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erickibler4's review against another edition
5.0
Ah, these politically polarized days we live in. We are constantly fed the idea that we must accept one of two predigested slates of beliefs. If you're a "conservative", you must be pro-gun rights and anti-abortion. If you're "liberal", you must be critical of Christianity, but "culturally sensitive" enough to be tolerant of the worst excesses of Islam. No matter that the belief system you've been handed is often internally inconsistent. Just believe! No thought required! Pick up one of these signs we've prepared for you and stand in front of the court house! Yell your slogan really loudly so you can't hear what the other side is saying!
One complaint people had about Christopher Hitchens was that he was inconsistent in that he didn't jump with both feet into one of those camps. He was an atheist and a neocon. He thought George W. Bush was an over-privileged ninny. He was not "culturally sensitive" enough to suffer Islamic extremists gladly. He was a man of the left who often sided with the right. Was he inconsistent? No. He was a rigorous thinker. He was an Englishman who, late in life, became an American citizen and who was a scholar of the Founding Fathers.
You know, in these days of shorthand thinking, everyone should go out and buy this man's books and read them. Not quickly, as you read a thriller, but slowly, closely, and intently. Parse his sentences. Grok him in fulness. As a result, you may be inspired not to take what you're handed at face value. Do your own investigations. Make up your own mind based on the best available information. Read and learn constantly. Be willing to admit you were wrong when it becomes apparent that you are.
LISTEN! READ! INVESTIGATE! OBSERVE! THINK! LEARN TO FORMULATE AND ARTICULATE COMPLEX IDEAS! We seem to be losing the power to do all these things, and Hitchens sets a great example. Don't let people simplify him as an atheist or as a neocon. He was so much more than either of these things.
And sometimes he will make you laugh. Deep, rich belly laughs of absurdity and irony.
I must read more.
One complaint people had about Christopher Hitchens was that he was inconsistent in that he didn't jump with both feet into one of those camps. He was an atheist and a neocon. He thought George W. Bush was an over-privileged ninny. He was not "culturally sensitive" enough to suffer Islamic extremists gladly. He was a man of the left who often sided with the right. Was he inconsistent? No. He was a rigorous thinker. He was an Englishman who, late in life, became an American citizen and who was a scholar of the Founding Fathers.
You know, in these days of shorthand thinking, everyone should go out and buy this man's books and read them. Not quickly, as you read a thriller, but slowly, closely, and intently. Parse his sentences. Grok him in fulness. As a result, you may be inspired not to take what you're handed at face value. Do your own investigations. Make up your own mind based on the best available information. Read and learn constantly. Be willing to admit you were wrong when it becomes apparent that you are.
LISTEN! READ! INVESTIGATE! OBSERVE! THINK! LEARN TO FORMULATE AND ARTICULATE COMPLEX IDEAS! We seem to be losing the power to do all these things, and Hitchens sets a great example. Don't let people simplify him as an atheist or as a neocon. He was so much more than either of these things.
And sometimes he will make you laugh. Deep, rich belly laughs of absurdity and irony.
I must read more.
christianholub's review against another edition
3.0
You can't and shouldn't agree with everything Hitchens says, but he was such a smart and entertaining writer that it's always worth it to wrestle with him a bit.
tristansreadingmania's review against another edition
4.0
Ever the contrarian, the late Hitchens was a member of that rare, dying breed of journalists/public intellectuals that managed to elicit some very strong reactions from all sides of the political spectrum. Especially in the later phases of his career, he regularly sought out - and indeed, relished - battle with whichever group that displeased him, liberals and conservatives alike. Everyone, or so it seemed, was at risk of being subjected to his savage criticisms at some point. Indeed many did, even esteemed friends, like Martin Amis.
His trademark combative style earned him the reputation as a fierce debater and brought with it an admiring, seemingly undying, fanbase (greatly expanded through his ubiquity on YouTube). Sadly, that public perception of Hitchens as the strident antitheist brings with it the risk that his other abilities and broad field of interests fade into the background.
This is an absolute shame, for in his essays Hitchens the man comes out in full force. His commendable humanism, his fondness of -and eclectic taste in- literature, his passion for historicity, and of course that ever present biting wit. Indeed, while sifting through this collection, one regularly asks oneself "how did he manage to read and write about all this?". Dedication is all I can think of. That certain spark inside, which few have. Hitchens had it, took responsibility and cultivated the hell out of it. We should all be grateful that he did, warts and all.
His trademark combative style earned him the reputation as a fierce debater and brought with it an admiring, seemingly undying, fanbase (greatly expanded through his ubiquity on YouTube). Sadly, that public perception of Hitchens as the strident antitheist brings with it the risk that his other abilities and broad field of interests fade into the background.
This is an absolute shame, for in his essays Hitchens the man comes out in full force. His commendable humanism, his fondness of -and eclectic taste in- literature, his passion for historicity, and of course that ever present biting wit. Indeed, while sifting through this collection, one regularly asks oneself "how did he manage to read and write about all this?". Dedication is all I can think of. That certain spark inside, which few have. Hitchens had it, took responsibility and cultivated the hell out of it. We should all be grateful that he did, warts and all.
briannadasilva's review against another edition
Big fan of Hitchens but... this book was just not keeping my attention.
takumo_n's review against another edition
5.0
It took me a while. Even the hack jobs and last minute articles that he wrote with a hangover are worth reading. My favourites were his book reviews because he was a very intelligent, sensitive reader. In the last part of the book are two essays that I highly recommend you look for, whoever stumble upon this review by accident, they're "The 'other' L-word" and "The you decade." Very relevant, and if you like them read the rest of this book.
nikshelby's review against another edition
5.0
"Why should we care what the Founding Fathers believed, or did not believe, about religion? They were to such great trouble to insulate faith from politics, and took such care to keep their own convictions private, that it would scarcely matter if it could now be proved that, say, George Washington was a secret Baptist. The ancestor of the American Revolution was the English Revolution of the 1640s, whose leaders and spokemen were certainly Protestant fundamentalists, but that did not bind the Framers and cannot be said to bind us, either."
kevin_shepherd's review against another edition
5.0
In reading this eclectic collection of 107 articles and essays, covering everything from abolition to Zionism, I am repeatedly reminded that brilliance and forthrightness were the hallmarks of all that was Hitchens.
jacksezerhga's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
4.75
Many of these essays, due to my age and/or knowledge were vastly irrelevant to me personally, however, I can still see the brilliance even in these! I divert from Hitch in MANY a realms but I still always love reading him. He has such a beautiful way with words that will be severely missed. If only he was around to write into our current political landscape..