part 37 Nature Chapter 38 Should we follow Nature? Mill Versus Montaigne Chapter 39 The Beast in Us, The Best in Us Chapter 40 Mother Nature Calls Collect Part 41 Death Chapter 42 Dr. Lucretius and Dr. Nuland: Prescriptions for Mortalism Chapter 43 The Religion of Wellness Chapter 44 The Death of the Cat Part 45 Conclusion Chapter 46 What's It Worth to You?