The Four Horsemen: The Conversation That Sparked an Atheist Revolution

Christopher Hitchens · Richard Dawkins · Sam Harris · Daniel Dennett

Mar 2019 · Penguin Random House Audio · Narrated by Christopher Hitchens, Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, Stephen Fry, and Daniel C. Dennett

About this audiobook

In 2007, Christopher Hitchens, Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, and Daniel Dennett filmed a landmark discussion about modern atheism. The video went viral. Now in print for the first time, the transcript of their conversation is illuminated by new essays from three of the original participants and an introduction by Stephen Fry.

At the dawn of the new atheist movement, the thinkers who became known as “the four horsemen,” the heralds of religion's unraveling—Christopher Hitchens, Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, and Daniel Dennett—sat down together over cocktails. What followed was a rigorous, pathbreaking, and enthralling exchange, which has been viewed millions of times since it was first posted on YouTube. This is intellectual inquiry at its best: exhilarating, funny, and unpredictable, sincere and probing, reminding us just how varied and colorful the threads of modern atheism are.

Here is the transcript of that conversation, in print for the first time, augmented by material from the living participants: Dawkins, Harris, and Dennett. These new essays, introduced by Stephen Fry, mark the evolution of their thinking and highlight particularly resonant aspects of this epic exchange. Each man contends with the most fundamental questions of human existence while challenging the others to articulate their own stance on God and religion, cultural criticism, spirituality, debate with people of faith, and the components of a truly ethical life.

Read by Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, Daniel C. Dennett, Christopher Hitchens, and Stephen Fry.

Advance praise for The Four Horsemen

“The full, electrifying transcript of the one and only conversation between the quartet of luminaries dubbed the ‘four horsemen’ of the New Atheism, which took place in Washington, D.C., in 2007. Among the vast range of ideas and questions they discuss: Is it ever possible to win a war of ideas? Is spirituality the preserve of the religious? And, are there any truths you would rather not know?”—The Bookseller (UK) (starred review)

“If thinking were a sport, these four would be national superstars—and reading The Four Horsemen feels like having a front-row seat at the all-star game. This is more than a book about atheism and religion—it’s a lesson in how to use our intellect to cut through the haze of delusion and misconception inherent in any human society.”—Tim Urban, writer of Wait But Why?

Ratings and reviews

This is clearly, meanderings of four horses. It's nice to listen to after you have had a good puff puff and lazily try to compile the ideas into something whole. To each his own, I guess. Death was the funniest of the "dots" placed after Hitchen's ETOH enhanced meanderings... 3 dots will surely follow - God.

Yes the whole thing is on the Tubes free, as it should be. This also adds forwards narrated by Stephen Fry, Dawkins, Dennet, and Harris. Still a very good conversation, whatever format. They each re-hash, to some extent key points from their books - especially Sam and Hitch. But they're good points and well expressed here.

About the author

Christopher Hitchens (1949-2011) was an English-born American author, journalist and literary critic. He was a contributor to magazines including Vanity Fair, the Atlantic, and World Affairs and the author of God is not Great and many other books.

Richard Dawkins is a fellow of the Royal Society and was the inaugural holder of the Charles Simonyi Chair of Public Understanding of Science at Oxford University. He is the acclaimed author of many books, including The Selfish Gene and The God Delusion.

Sam Harris is a neuroscientist, philosopher, writer, podcaster, and is the author of the bestselling books The End of Faith, winner of the PEN/Martha Albrand Award for First Nonfiction; Letter to a Christian Nation; and Waking Up.

Daniel Dennett is the Austin B. Fletcher Professor of Philosophy and co-director of the Center for Cognitive Studies at Tufts University. He is the author of several books including, Consciousness Explained, Darwin's Dangerous Idea, Breaking the Spell, and From Bacteria to Bach and Back.

Stephen Fry is an English actor, screenwriter, author, playwright, journalist, poet, comedian, television presenter, and film director.