Hitchens vs Blair: Be it resolved religion is a force for good in the world

By Christopher Hitchens and Tony Blair

Two formidable minds. One powerfully charged debate.

'An intellectual faceoff.Full of sharp humour, and a little pathos.' - Guardian

'A heated, stimulating and informative debate on a subject as current as it gets.' - Globe and Mail

On November 26, 2010, intellectual juggernaut and staunch atheist Christopher Hitchens went head-to-head with former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, one of the Western world's most openly devout political leaders, on the highly charged topic of religion. Few world leaders have had a greater hand in shaping current events than Blair; few writers have been more outspoken and polarizing than Hitchens. In this riveting confrontation, Hitchens and Blair square off on the contentious questions that continue to dog the topic of religion in our globalized world: How does faith influence our actions? What is the role of people of faith in the public sphere? Is religious doctrine rigid, or should we allow for flexibility in our interpretations?

For the first time ever, this exclusive debate, which played out to a sold-out audience, is now available in print form, along with candid interviews with Hitchens and Blair. Sharp, provocative, and thoroughly engrossing, Hitchens vs. Blair is an electrifying intellectual sparring match on the oldest question - Is religion a force for good in the world?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Allen & Unwin
• Release date: Jul 1, 2011
• ISBN: 9781742694863

Christopher Hitchens

Christopher Hitchens was born April 13, 1949, in England and graduated from Balliol College at Oxford University. The father of three children, he was the author of more than twenty books and pamphlets, including collections of essays, criticism, and reportage. His book God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything was a finalist for the 2007 National Book Award and an international bestseller. His bestselling memoir, Hitch-22, was a finalist for the 2010 National Book Critics Circle Award for autobiography. The New York Times named his bestselling omnibus Arguably one of the ten best books of the year. A visiting professor of liberal studies at the New School in New York City, he was also the I.F. Stone professor at the Graduate School of Journalism at the University of California, Berkeley. He was a columnist, literary critic, and contributing editor at Vanity Fair, The Atlantic, Slate, The Times Literary Supplement, The Nation, New Statesman, World Affairs, and Free Inquiry, among other publications. Following his death, Yoko Ono awarded him the Lennon-Ono Grant for Peace.

Reviews for Hitchens vs Blair

[devil_llama · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

It is unfortunate that such a brilliant debater as Hitchens so frequently seems to "call it in" when debating people he assumes are easy. Blair really didn't make any good arguments; it was all just yes, religion does some bad, but look at the fact that some of what it does is good and while non-believers can do good as well, these people are doing good because they believe. No proof of that last premise is presented, only anecdotal evidence. Hitchens pointed out all the bad, conceded a bit of the good, but his rhetoric seemed pointless. I realize that he was not well at the time, but many of his debates that make it into print seem as throw-away. I suspect that's because he gets by on the powerful force of his delivery. Perhaps one had to hear this debate and not read it to make it more effective. Overall, OK but far from worthy of either man. Though I will say part of that is because the debate format limits them to short time frames, and doesn't give them the chance to really draw it out.