Dr. David Schafer, retired Yale professor, scientist, and co-founder and past president of the Humanist Association of Connecticut, said, "For several years, among the talks most consistently popular with our members have been those in Doug Peary's long-running series, "Humanist Heroes." We've talked to a number of people about the reason for this. One reason seems to be the emotional intensity Doug brings to his research on each of his subjects, an intensity that continues to reward him, and us, deeply with each of his subjects with each new biography he touches. These are not just interesting stories from and about the lives of Humanists; they are intimate glimpses of more meaningful insights into living, working, loving, and dying, profoundly inspirational for Doug and his audiences." Rev. Ann Fuller, in September 2011, in her church newsletter, recommended "Humanist Heroes" to her congregation. I thanked her. She responded "My pleasure. I also included it in the required reading for my class at the Humanist Institute for our opening session on Essential Humanism this past December. They really enjoyed the personal stories and thought it was a nice break from the drier philosophical works they had to read. Gave Humanism the human touch" Another Minister who does not want her name used said, "Douglas Peary in his book "Humanist Heroes" has written brief biographies of the lives of seventeen men, ranging from Voltaire and Thomas Paine in the eighteenth century to Steve Allen and Carl Sagan in the twentieth. His subjects include writers and poets, scientists and philosophers, ministers and lawyers, even a television personality! A wonderful aspect of the book is that Peary includes extended pieces of each person's own writings so the reader can get a better feel for each person. There isn't a way to summarize a book as rich in research and story and detail as Peary's. What I can do is suggest in a couple of ways how Peary's stories help bring religious humanism to life. There are many in our culture who assume that there can be no ethics without belief in a God- no foundation for acting morally without a supreme being, and/or no incentive to be moral without the promise of divine reward or punishment."
About the Author: Rev. Douglas Kenneth Peary was born November 14, 1942 and raised on a potato farm in Washburn, Maine, by wonderful, loving, parents, Kenneth and Dorothy. They were Conservative Baptist Christians. He Married Joyce Lee Martin in 1972. Kenneth died of Cancer in 1974. Rev. Peary and Joyce had Children Brett and Brita in 1977 and 1980. He attended Starr King School For Religious Leadership, in Berkeley, California, a Unitarian Universalist School, receiving a Master of Divinity degree. Rev. Peary was ordained as a (UU) Minister in Oakland, in 1979 and certified as a Humanist Celebrant (Minister) the following year. He became a Federal Labor investigator with the National Labor Relations Board, in Oakland and in Hartford, CT, for 30 years. Rev. Peary studied, wrote about and spoke about, the lives and beliefs of Scientists, Philosophers, Poets, Comedians and others. He became a founding member of "Humanists of Connecticut" in 1989. He was VP for many years and has been President. Joyce died of Cancer in 1996. In 2004 Rev. Peary published a book of his presentations, titled, "Humanist Heroes," and republished it in 2013 for Teens to Senior Citizens." The book has been quoted on the Internet from Countries on three Continents around the World. He has completed, and published, a second book in 2013, titled, "Humanist Heroes and More, for Teenagers, Young Adults, and other new skeptics." His sister Carolyn died of Cancer in 2004. He has seen many people die, in horrific pain, from many diseases, or terrible dementia. Rev. Peary retired from the Government on 3/31/10. He is active in the UU Church in Meriden, Connecticut, and has been (2012-2013) Moderator (President) of the Church. Rev. Peary and Joyce's, son Brett is a Monbusho Scholar, graduate, from Kyoto University, and is working in Kyoto, Japan. Their daughter Brita in married to Devin Chambers and they are Respiratory Therapists at Hartford Hospital, in Connecticut. Brita has a stepson Quinten, a stepdaughter, Renee, and they have a son Jayse (similar to Joyce). Rev. Peary married Gabriella, a multilingual, private School Principal and educator in 2008, after 8 years together. They both speak at UU Churches or Humanist groups throughout New England, The Eastern Townships of Quebec Province, Canada, and St. John, The U.S. Virgin Islands. Rev. Peary is a member of "Compassion and Choices," to aid in passage of laws for the Right of dying people to die with dignity in Connecticut.