‘The Blair Years’ arrives soon in the U.K.

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Here in the United States, we await next week’s arrival of two competing books on Hillary Rodham Clinton--publishers Little, Brown and Alfred A. Knopf have been changing publication dates in recent weeks in the rush to beat each other to the bookstores.

In the U.K., public attention is on the forthcoming release of Alastair Campbell’s diaries in one volume, ‘The Blair Years,’ in which the British prime minister’s former press secretary describes behind-the-scenes turmoil in Tony Blair’s government.

Even though, as the Guardian reports, there have been ‘extensive cuts to protect the confidences of world leaders such as Bill Clinton, George Bush and the Queen,’ the book is said to be very unflattering to Blair. Blair, his wife and others have called (without success) for the book’s publication to be delayed. Advance word is that the book is raw and candid. But what does this mean? Are readers going to learn that politics in Blair’s government involved backroom deals, arguments and profanity? Wow, what a revelation. One hopes that any candor the book might show will pertain to substantial issues, such as the origins of policy decisions affecting millions of people. British readers will find out soon (American readers too if they visit Amazon’s UK site); Campbell’s book is slated for publication there in early July.

Nick Owchar

(Photo: The Associated Press)