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Blood, Class and Empire: The Enduring Anglo-American Relationship (Nation Books) (Paperback)

~ (Author) "Much can be divined about any individual, however outwardly complex, from his or her explanation of the decline of the Roman Empire..." (more)
Key Phrases: destroyers for bases, United States, Great Britain, New York (more...)
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  • This item: Blood, Class and Empire: The Enduring Anglo-American Relationship (Nation Books) by Christopher Hitchens

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Product Description

Since the end of the Cold War so-called experts have been predicting the eclipse of America's "special relationship" with Britain. But as events have shown, especially in the wake of 9/11, the political and cultural ties between America and Britain have grown stronger. Blood, Class and Empire examines the dynamics of this relationship, its many cultural manifestations-the James Bond series, PBS "brit Kitsch," Rudyard Kipling-and explains why it still persists. Contrarian, essayist and polemicist Christopher Hitchens notes that while the relationship is usually presented as a matter of tradition, manners, and common culture, sanctified by wartime alliance, the special ingredient is empire; transmitted from an ancien regime that has tried to preserve and renew itself thereby. England has attempted to play Greece to the American Rome, but ironically having encouraged the United States to become an equal partner in the business of empire, Britain found itself supplanted.


About the Author

Christopher Hitchens is a contributing editor to Vanity Fair. His numerous books include Letters to a Young Contrarian and Why Orwell Matters.

Product Details

  • Paperback: 432 pages
  • Publisher: Nation Books (March 18, 2004)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1560255927
  • ISBN-13: 978-1560255925
  • Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.4 x 1.2 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 2.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.com Sales Rank: #398,991 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Christopher Hitchens
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Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
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First Sentence:
Much can be divined about any individual, however outwardly complex, from his or her explanation of the decline of the Roman Empire. Read the first page
Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
destroyers for bases
Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
United States, Great Britain, New York, Winston Churchill, Middle East, Woodrow Wilson, State Department, Secretary of State, Foreign Office, Henry Adams, Monroe Doctrine, Prime Minister, United Kingdom, Theodore Roosevelt, First World War, Cold War, Sir Anthony Eden, James Burnham, America First, British Establishment, Evelyn Waugh, Harold Macmillan, Rudyard Kipling, Great War, Imperial Preference
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2.6 out of 5 stars (9 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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38 of 45 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Apparently Greatly Misunderstood, October 5, 2004
I feel compelled to write a short review of this book in order to underscore how badly I feel that many of the leftist reviewers here have misunderstood it, probably based on no more than reading the title if history is any judge. This book IS NOT some bloated Noam Chomsky fairy tale about America and its misdeeds throughout time; it IS a very nice survey of the 'special relationship' between America and Great Britain, and its enduring components of blood, class, and nostalgia (as the original title that I own went).
So, look elsewhere for loony paranoid fantasies; here you will only find the usual intelligent Hitchens style.
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45 of 57 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars A charming and entertaining, if incomplete survey, July 7, 2004
By A Customer
Hitchens is both a polemicist and a comedian and this re-issue is a timely reminder of his wicked sense of fun. It probably shouldn't be taken too seriously. If read as an extension of an amusing hypothesis it's very effective, if read as a serious work of geo-political analysis it may be something of a disappointment.

I enjoyed it tremendously, but then I came to it mostly expecting to be entertained and reminded of some hazy anecdotes that might adorn the history of the 'special relationship' at a dinner-party level.

Reading the reviews that this book has garnered on amazon ironically demonstrated to me the very sizable difference in character between the two partners in this uneasy, but now very long-standing marriage.

The British Empire was an empire based on 'grace' (of necessity - that small temperate isle anchored off the coast of continental Europe could only enforce its 'imperium' by diplomacy and grace. Let's be honest: the Brits CHARMED the Indians into accepting their rule!)

In contrast the American Empire is based on 'power' and the projection overseas of American interests through financial and military 'might' based on a trans-continental nation with unparalleled economic and technological capability has been the exercise of effective, determined, aggressive self-interest.

It is therefore a not-too-surprising irony that your reaction to this work will be determined by your expectations based on whether you are looking for a Brtish-style work of charming anecdote illuminating by wit, or whether your need is really for a hard-headed geopolitcal analysis to satisfy the most self-interested Beltway policy wonk.

My advice: sit back and enjoy the charm. Thank God that we (eventually) went and saved Britain from Hitler and thus helped them secure Europe for civilisation and democracy. Life would be immeasurably less rich without these crazy Brits and their incomprehensible wit and, despite their all-too-obvious concerns of late, they have repaid that debt with interest in supporting us through thick and (recently) thin and adding their not inconsiderable weight to our strategies. You can just hear Harold Macmillan saying something like "Think nothing of it dear boy".

No 'serious' American writer would have produced this confection. That's why we serious Americans should read it.

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25 of 40 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Hitchens Retails An Urban Legend, July 7, 2004
By Steven Thornton (Seattle, WA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
While I like this book quite a bit - vintage Hitchens -- he makes one dreadful error on page 138, when he's talking about English as the semi-official language of the US. He says that "as late as 1795, the House of Representatives narrowly defeated a motion that all its documents and proceedings be printed also in German. The tie vote was cast by the Speaker, one Friedrich Muhlenberg."

This ain't so. Muhlenberg was the Speaker, and a vote did fall one short -- but it wasn't to print in German, it was merely to table such a motion for consideration later. It failed, and thus the motion was dropped forever. It was never voted on at all.(...)

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

3.0 out of 5 stars good old uk
I must first reply to some reader who says that the Americans came and saved us from Hitler. What a load of rubbish and highy insulting. Read more
Published on July 29, 2007 by Mr. R. J. Percy

1.0 out of 5 stars The "New" Hitchens needs to re-read this and fight himself
If Chris Hitchens really believes all the pro-Bush, war on terrorism garbage he has been spewing since 9/11 he would halt the publication of this book--instead he's rushed to... Read more
Published on August 17, 2004 by Roger Dodge

3.0 out of 5 stars The transatlantic bond as a dysfunctional relationship
"Blood, Class and Empire" was originally published in 1990. This is a reissue with a new forward dated October, 2003, but with no other changes identified. Read more
Published on July 4, 2004

1.0 out of 5 stars not worth the paper that it is printed on...
What trash and aimless drivel. You'll find more truth at a liars anonymous gathering. This book is not worthy of a long retort so I will simply say that it is TRASH! Read more
Published on June 30, 2004 by S. Wu

1.0 out of 5 stars Misinformation
Christopher Hitchens is a columnist for Vanity Fair and should stick to that. Need I say more?
Published on June 24, 2004 by Byron

1.0 out of 5 stars Illogical trash
This is undoubtedly the worst book I have read on this subject. It is pedantic, boring, and relies more on hearsay and opinion than confirmable fact. Read more
Published on June 23, 2004

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