We Don't Do God by John Burton
In the days following the 2009 presidential election, world leaders lined up in the hope of being the first to visit Barack Obama. In the event it was Tony Blair who, two weeks into the new Administration, stood shoulder to shoulder with Obama at the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington. Blair was back on the world stage eighteen months after leaving office, the man of deep Christian faith who, during his premiership, became a political warrior. With the new President by his side, the former Prime Minister gave full vent to his belief in the importance of the global role of religion in political life: "The 21st century will be poorer in spirit, meaner in ambition, less disciplined in conscience, if it is not under the guardianship of faith in God." The impassioned plea was a far cry from his public pronouncements as Prime Minister when he was virtually gagged on the question of religion which, advisers warned, was 'off message.' Based on new material from revealing conversations from those closest to Blair, We Don't Do God traces the influences that helped shaped Blair's world viewpoint. Drawn on previously unpublished interviews, the book concludes that his political thinking was ruled by a profound sense of mission, shaped by 'the four of five principle influences in my life.' John Burton was one of those 'principle influences.' Burton was Blair's agent and mentor for the duration of his parliamentary career. In Blair's words: 'Without him, it must be doubtful whether I would ever have become Prime Minister.' Co-author Eileen McCabe, a television journalist in the North East, reported on New Labour's landslide victories that changed the political landscape for more than a decade. Together, mentor and journalist provide an informed account of Blair's political and religious journey that will help us understand more deeply one of the most enigmatic prime ministers of the post-war years. Far from being an exercise in hagiography, We Don't Do God succeeds in being both critical and revealing.
Reviewed by Matt Creswell in Church of England Newspaper, 29 May 2009
Senalisation in the Mail on Sunday, 24 May 2009
Reviewed by Andrew Lynch, Sunday Business Post, 5 July 2009
The most fascinating aspect of Blair's Christianity, whatever its lineaments, is that it had to gasp for air in a political culture that regards an admission of faith as a potential public relations disaster* Catholic Herald, January 2010 *
Conversation with the author, Northern Echo, 25 May 2009
reviewed in Belfast Telegraph, 25 May 2009
Mention of forthcoming title in The Observer, December 2007
Mention of forthcoming title in The Daily Telegraph, April 30, 2008
Title mention in Sunday Telegraph.
The book is well researched, and is a good guide to the issues... it is a very valuable contribution to an important area of study. -- Revd Mark Woods * Baptist Times, 25 June 2009 *
mention in Church Times - 15 May 2009 * Church Times *
For those deterred,say,by the length of of such tomes as Dr Anthony Seldon's Blair Unbound, this paperback can be safely recommended as a useful precis of one of the more colourful political careers of modern times. -- Anthony Howard * Church Times *
Author and title mention in Evening Standard, 20 March 2009 * Evening Standard *
The best bits come from the patently likeable and extraordinarily devoted Burton. * Sunday Times, 31 May 2009 *
This is not a very good book, nor is it particularly revelatory about either of its protagonists. -- Rod Diddle * Sunday Times, 31 May 2009 *
Senalisation in the Mail on Sunday, 24 May 2009
Reviewed by Andrew Lynch, Sunday Business Post, 5 July 2009
The most fascinating aspect of Blair's Christianity, whatever its lineaments, is that it had to gasp for air in a political culture that regards an admission of faith as a potential public relations disaster* Catholic Herald, January 2010 *
Conversation with the author, Northern Echo, 25 May 2009
reviewed in Belfast Telegraph, 25 May 2009
Mention of forthcoming title in The Observer, December 2007
Mention of forthcoming title in The Daily Telegraph, April 30, 2008
Title mention in Sunday Telegraph.
The book is well researched, and is a good guide to the issues... it is a very valuable contribution to an important area of study. -- Revd Mark Woods * Baptist Times, 25 June 2009 *
mention in Church Times - 15 May 2009 * Church Times *
For those deterred,say,by the length of of such tomes as Dr Anthony Seldon's Blair Unbound, this paperback can be safely recommended as a useful precis of one of the more colourful political careers of modern times. -- Anthony Howard * Church Times *
Author and title mention in Evening Standard, 20 March 2009 * Evening Standard *
The best bits come from the patently likeable and extraordinarily devoted Burton. * Sunday Times, 31 May 2009 *
This is not a very good book, nor is it particularly revelatory about either of its protagonists. -- Rod Diddle * Sunday Times, 31 May 2009 *
John Burton was Tony Blair's political agent for the entire duration of Blair's time as a Member of Parliament and was a formative infulence on him Eileen McCabe is a Radio and Newspaper journalist
| SKU | Unavailable |
| ISBN 13 | 9781847063526 |
| ISBN 10 | 1847063527 |
| Title | We Don't Do God |
| Author | John Burton |
| Condition | Unavailable |
| Binding Type | Paperback |
| Publisher | Bloomsbury Publishing PLC |
| Year published | 2009-05-25 |
| Number of pages | 256 |
| Cover note | Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary. |
| Note | Unavailable |