The Restless Soul of the World's Most Notorious Atheist

I recognize that the majority of the one-star reviewers of this book didn't read past the provocative title. Having been in attendance at a few of the events depicted in the book, and having followed Hitchens online since then, I came to this book with deep curiosity, wondering if it would be consistent with what I observed between Hitchens and Taunton. It was.

It's not surprising to learn that a public figure like Hitchens kept some things to himself, or that there was a difference between Hitchens' public persona and his private life. We see this in celebrities and politicians all the time. Much of what Taunton observes about Hitchens is a matter of public record: the writings, speeches and debates, many of which are available on the internet. Taunton's insight into Hitchens' political shift following 9/11 is insightful, and gives credibility to the other, private shift in Hitchens' thinking, which is both the subject of the second half of the book and what is drawing so much ire from the Hitchens faithful. Whatever your belief about the merits of Hitchens' support for the War on Terror, it was a sharp change in long-held, fundamental beliefs about what is right, and it reveals that Hitchens was honest enough to be swayed by what he believed to be true. If this is the case, the author asserts, it wasn't a stretch for Hitchens to reexamine long-held, fundamental beliefs about other issues.

At this point in the book, Taunton departs the public narrative and pulls back the curtain on a series of personal interactions between himself and Hitchens. Many of these, it should be pointed out, were also witnessed by others. I recall attending the debate between Hitchens and David Berlinski, in which the latter, perhaps not wanting to attack a bald, cancer-stricken Hitchens, refused to answer questions which Taunton, the moderator, knew would be softballs for Berlinski. Hitchens expressed his disappointment during the debate. What Taunton describes as the most memorable moment of the night was certainly the same one that I recall.

The details of the private conversations between Taunton and Hitchens can be known only by the two men. As many have pointed out, if Taunton got it wrong, Hitchens isn't around to counter the story. However, to assert that Taunton cannot be objective because he's a Christian is as ridiculous as saying that someone else couldn't be objective because he is an atheist. The book reveals Taunton's deep affection for Hitchens and recounts an unlikely friendship. They had several traits in common, but the friendship could only have flourished if both men, separated widely by many ideological gaps, recognized the honesty and sincerity of their enjoyment of each other's company. As Taunton notes in the book, sincerity does not equal truth, and it was truth that they debated.

The burning question to which many seem to want an answer is begged by the title: did Hitchens embrace Christianity before he died? It isn't a spoiler to answer this question, because Taunton has repeatedly answered it on TV, radio and social media.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants insight into a deep, interesting man.

This is a well-written, carefully conceived, and respectfully delivered perspective on aspects of Christopher Hitchens' personality unknown to his myopic sycophants--not a few bleating their sheep-like reviews here on the store. As a professional interviewer, it seems to me that Taunton's story has the marks of authenticity, and despite the self-serving critics of the book, is exactly what I would expect from a man like Hitchens, who would probably not want to be friends with most of his simpleton disciples because he respects intelligence too much, apparently what drew him to Taunton. This is an outstanding read that reminds me of Howard Mumma's book, Albert Camus and the Minister.

It was a wonderful read. Larry and Christopher were truly connected by friendship even though they had different views on faith and Christianity. I recommend people of differing views read it and make up their own minds.

I find this book well written and entertaining despite it's macabre subject. Hitchens was a man who did not back from a challenge. I find the friendship described encouraging to all. Befriending one from the other side doesn't make one weak. The book was focused on Hitchens but I am sure that Mr. Taunton also received negative comments concerning the time he spent with an alcoholic atheist. Mr. Hitchens didn't renounce his atheism and Mr. Taunton has not renounced his Savior.

Larry Alex Taunton has created a genuine page turner. At a time when civil dialogue between those with differing views is becoming more and more rare, Taunton's timely work could inspire more intelligent discussion and less violent rhetoric.

Great book. Anyone giving this a low rating hasn't read the book. I first heard of Larry a couple years back when I heard his podcast Fix Point. It was his first interview of Christopher and it was great. This book is a must read for anyone - Christian, skeptic, atheist, etc. Stop being irresponsible and unreasonable - don't rate a book you haven't even read.

Fascinating account of an unlikely friendship. I'd never read any book by the author or his subject before I bought this one after listening to Taunton describe it on the Eric Metaxas show Now I'm finding it hard to put down. So far its a fascinating profile of what I only knew as the most public face of atheism. For those like me who tend to make judgments of people's worldviews based on what they say in public, it serves as a reminder that what lies beneath the surface runs much deeper and more complex. Beautifully written tribute to a man much more nuanced and complex than his television persona would suggest. Taunton has left all Christians with a model of how to befriend those with which we share little in common

Written as a genuine page turner, Taunton has detailed his friendship with Christopher Hitchens, and some of their encounter together. The warmth of their friendship emerges as does Taunton's insight into the real man behind the public persona of Hitchens. We all need proper friends and Taunton is showing us he was this to Hitchens, and indeed one assumes the reverse is true as well. Not just a road trip retell, the book has some substance suggesting that we are all on a quest to where to put our faith. Taunton you are a gentleman and a scholar, well done on being a true friend and on your thoughts on the bigger picture captured herein.

Intriguing story. Loved getting to know the background of Christopher Hitchens which shed some light on the man he came to be. Enjoyed reading about the fascinating and unlikely friendship between Hitchens and Taunton. Well written and interesting. A great read.

“Many were the times that I saw Christopher speak abusively to waiters, receptionists, bartenders, makeup artists, and the like, unless, that is, they recognized his celebrity or were attractive. He simply ignored their existence or, if they displeased him in some way, he assailed them with a torrent of profanities. I also remind you of the eulogists at Christopher’s funeral. None were what we might call “the working class.”

But if we cut away the tangle of conditions and excuses and socio-economic conditions, and we find at the bottom of it all real human choice, a free embrace of malignancy, then we are faced with the real corruption of humanity that cannot be reduced to anything else.

“The fanatic,” said character George Smiley in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, “is always concealing a secret doubt.” Indeed.

Declared Hitchens, “I much prefer this sincerity to the vague and Python-esque witterings of the interfaith and ecumenical groups who barely respect their own traditions and who look upon faith as just another word for community organizing.”

Christopher’s hatred for Catholicism cannot be overstated. He also hated the Russian and Greek Orthodox Churches. These were, in his view, not so much religious institutions as they were politically oppressive bureaucracies dedicated to nothing more than their own earthly power.

To say that there is no God is not a morally neutral statement. It is to say that morality itself is merely an illusion, an artificial human construct with no more validity than the instinctual rules that regulate a colony of ants.

An ideologue will adhere to his given dogma, no matter what. He places ideas above people because he deems them more important than people. In this he really thinks he is morally courageous because he subordinates his feeling for what he believes is the greater good.

This is atheism stripped of all the “wonder and glory of the universe” packaging its latest marketers would give it: raw, cold, and brutal.

I had just discovered, however, that this man, one of atheism’s high priests was, in fact, a heretic.

Finally, exasperated, Christopher raised his hands in a sign of surrender and, looking around as if fearful of being overheard, said, “Look, man, I haven’t even read his book,” i.e., Dawkins’s God Delusion. “I tried. Honestly, I did. I just couldn’t do it.”

According to a study conducted by the Barna Group, Christians are the most charitable segment of the population. The same study indicates that the average evangelical gives almost ten times as much money to nonprofits as the average atheist.

Hitch: “I have three rules for debate: know the other man’s position; know why he holds it; and then decide whether you want to destroy the man or the argument.”

“I dislike the charlatan class, even if it is they who pay me,” he said as we drove to my house. “To whom do you refer?” I asked. He tapped his cigarette out of the cracked window and looked at me with a sardonic smile: “The sort who subscribe to Vanity Fair.”

As Milton so eloquently put it, he “who overcomes by force, hath overcome but half his foe.”

“I don’t do fast food.” The man was smoking himself into the grave, but a combo meal was just too much to contemplate.

As the Enlightenment morphed into Romanticism, Islam was lifted up for veneration above Christianity. When this is viewed through a Marxist lens, Islam is interpreted as a peaceful religion that has resorted to violent means in order to defend itself against the fundamentally violent, oppressive, and imperialistic Christian West. This legacy informs the Left’s narrative today.

Oscar Wilde once said that a map of the world without Utopia on it wasn’t worth consulting.

Fierce protestations of loyalty always precede a defection.

“If we turn out to be mistaken in our Cartesian wagers, and find ourselves in the long, long chute to a smoke-and-brimstone-filled afterlife, Christopher will be there at the bottom to welcome us with a drink and, why not, a cigarette.” -Richard Dawkins

A lifetime of rebellion had created a prison from which intellect alone could not secure parole.

I bought this book not knowing what to expect but hoping that it would not give me the same sinking feeling as the knock at the door from the Jehovah Witnesses with their poor kids dressed in business suits holding lots of pamphlets. I found Hitchens very interesting and enjoyed the Vanity Fair article he did and respected him for his courage and convictions, especially when having to deal with traditionally religious zealots! Even though he professed adamantly to be an Atheist, I think he was more of an Agnostic especially toward the end of his life - at least that's the impression I got from reading his book and the conversations he had with the author. Millions of people fall into the Agnostic category especially today and I am one of them - brought up a Christian, confirmed at 11, Sunday school from ages 5 to 11 and over the years I studied and read a lot on the religions and philosophies of the world and now at age 73 with lots of wisdom and life experience, while I respect all religions and philosophies, I am no longer traditionally religious. I greatly enjoy the Buddhist religion/philosophy and am happier and more content than I have ever been. One day we will all find out what it's all about ... or not.

In August, at the Temple Public Library, I came across a book I read an article about online: <i>The Faith of Christopher Hitchens</i>. Now, as a tolerant but un-ecumenical, fundamentalist but slightly-mystical, believer but non-churchgoer, I am quite the Christian but also one who admires Christopher Hitchens. Though I may agree with only a few of his thoughts, I admire his belief in his ideas and especially his delivery of his thoughts. I devoured his memoir <i>Hitch-22</i>. So, here we are at the intersection of faith and un-faith: <i>The Faith of Christopher Hitchens: The Restless Soul of the World's Most Notorious Atheist</i> by Larry Alex Taunton. In Hitchens's post <i>God is Not Great</i> years, as one of the "New Athiests," he debated many theists and evangelicals. One of the men he met was Christian debate producer, moderator, and participant Larry A. Taunton. This book is the record of their acquaintanceship over the course of about three years. Now, Taunton tries to sell it as a friendship, though I do not think that they were in fact chummy (say, like Hitch and Amis or Rushdie); nor do I think that they just "knew of" one another as some atheist polemicists might have it (you do not take days-long road trips with strangers). But—buddyship is the better term—buddies they became.

But, whatever their relationship, the book rings mostly true. Taunton—despite what might be read in some of the media—does NOT claim Hitchens converted. Taunton writes (p. 171):

As we have seen, there were no reports of a deathbed conversion. The whole of my thesis is this: Christopher had doubts (that assertion alone is enough to cause great consternation among the God haters), and those doubts led him to seek out Christians and contemplate, among other things, religious conversion.

Maybe an oversell, but it does appear that Hitchens's atheism was not as acrid, hateful, and orthodox as, say, Dawkins's or Singers's. Taunton points out that Hitch did not buy "what logically follows" from "an atheistic worldview," i.e. "there is no God and, as a consequence, man has no greater value than any other species" (p. 88). Or, put another way, morals and morality, however construed, cannot have their origin in mere biology or physics. Taunton calls this "the ugliness of atheism." Taunton claims Hitchens told him, after the former kept referring to "you and Dawkins" (pp. 103-104):

Look, man, I haven't even read his book [<i>The God Delusion</i>]…. Do not assume I buy into the whole platform.

Hitchens—I have always suspected and Taunton echoes—is a bit conservative in certain ways. For instance (p. 19):

Christopher chiefly accessorized with literature. He loved it. The books, the English language, and the ideas to which he was introduced all serve to excite his mind. Hitchens particularly loved the Western literary canon. In this, he was conservative….

He liked the poetic prose of the King James Version, too, rather than the "modern" versions (p. 19). I too suspected his elitism—Marxist he—his snobbery, his love of class, money, and status. Taunton locates this "two books" nature of Hitch's life in his upbringing, analyzing <i>Hitch-22</i>, brother Peter's <i>The Rage Against God</i>, and other writings and conversations for clues.

Hitchens was a seeker, a believer (in Marxism, in atheism, in his own self), and a contrarian. Above all, he was intellectually honest and curious. I do believe Hitchens respected true believers over, say, Sharpton (pp. 88-89). "So why didn't you try to destroy me?" Taunton asked. "<i>Because you believe it.</i>" Hitchens replied (p. 115, emphasis in original).

Did Hitchens convert? His acolytes say no. Insist it. Does Taunton? He only claims Hitchens may have contemplated it. Do I think so? Probably not. Did he respect true Christians over the lukewarm mush? (And Islam?) Yes (p. 88, emphasis in original):

I much prefer this sincerity to those vague and Python-esque witterings of the interfaith and ecumenical groups who barely respect their own traditions and who look upon <i>faith</i> as just another word for <i>community organizing</i>.

This, of course, reminds me of Revelation 3:15-16:

I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.

What will happen to Hitch's immortal soul when we reach Revelation 20:11-15? Who knows? "That no one can answer," writes Taunton (p. 171).

All-in-all, this was a fine book picked up at the library. I ordered a copy from the store. It is an intriguing analysis of Hitchens's biography, an interesting memoir of theist-atheist relations, and a thought-provoking read for the faithful (and perhaps the faithless). Interesting, short, well-written, good endnotes and citations.

Well worth it.

This is a compelling story about a friendship that developed between Christopher Hitchens and Larry Taunton. Hitchens being the posterchild for the New Atheist Movement. A group of atheists who not only don't believe in God but take their position dismissively. Taunton representing the southern Evangelical portion of Christianity.

The best thing about the book was the clear affection Taunton had for Hitchens despite their differences. And the affection (assuming Taunton is telling the truth) that Hitchens had for him.

The analysis of Hitchens public vs private life is also really nicely done.

On the downside - Taunton takes some cheap shots at the political and religious left. There was no need to do that. And his cheap shots betrayed a lack of charity in his understanding of them. It really diminished a book that was otherwise really uplifting.

It is fantastic. A wonderful portrayal of a man of deep moral pathos, even if misapplied and misconstrued. Taunton does not try to make Hitchens into something he is not, yet he also tries to show the humanity and even (in his own Hitch-contrarian way) latent "spirituality" of the outspoken atheist. More than anything though, it is a moving portrait of a Christian's befriending and loving of the "world's most notorious atheist" and the relational bridges built and defensive walls torn down because of such a friendship. One can only wonder if Hitch might have seen the love of Christ in such a friendship had cancer not taken his life and his witty pen. In short, you should read it.

Exceptionally well written and so cogently presented, "The Faith of Christopher Hitchens" should be considered mandatory reading for anyone wishing to gain further insight into the mindset of 'the world's most notorious atheist'. An enthralling read!

This book is a beautiful testament to a true, honest, rigorous friendship. It was also richly honest and filled with candor. Taunton did not whitewash his friendship with Hitch, nor did he claim some conversion that never obviously materialized. He did, though, offer words of real hope and possibility. If you wish to read a book about an honest friendship that held nothing back, even when those involved earnestly disagreed, this is the book for you.

I first became familiar with Mr. Taunton through watching his debates and his role as a moderator with the Fixed Point Foundation. In watching him debate and moderate debates with Hitchens, it was clear that they had some sort of relationship; though I was not aware that it was as multi-layered as this book shows it to have been.

The writing here is brilliant, incredibly lucid, and perpetually gripping. There is a sense that Taunton has a gift for weaving important nuggets of truth and information through the narrative of a story. I found this true here as well as his beautiful book, "The Grace Effect."

What struck me the most about the book was not the portrayal of Hitchens, nor the details about some of their experiences together. What I found most intriguing was to be a fly on the wall and see what it actually looks like to make Christianity attractive. Taunton, throughout his friendship (without an agenda) with Hitchens, loved and demonstrated a consistent life in front of Hitchens. This in turn captivated Hitchens and became Taunton's most powerful apologetic.

This is not a philosophical tome, or an apologetics manual. This isn't a polemic. Instead, it is a picture of what it looks like to give a defense of the faith with gentleness and respect. This is what it looks like to win a person rather than an argument.

This author and so-called close friend of Hitchens never met him til 3 years before Hichens died, and half that time Hitchens was doubtless influenced -as who would not be?- by the certain knowledge of his impending death. Tauton's "conclusions" seem to be all of a piece, namely that no matter all that Hitchens said and wrote to the contrary, he invariably, 'secretly' agrees with Tauton in all matters of the afterlife and religion in general. The promotion for this book may not have been created by P.T. Barnum, but it could have been. All in all, a fine work of self-delusion.

Mr Taunton picks and chooses his way through Christopher Hitchens’s last months, ignoring inconsistencies in the Bible and putting his own words and spin into atheism. He desperately needs to report that Mr Hitchens had a deathbed conversion so badly that he imputes his own feelings into Mr Hitchens mind. Mr Taunton states that atheists hate god and by extension religions and religious people when in fact, atheism simply sees no proof that god exists. He disparages Christian sects other than his own like Roman and Eastern Catholics and Jews thus proving what Mr Hitchens repeatedly questioned, which god should I believe in?

I gave the book three stars because it was a well written tale, but it certainly lacked any semblance of accurate reporting.

Mr. Tauton writes with grace, love, and humor about a friend who believed differently than himself. While such an approach might annoy a reader with atheist beliefs, the book shows the heart of Christianity; that is, to love your neighbors, practice forgiveness and understanding, just as Jesus did. The inner thoughts of “Hitch” will surprise and enlighten you. A great read!

Oh, wouldn't he have something marvelous to say about our 2016 election? I came to the book in memory of Hitchens' vast mind, deep voice and reason. I am quietly stunned by Larry Taunton, modeling a fellowship of the highest order, love unafraid. Engrossing and elegantly written.

Hitch was not a closet theist. He appreciated the Bible as literature and was open to dialog with any believer, be it ecumenical Christian or full throttle evangelical. Taunton does not frontally state Hitch was a covert christian, but hopes he was, dodging and weaving around this premise to the point of confusion. Two stars and an open-handed assumption that Taunton is not deliberately propagandizing is as far as I can go here. (He genuinely appears to have bonded with Hitch, and they set a good example that polemic should not trump friendship.) There's also an interesting parallel with Antony Flew: many evangelicals send up fireworks that he "came to Christ" in his final years. Not the case. Flew transitioned from atheism to Aristotelian deism in his later thinking. For believers in affirmation religion (as opposed to behavioral religion, which requires the attempt to be honest) twisting fact is small beer: the greater goal justifies any means.

A brilliantly conceived and written book describing a remarkable friendship between the world's most renowned atheist and a Christian from Alabama. Demonstrative of how people from both worldviews ought to be able to converse and appreciate each other.

Interesting stuff but strikes me as terribly dishonest. The author has used his friendship with Hitchens as a means to sell books by inferring that Hitchens kept 'two sets of books' on religion and atheism. If Hitch ever suggested he doubted atheism after reading the Bible then this author either doesn't know when he's being joshed or he has unfairly misrepresented a 'friend' not present to refute unfounded hearsay.

This was a book that I deeply enjoyed. Because it was Hitchens (a world-renown antitheist) being written about by Taunton (a Christian who defends the Christian faith in the public square), it brought a lot of attention to it quickly. Unfortunately, you have way too much biased opinion about the book because a lot of people thought that the author was pushing a "deathbed conversion" story or they have an atheist worldview the causes them to despise the idea that their "patron saint" (Mr. Hitchens) could possibly question his own skepticism befriend a Christian.

The book is enjoyable, if for no other reason, because it showed a friendship between two men with opposing worldviews. I saw one of the one-star reviews that said they felt that Taunton had contempt for Hitchens I'm some way. I would disagree. I think Taunton shows that two can befriend each other while disagreeing with one another on religion, politics, etc.

It does help that the book gives a biography of sorts on Hitchens and possible reasons to why he held to his beliefs as he did. But what's more important is that Hitchens and Taunton could be examples of the importance of respecting others that you disagree with and understanding civil discourse, even in debate.

Amazing and wonderful recount of a friendship between two otherwise opposing forces. Well done. Works wonders to talk about the imaginary barriers between Christians and atheists. We aren't actually so very different. While we are willing to have an engaging, peaceful and intelligent discussion... others seem intent on continuing a needless and baseless public rivalry. In all seriousness... I simply do not care that you don't believe in my God... why do you care that I do? I don't see the same worthless and vile hatred for believers of other gods. Seems the one (1) star ratings came from some that may have read the book and many that honestly (obviously) did not, rather simply found fault with the concept of this friendship resulting in misleading reviews.

Author Larry Taunton wrote in the Prologue to this 2016 book, “my editor … encouraged me to write a book about my relationship with the late atheist. I wasn’t interested… the arc of Christopher’s life contained few redemptive elements, so far as I could see… However, I gradually came to see Christopher’s life in a different light… Most of us have someone like Christopher Hitchens in our lives; someone we love who is so hell-bent on self-destruction that we feel powerless to help them… [My editor asked] Could I, instead, focus on my relationship with Christopher? The idea intrigued me. That an avowed atheist and an evangelical Christian were friends was a matter of endless fascination to many people… [Some] viewed our friendship with suspicion… some Christians were convinced that our friendship must involve an egregious compromise of my faith. The truth is, there were those who did not want us to be friends… I speak exclusively to Christians when I say this: how are we to proclaim our faith if we cannot even build bridges with those who do no share it?” (Pg. xi-xii) Later, he explains, “this book is not a biography of Christopher Hitchens. My objective is not to recount his life, but to give some account for his soul.” (Pg. 7) [NOTE: page numbers below refer to the 201-page paperback edition.]

He explains, “His parents had him baptized in the Church of England, but it seems that neither … possessed any real religious convictions… Christopher’s baptism seems to have been part of what his parents considered a good English upbringing. Thus began his introduction to religion: never committed, seldom deep, and always on the margins.” (Pg. 9) Of Hitchens’ time in English schools, he observes, “Hitchens coupled his bleak treatment with the Christian faith… God was inevitably interpreted as that looming, fuming, grim-faced schoolmaster with a cane, accusing him of transgressions of which he was either not aware or felt no guilt.” (Pg. 11) He continues, “Hitchens regarded Christianity’s disapproval of homosexuality was a nearly immovable and, it seems, welcome obstacle to his conversion to Christianity… Hence, Christopher Hitchens became an atheist.” (Pg. 14)

He asserts, “His rebellion wasn’t about curfews, taking out the trash, or doing his homework. Christopher’s rebellion was ideological… Christopher hated God and was determined that he should master and tyrannize HIM. To do so, however, he now needed the tools of warfare. In atheism he found a principle that corresponded to his grievance. Now he had to weaponize it.” (Pg. 16-17) He adds, “his reading was defined by predetermined goals: he looked for supportive assertions… and selective facts for ammunition… he had few deep and dialectical friendships with great minds that could challenge his opinions and his assumptions about life.” (Pg. 23)

He points out, “Christopher was becoming a young contrarian. He was, in his own words, ‘keeping two sets of books.’… the public book is made to appear in accordance with the law, while the private book records all the shady financial dealings behind the scenes.” (Pg. 27-29)

Hitchens’ younger brother Peter WAS a Christian, however. Taunton asked him, “Did you ever share your Christian testimony with Christopher?” “No,’ was the straightforward response. ‘My main reason for not discussing it with him was that we were both Englishmen, and would as soon have discussed our sex lives with each other.’ Still, one cannot help but wonder what might have happened if he had given Christopher a glimpse of what led him to quit the field of atheism and surrender his life to Jesus Christ. Perhaps everything.” (Pg. 65)

After the terrorist attacks of September 11th caused Hitchens to change some political views, “The Left was (and still is) completely mystified by Christopher’s sudden abandonment of its reflex political positions, unable to digest how a lifelong detractor of establishment political conservatism could become, almost overnight, its able apologist (at least insofar as the Iraq War was concerned). At best, they regard him as schizophrenic, at worst, the lowest kind of traitor.” (Pg. 69-70)

He argues, “my private conversations with Christopher revealed that he was contemplating a much broader … change. There was a slow but steady warming trend toward the very Christianity that he had for so long excoriated as a noxious relic of humanity’s infantile past… his reflexive atheism was showing significant cracks in it, despite Christopher’s public poses. He held to his atheism for so long, I think, to avoid the deep moral inquiry into his own behavior that accepting Jesus Christ would require. Too much of his life would have to be repudiated.” (Pg. 92)

He suggests, “Christopher did not die the Leftist radical of his youth or the militant atheist of his adulthood. Christopher Hitchens was a searcher. In search of a unifying philosophy of life, atheism offered nothing. In more honest moments, Christopher would acknowledge this … Patriotism, at least, was something… Patriotism alone … could not provide the answers he wanted to the larger questions of life… Hitchens was not as certain about his atheism, whatever his public professions to the contrary.” (Pg. 163)

He contends, “My private conversations with him revealed a man who was weighing the cost of conversion. His atheist friends and colleagues, sensing his flirtations with Christianity and fearing his all-out desertion to that hated enemy, rushed to keep him in the fold. To reassure them, Christopher… was more bombastic than ever. But the rhetoric was concealing the fact that even while he was railing against god from the rostrum, he was secretly negotiating with him… Christopher well knew that criticisms and loss of friendships … would pale in comparison to what would follow his religious conversion. Hatred of God was the central tenet of their faith, and there could be no redemption for those renouncing it. And it is here that his courage failed him… A lifetime of rebellion had created a prison from which intellect alone could not secure parole.” (Pg. 164-165) He admits, “Was there a deathbed conversion? Christopher’s wife, Carol Blue, said no in an interview… I believe her.” (Pg. 166)

He concludes, “At the end of his life, Christopher’s searches had brought him willingly, if secretly, to the altar. Precisely what he did there, no one knows… the greatest struggle was within Christopher himself. With his wits undimmed, one wonders what prayers Christopher might have sent up as he approached his inevitable end… I happen to know that Jesus’ words in John 11:25-26 reverberated in his mind: ‘I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?’ … Christopher brooded over it and gave answer as only he and God know. In the public book, this was Christopher’s last act of defiance. The private book, however, tells the real story, and … it may well be that there the epitaph reads somewhat differently and a great deal more hopefully.” (Pg. 169)

This is a highly interesting book---for persons on ALL sides of the issues/debate---but ultimately also a somewhat frustrating one. Taunton ends the book on a hopeful note, yet he does not deal frankly with the much more likely possibility that his friend did NOT have a last-minute/deathbed conversion, and thus died an unbeliever---which means, for a largely traditional Christian such as Taunton (who is not a Universalist, and seemingly not a Conditionalist either), that Hitchens will thus endure “eternal punishment.” [i.e., Mt 25:46] I would like to have read Taunton’s thoughts on this harrowing notion... as well as his critiques of Hitchens' INTELLECTUAL arguments.

The number of 1-star reviews is very unfair. This book is biographical. It's not a "secret, deathbed confession".

This shows how stubborn the opposition is. They are pre-judging the book's contents without taking the time to learn about Christopher the human being from a behind-the-scenes perspective.

Why is it so hard to think that Christopher was tolerant and friendly with Taunton?

"The Faith of Christopher Hitchens" by Larry Alex Taunton is a great read.

The author, who is an unswerving evangelical Christian had a great rapport with the highly prominent atheist, Christopher Hitchens. They debated publicly and privately, in addition to sharing lengthy road trips and a great friendship. Neither of them took it easy on the other in their disagreements, but they maintained a very harmonious relationship.

Although Hitchens had been very well known for years, I had never heard of Mr. Taunton prior to seeing them in a public debate they held in Billings, Montana a few years ago in the midst of one of their journeys. I was very impressed with his apparent genuine affection for Hitchens, as well as his debating ability in taking on such a prominent figure. After having watched that, I was eager to read this book and get some of the inside 'scoop."

It is both a great story, as well as a highly interesting account of two who were polar opposites philosophically. It certainly gave me a different perspective of Hitchens, who had always seemed to be rather intense in his antagonism toward some Christians. This book gives a lot of insight into that as well.

I recommend this for any atheist or theist who is interested in atheism, Hitchens, or Christianity. Very well done!

"Ignore the haters." Christopher Hitchens would tell you this. In fact, he would have admonished the negative reviewers of this book today, just as he did in real life, which is part of the amazing story of his life that you'll find here. Christopher was a man who had a private persona that was far different than the public persona you might be familiar with. I believe that is the main point of Taunton's book. My favorite chapter was entitled "Two books," because it appears that Christopher Hitchens kept two sets of books, just as some not-so-ethical businessmen keep two sets of books--the one you show the IRS & the one you show the guy you're trying to sell your business to. This was a great analogy. I read this book shortly before my 29yo son died. And I believe God led me to read it to allow me to consider the idea that my son also kept 2 books about himself. Aside from that, I found the book highly intriguing. It is a great read. I read a library copy & now I'm buying it for my own library. I expect my kids will be reading it & I will be loaning this out to many friends.

“The Faith of Christopher Hitchens” is an interesting read, and it gets more engaging as it progresses and focuses more and more on Hitchens’ and Taunton’s friendship. Slight disclaimer thought: it is not a good introduction to Christopher Hitchens, as I had never even heard Hitchens before, I was bored with most of the first half of the book which exclusively focuses on Hitchens’ childhood and early adulthood.

However, once Taunton and Hitchens meet and begin to develop a friendship the book improves drastically and the reader is able to see Hitchens as an actual person: clever, questioning, and intriguing (as opposed to being the subject of an awkwardly formed personality study as he is for the first six chapters). Taunton’s honest account of meeting Hitchens and of their road trips together gives an authentic look at how Hitchens carried himself outside the public view of his fans and fellow atheists, while crafting Hitchens into an intensely likable character, all without overlooking his character flaws and crudeness.

Overall, the book gets four stars (it falls short of five due to the slow, plodding opening with is essentially just Hitchens’ “Hitch-22” condensed and retold without rhetorical flare). Taunton obviously cares very much about Hitchens’ and takes their friendship very seriously. It is nearly impossible to doubt the author’s sincerity when he speaks of his concern for Hitchens’ family, health, and ultimately, his eternal salvation. While Taunton is unapologetically writing from a Christian perspective, one gets the sense that “Faith” is not meant of villainize or criticize the atheism of the late Christopher Hitchens. Rather, it is meant to serve as a truly powerful testament to a friendship which transcended seemingly insurmountable barriers and brought together two men with very different ideals who were able to become positive influences in each other’s lives. In the end, the reader sees Hitchens for much more than a one-dimensional celebrity atheist: he becomes a real person with doubts, dreams, and a desire for truth.

“The Faith of Christopher Hitchens” should be required reading for anyone who is a fan, a critic, or has heard of Christopher Hitchens. It is one thing to see a man onstage or to read his writings in a magazine. It is quite another to sit in on his intimate conversations and be privy to his private friendships. “The Faith of Christopher Hitchens” provides its readers with the latter.

As a fellow evangelical Christian I read this book with keen interest. Why on earth would a leader of the new atheist movement take a road trip with an evangelical Christian to study the gospel of John, not once but twice? I was intrigued. The book kept me hooked in all the way, not a dull page in it. Taunton has a way with words, and metaphor that I haven't read in many Christian authors in a while. What attracts me to him is the same thing Hitchens admired. His unflinching unwavering genuine belief in the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Hitchens hated frauds, and hucksters as I'm sure many do. Taunton does a brief sketch of Hitchens life prior to their meeting, and is realistically critical of hitchens autobiography for good reason. The rest of the book catelogues their friendship. Taunton pulls no punches and I felt nothing was covered up, or glissued over with rose tinted glasses. He is adept at making things simple. There is no deathbed conversion that I was expecting, which will put some off this book, Taunton is at pains to keep his integrity. Hitchens is painted in a remarkably warm and yet bleakly realistic light, and I thinking Taunton erred a little too much on the side of Hitchens private convictions overruling his public confessions. The turning point for Hitchens life was 9/11 and how dumbstruck he was over how many on the left made excuses for the evil they had just witnessed, in order to Ben consistent with their worldview. Taunton regards this as the start of Hitchens the searcher. The saddest part of the book was reading about the road trip, knowing Hitchens would soon die, and Taunton recounting the reality of what it meant from a Christian perspective. The book is a standout for Taunton demonstrating genuine and sincere Christian love, and fellowship with those Christ came to reach. He was not out to win the argument but the man to Christ. Taunton is not a lightweight when it comes to intellectual matters either. He is a scholar, and a deep thinker who takes the Bible seriously. His Faith in Christ is the well from which he draws deeply for spiritual, emotional and intellectual nourishment. I'd reccomend this to anyone interested in the question I posed at the beginning.

Understand that all the 1 star reviews are by atheists who never read a word of this book. The author never claims Christopher had a bed-side conversion. The relationship that Larry had with Christopher is fascinating and just so enjoyable to read their interactions. The two road trips they took were just excellent. Highly recommended.

The late Christopher Hitchens is best known for his book god is not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything. He was an aggressive atheist who made his living blaspheming God. So why would Christian author Larry Taunton want to write a book about him?

Because this book is much more about God’s graciousness than it is Hitchens’ rebellion.

And because Hitchens wasn’t quite what he seemed. Taunton writes of Hitchens having “two sets of books” just as fraudulent accountants do, with the one set for the viewing public, and the second private set that give the true tally. Hitchens’ public face was that of the confident anti-theist who thought it made good theater to claim God was both unforgivably evil and non-existent. Meanwhile the private Hitchens was spending more and more time with God’s followers, calling some of them friends, and even studying the Bible with one or two. If he wasn’t deliberately seeking God, this other Hitchens’ interest in the truth was bringing him closer and closer to his Creator.

Taunton got to know Hitchens after arranging public debates between Hitchens and prominent Christians. Often times after these debates the two public combatants, Taunton, and others, would head out to a late dinner where the debate would continue. This is how Taunton and Hitchens became friends. When Hitchens was diagnosed with terminal cancer the late night debating seemed more important to them both.

God not only brought Christians into Hitchens life, He also gave this materialist a sure knowledge about the reality of evil. The atheistic/materialistic worldview has no room for right and wrong – things just are. We don’t speak of chemical reactions as having any sort of “moral quality,” and in the atheist worldview all we are is chemical reactions. So when atheists speak of evil they are speaking of something they have no explanation for. Hitchens seemed to understand this, but, particularly after the 9/11 terrorist attack, was also certain there was evil. Hitchens bravely denounced radical Islam, which lost him friends among the Left, but more importantly exposed – seemingly to Hitchens himself – the big hole in his godless worldview. It was another nudge in a Godward direction.

While Taunton doesn’t make any claims about a deathbed conversion for one of the world’s most notorious atheists, he shows us that God was ever so gracious to Hitchens, confronting him, pursuing him. We don’t know if Christopher Hitchens ever repented, but we do know God gave him every opportunity.

This is a close-up look at a wavering atheist that concludes without a clear happy ending – that makes it strange, particularly for a Christian-authored book. But the glimpse at what God was doing in Hitchens’ life makes this a compelling book. God gave Hitchens time, allotting him 16 months after his initial terminal cancer diagnosis; He brought him into close company with men who were able to answer his objections; and He also made Hitchens aware of evil. Why read "The Faith of Christopher Hitchens"? Because one can’t help but be struck by God’s graciousness in the life of Christopher Hitchens.

In The Faith of Christopher Hitchens, Christian apologist Larry Alex Taunton shares a wonderful gift with us as he describes his surprising friendship with Mr. Hitchens. It is not a syrupy, happy-ever-after story; rather, Mr. Taunton relates the details of their relationship honestly, even bluntly, but with undisguised affection for this brilliant, aggressively argumentative man who noisily denounced everything sancrosanct to Christians … with two astonishing exceptions (read the book!). And the affection was clearly mutual, because "Hitch" found someone he could trust in Larry, whose actions were in harmony with his expressions of belief in God. As I read the book, I saw a vivid portrayal of what an authentic friend looks like - and I'm referring to both men. I felt a sense of loss for never having known Mr. Hitchens in this life. In closing the pages of this remarkable tribute to friendship, I am left with a fragile hope that I may meet him in the next.

Hitchens remained true to his mind until then end. This book shows that he was still struggling still searching. And THAT is our role here, not to lie belly up and believe in what is not only illogical and unproven, but, on the whole, a cause of immense misery, fueld by scorching hypocrisy.

How weary I am of the claim that God gave Hitchens chances to pass his test; be saved from his own bilious, jealous wrath over our inability to achieve the impossible - without giving up the very minds he gave us, and that murdering his own son needs to be enough to sway us. How nauseated am I to hear that the all loving being was so kind as to have given Hitchens one last chance to believe something that simply defied his brilliant mind, intelligence and intellect; one last chance to whimper, in his dying breaths, a meaningless commitment borne solely of terror, to a faith in something that is no more proven than a fairy in a garden flower. So kind. So kind as to let Hitchens have one last chance after struggling to find his truths for a few decades, using every ounce of the very (apparently insufficient) energy that He had given Hitchens in the first place.... before pushing him with a mighty "I told you so" into hellfire and torture and screaming and terror for trillions upon trillions upon trillions of years (what Christians like to call, so sweetly, "eternity"). I miss Hitchens. And this book shows he was human. An honest human, who is condemned by many for being one of the few who spoke, and KEPT his mind, to the end.

I bought this book expecting a deeper account of his persona. I will not deny that I am a Hitchens follower and I've read every book he's put out and, after reading this, something tells me that Hitchens would strongly disagree with this book and even condemn it publicly. I was not surprised to see many people closer to Hitchens completely eviscerate this book.

Personally, I think this book was a shame and a money-grab from a writer trying to make a buck off of someone that has already passed. But hey, if you are looking for a salacious story about an Atheist turned to religion because of impending death, here's a book for you... just remember, this book may well be better suited for the fiction section.

Well written and extremely insightful analysis of Chistopher Hichens' thinking/writing. I especially appreciated the discussion of his childhood and its likely influence to develop a life-long search for meaning... which Hitchens found in identifying Islamic terrorism as evil. Taunton has done the world a favor by describing his close relationship with Hitchens.

This is a wonderful account of the personal relationship that developed between Christopher Hitchens and Alex Taunton; unfortunately in Hitch's last days. Alex skillfully touches the humanity and vulnerability of a highly intelligent atheist confronted with his own mortality; and recounts debates and conversations he and Christopher engaged in on their diametrically opposed beliefs. This all happened amidst the evolution of a strong friendship that developed between the two men and is documented in the book. Hitchens showed a begrudging willingness to entertain Taunton's arguments, even though until his death he never publicly changed his stance as a staunch atheist.
The book is an easy read and once I picked it up, I didn't stop until the end. It interested me that much.
As a conservative Christian of course I disagreed with Hitchens' atheism, but have always been fascinated by him - and unlike most liberals - whose comments resonate like fingernails on a chalkboard - I liked to listen to him, especially after his epiphany after 9/11. This book is prompting me to continue studying both of these men and their important contributions to our national debate. Additionally for me; it reinforces the importance of the battle against the left's efforts to destroy the Christian faith. You need to read this book, and also take a look at all of the Fixed Point's recorded debates between important Christian apologists and their atheist opponents.

This book is not really about the FAITH of renowned atheist Christopher Hitchens. Or, at least not in the usual way that Christians talk about someone having faith. Larry Alex Taunton is clear throughout the book that there was no deathbed conversion, that Hitchens died as he lived, as a person of no faith. Hitchens' "faith" is that he MAY not have been as rigid in his unbelief as one might have assumed from his public persona.

HOWEVER, this is a wonderful book, and the real story here is not Hitchens' "faith," but rather the deep friendship between the author (an evangelical Christian apologist) and Hitchens. In an age in which friendships across ideological divides are becoming profoundly rare, the story of this friendship is deeply hopeful and one to which we should pay close attention. Taunton describes his friendship with Hitchens in a variety of situations, including a prominent public debate that occurred not long before Hitchens’ death.

I challenge all Christians to read this book, and to prayerfully consider how we can similarly portray the love, respect and friendship of Jesus to those who are of other faiths (or, like Hitchens, of no faith at all) or even… gasp… to those who are of vastly different political convictions than we are.

I would never normally pick up a biography and read it, but I have been fascinated by the soul behind the "soul-less" Hitchens. Having read The Grace Effect", I knew that if any author could make a biography interesting, it would be Larry Taunton. I LOVED IT! Larry's account of the events of his friendship with Christopher, are meaty yet simple enough to grasp. Unlike many of Larry Taunton's critics, I HAVE read the book and could see no claim that Hitchens had any sort of deathbed conversion. Only that this was not quite as black and white as he would have his followers believe. This story of friendship between a believer and a nonbeliever, had me enthralled to the end. Quite the same way that one would say Christopher was with Christianity and the Christian.

Know and have observed the career of the author, Larry Taunton, through the course of the accounts in this book. Larry is genuinely capturing an account of an unexpected friendship with a man that most people from Larry's ideological position would criticize and condemn. This account is a highly personal account of a friendship that grew in the winter season of Hitchen's life. Through Larry's work I had the opportunity to interact with "Hitch" on more than one occasion as he visit our city and I can say with complete confidence that Christopher Hitchens held the highest respect from Larry Taunton and his authentic friendship.

Ideas matter...friendships brings ideas into the context of reality.

I hope you will choose to observe this unusual friendship through the reading of this book. Such friendships is the only hope for the sustainability of American and what is left of Western democracy.

Grace and Peace,

Jack Eyer

A simple portrayal of what the author wanted to see in the man of Christopher Hitchens rather than an honest review of the complex deep thinker that Hitchens actually was. It is a interesting perspective into the viewpoint of how a staunch evangelical Christian views what motivates Hitchens. I believe in the back of Larry Taunton's mind he can never fully accepts that Hitchens fully rejected the idea of God and so is internally justifying external reasons of why Hitchens despised religion. He makes a comical portrayal of Hitchens worldview and its many faults and sees the spot in Hitchens eye while failing to visualize the log in his own eye. There is something to be gained by seeing how evangelical fundamentalists view atheists but beyond that the book is a religious hit job on a man who can't defend himself and seeks to soften the ideas that Hitchens so brilliantly used to decimate the flaws in religious thinking. Hitchens himself had flaws and was not correct on every issue, but he did a wondrous job at examining the philosophers and great thinkers throughout history and disseminating their concepts through brilliant monologues and debates and will be remembered as one of the great orators and critics of religion in the 20th and 21st centuries.

Misleading and disgraceful twisting of Hitchens and fanciful projection by the author.

David Frum at the Atlantic dismantled this book. Please google "Betraying the Faith of Christopher Hitchens" "David Frum"
and "Larry Taunton's new book says more about its author than about the man he claims as a friend."

I purchased this book not knowing what to expect, but read on with amazement to the end. While Mr. Hitchens hated religion (I believe that God hates religion too), he had the opportunity to experience "relationship", which is what Christianity is...a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ. I would recommend this book highly to anyone with an open mind.

Christopher Hitchens, friend of Christians. Does that statement surprise you? If so, have I got a book for you! Larry Taunton was such a friend and he gives us a portrait of the late polemicist that is intimate and honest and insightful, while honoring his friend and avoiding the maudlin and tabloid. A remarkable book.

Taunton’s biography of one of our generation’s great literary and intellectual giants is a dismaying hatchet job that surely has caused ‘The Hitch’ to turn in his grave. Barely a few pages in I was squirming at Taunton’s claim to a special “friendship” with Hitchens. Indeed? You’d hardly know it by the scornful, disparaging, kiss-and-tell tone, reminding me of the phrase “Who needs enemies with friends like this?”

I’m willing to take Taunton at his own word in portraying Hitchens as, at times, self-centered, arrogant, and worse. And he makes some sharp, sensible analyses of the influential forces that shaped Hitchens' politics and personality. Yet as an avowed Evangelical, Taunton reveals throughout a barely hidden desire to get the final word over on one of the world's foremost and most formidable atheists. And in doing so, to do him down.

With his own belief system as his life raison d’etre, it’s no surprise that Taunton displays a myopic incapacity to even contemplate how a person can intellectually comprehend that the god concept is a man-made construct (not to mention that an atheist can be moral, or as Hitchens' himself liked to claim, more moral than bigoted believers). Thus, in his opening pages, he accuses Hitchens of lacking the “maturity of intellect” to, in Hitchens’ own words, “have worked this out by the time I was ten.” And yet in almost the same breathe Taunton claims that Hitchens became atheist—and at such a young age!—for conscious reasons of sexual and political liberation. Such sanctimony spoils an otherwise good read. (For the record: I myself came to atheism suddenly at 12 years old when an intellectual lightbulb went on during a religious service.)

Anyone familiar with Hitchens works and public appearances will recognize that Taunton has been disingenuous in his representations of Hitchens and his statements. For example, in quoting “The Hitchens Challenge” (“Name me an ethical statement made or the action performed by a believer that could not have been made or performed by a non-believer”), Taunton sets out to demolish Hitchens argument… Yet he omits the key second part of the Challenge: “Name a wicked action that could only have been performed by someone who believed they were on an errand from god.”

Taunton’s claims to private conversations with Hitch reveal, he portrays, a “hidden side” to Hitchens. Like Brutus with a knife in his hand, he seems to relish in the spinal stab. He paints Hitch as a fraud. A con man to be unfrocked. Thus, not content to misrepresent and manipulate Hitchens’ own words, Taunton casts the ultimate insult: an unfounded claim that Hitch was in fact having second thoughts about atheism: That he was being drawn to accept the divine. Dare I say it? For god’s sake. Give me a break!

It's a fantastic book. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

It is thoughtful and it is honest regarding Hitch, and it doesn't hold any punches or make any pretensions about who Hitchens was in life.

It isn't hopping on the glory train after the death of Hitchens, it is a personal look into the close relationship the man had with a Christian pastor for all the world to see.

Read this book. It is an engaging read, and I cannot recommend it highly enough.

Christopher (could anyone be worse named?) Hitchens admitted that he kept "two sets of books"--one for public scrutiny and one containing the truth. The first set is well known from his journalism and his public appearances, but this volume is about the other set of books that Hitchens kept: His closet friendships with evangelicals such as Francis Collins, Douglas Wilson, and Larry Taunton, his admiration for the language of the King James version of the Bible, and his appreciation for those like William Tyndall, who gave their lives to make truth accessible to ordinary people. Few things are as despicable as a "kiss and tell" biography, where an alleged friend reveals secrets about the subject that diminish him in the eyes of the reader. This book is NOT AT ALL like that. Reading it will make you respect Hitchens more and wish that the Catholics he hated so much were right about purgatory.

Usually reading about an atheist's investigation into Christianity is harsh. In this book Taunton writes about his friendship with Hitchens and their sincere discussions of the Bible, in particular, the book of John. It is encouraging and refreshing to hear of the civil, in fact, friendly dialogue between two people with different views. Taunton shares his perception of a hardcore, often hostile, atheist whose heart was softened as they discussed and debated the facts of the Bible.

We either search for the meaning of life, or simply conclude it has no meaning at all. Hitchen's searched, and that search fueled surprising twists and turns in his public positions - even if they were not fully expounded. His answers to the ultimate questions cannot be known. What is clear is that his searching was honest and sincere. Perhaps in the love and acceptance of a surprising friendship, Hitchen's found a model for the love and acceptance he longed for.

Larry Taunton shares a bunch of anecdotes of his encounters with Christopher Hitchens. It's a good read but I was a bit disappointed by the lack of substance. Friendships between people of opposing convictions can be very rewarding indeed. Hence I expected some insightful discussions, if not debates or even some dialectical analysis. Although Taunton makes an attempt to explain where Hitchen's atheism came from his explanation remains somewhat unsatisfactory. Similarly, there is little insight into the development of his own christianity. Overall, I found little philosophical or historical substance in this book.

The highlight is the episode when both men went for a road trip during which Christopher Hitchens read in the Bible -- yes, he did some "bible study" with the author! Taunton claims this was evidence for Hitchens' uncertainty and actually willingness to open up to Christianity. Really?? I am glad Hitchens is characterized as a guy who is willing to listen to the other side (i.e. Christian world views). In fact, that is exactly what I expect from any critical thinker. If he would outright dismiss any statements, say, from scripture, without first evaluating them, he would be a bigot. In fact, it becomes fairly clear that this is the reason why Hitchens was an atheist: the bible and Jesus Christ may touch our hearts, but intellectually (and historically) they remain unsatisfactory. It's revealing that Hitchens admitted that the world would be a better place if everybody would be like Taunton -- but Taunton is a nice guy and not a religious bigot, like the many religious fanatics Hitchens used to condemn.

In a few instances Taunton oversells his agenda though, e.g. when he claims (at least twice) that Christians donate ten times more to charity than atheists. While many studies do show that Christians are more generous than atheists, there are also studies that show that muslims are more generous than Christians. And the differences in terms of generosity are actually rather small (e.g. 65% of religious people donate while only 56% of religiously unaffiliated people do so, according to philanthropy.com). In fact, it seems that much of what Christians donate goes right back to their congregations, so it's not exactly selfless help. But that's another story.

It is not often in our politically correct society that individuals with differing worldviews can discuss ideas with tolerance and mutual respect. Yet, Hitchens and Tauton do just that. Recommended reading.

I have watched many of his debates and found this man fascinating. The religion he debated against (Christianity, in this matter) always seem miles apart from what it is in reality. This book explains why this sort of distancing is found in him. This book not only tells the other side of Christopher Hitchens, but offers a fair, sharp, and sane analysis of him and what went on around him - an atheist of the highest profile. Not only that, but the book itself is a beautiful piece of artwork which makes reading of this book doubly enjoyable.

This book did the impossible. It made me enjoy the person who was Christopher Hitchens. First, let me say any atheist who gives this book a poor review on the grounds that it "slights Hitchens" or that it "unfairly takes potshots at a man who can’t defend himself" are suddenly mistaken. I use to have nothing but contempt for the man who was deemed “The Hitch” and I admit they were very un-Christian feelings. This book taught Christians how to remove those Un-Christian emotions and see Hitchens for the person he was, and not just the public atheist he was.
When I read Christopher Hitchens' book "god Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything" I viewed the man as incredibly arrogant and misinformed about Christianity. I then watched various debates he was featured in, and grew even increasingly frustrated with the man, and I saw no way in which someone could find him charming, let alone someone who could possibly have the amount of fan following he had. When I heard of this book, I was hesitant to purchase it. I was hesitant because I had grown tired of anything Hitchens, and I was also convinced that it was a book which would attempt to convince the world the Hitch had secretly converted to Christianity. I did some background research to discover the validity of the relationship between Larry Taunton and Hitchens, and I found the interviews between the two discussing their friendship and their road trip studying the Gospel of John. This was now undisputed fact, Hitchens never denied going on these road trips and in fact he was the one to reveal studying the Gospel of John.
This was now undisputed fact, Hitchens never denied going on these road trips and in fact he was the one to reveal these road trips existed during a debate, not the author Larry Taunton. I got a copy of the book a little less skeptical about their relationship. To my surprise upon reading it, I discovered this book does not describe Christopher's new found deathbed "faith" in God, but rather his childhood experience and eventual belief in atheism. I despised the Hitch's account for why he was an Atheist, calling his schoolmaster a closeted homosexual, stating how people who believe in God must be mentally ill, and depicting God as some sort of misogynistic genocidal maniac came across as an utterly disconnected depiction of reality. Taunton explains with clarity why Hitchens had such a viewpoint, and managed to explain many confusions the average person has about the man when viewing his life from the outside.
The political shift of the Hitch after 9/11 and his new conservative friends suddenly became clear as well. Hitchens wasn’t a schizophrenic but instead he had a public persona he revealed to everyone, and a private persona he kept to himself and close friends. It is undisputed that Taunton was one of those close friends. Atheists and Christians alike should be thrilled to discover this side of Hitchens: his denouncing of Peter Singer’s comparison between human infants and piglets, his interaction with Taunton’s HIV positive adopted daughter, and his intellectual honesty to study Scripture in order to get a deeper understanding of the religion he debated against. Anyone who doubts Taunton’s ability to tell the world about the private life of Christopher Hitchens would have to be someone who was also close enough to Hitchens to go on multiple road trips alone, and I doubt anyone writing a review on the store fulfills those qualifications like Larry Taunton does.
Overall this is a great page turning book. It describes and explains the confusing life of Christopher Hitchens, and does so in a way which allows you to respect the man whether or not you are Christian or Atheist. It does not say Hitchens converted to Christianity, but rather tells the story of his life in regards to faith. It explains parts of Hitchens life which appear at first glance to be contradictory, and gives you the explanation that only someone intimately close with the Hitch could. I read this book within one plane ride (that had a layover) and I think every Theist, Atheist, and Agnostic should read it.

“The Faith of Christopher Hitchens” surpassed my expectations. I have read a number of books of both sides of the aisle (being a Reverend in a conservative Presbyterian denomination, you ought to be able to guess who I side with!), and while those have been helpful in terms of intellectual discussions on the topic of God’s existence, rarely was the personal aspect of theism or atheism broached. Even though this is a book primarily concerned with Mr. Hitchens, one can learn much about Mr. Taunton as well.
The reader should know that if he or she is hoping that Larry Taunton paints himself as the “winner” in the debates and discussions he had with Hitchens, you will be disappointed. Yes you will have a few opportunities to read (I think hear might be a better term) those talks, but Taunton’s purpose was to allow his audience to get a feel for the more personal side of the world renowned atheist. Using a helpful analogy of an accountant who keeps two books, one public and one private, the author dwells more on the private side. After all, if you want to know the public persona, read “god is not Great” or watch a multitude of Youtube clips. Mr. Taunton wants his readers to know that, like most public figures, Christopher Hitchens was not all he appeared to be. And it was that private persona that I found so fascinating. Here was a man who might rip you to shreds in front of an audience but would stake his very reputation to defend your character IF he truly believed you had a character worth defending! Taunton’s examples help solidify that aspect of Mr. Hitchens.
The greatest strength of this book is the personal conversations between the author and Hitchens. Too often conversations can sound stilted in print; not so in Taunton’s rendition. I found that I could imagine myself in the car or the restaurant (or the bar!) and hear these two brilliant minds engage in witty, personable, intellectual, and at times very touching exchanges. The banter between Mr. Hitchens and Mr. Taunton’s children (especially his adopted daughter) remind us that the famous can be down to earth as well. And the author’s admitted frustration with the sometimes demanding and almost childlike Hitchens only added to the humanity of their relationship. While their friendship was short-lived, it was meaningful. I can only hope that those who read this book will take to heart that even though Christians and atheists are worlds apart on so many issues, we still do live in the same world. The Faith of Christopher Hitchens serves as an invaluable reminder of what can happen when civility marks relationships even among those with vastly differing world views. Highly recommended.

Disclosure: I received this book for free from Thomas Nelson in exchange for an honest review.

Plodding. I embrace the authors premise but don't know if is the best use of a reader's valuable time. An apologetic that is not of value to those that embrace a Christian worldview and not engaging for those that would take a contrary position. I think the author should have stood by his original inclination and declined the publishes request.