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Hitchens's style is incendiary and sometimes flamboyant. He relishes the role of provocateur and fancies himself a gadfly to the drowsy American republic. One of his main strengths is his erudition, allowing him to range over vast landscapes of the humanities and politics in a single breath. But he is also sometimes glib and self-satisfied, and his penchant for referencing everything in sight can be distracting. Nonetheless, his arguments are forceful and morally important--and if the reader feels otherwise, there are few more fitting compliments to a professional dissident than dissent. --Eric de Place --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
From Publishers Weekly
Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
--This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
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Most helpful customer reviews
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Reviewers need to read the book,
By
This review is from: Letters to a Young Contrarian (Hardcover)
Two criticisms of this book have been 1. it does not address practical topics of todays politics and 2. Hitchens has a large ego and wants to be Gore Vidal. What is truly inspiring about this book is that it is not an argument on current affairs. You can get this from a newspaper. I find Hitchens fascinating because he is one of the few writers who courageously tries to change how you think and not just your opinion on an issue. In fact Hitchens states that "how" and not "what" you think is what is truly important. As for point number 2 regarding Gore Vidal and the authors ego I have no idea where this comment comes from in fact the Hitchens is self-deprecating in several parts of the book. I have read the book three times now and to me it is a concise and powerful argument for why we need people who are what Hitchens calls "apart" (think differently). In fact my favorite part of the book is a discussion around the folly in trying to create consensus. You always need a cadre of strong viewpoints to reach a good decision. When reading some reviews I wonder if readers have read the book or have simply pigeonholed Hitchen's work and want to discredit him. I would highly recommend this book who sincerely wants to change how they think but people like this are few. As Hitchens points out many of our institutions, particularly religious institutions actually ask that you "check your intellect at the door" and listen to the wise person or book of wisdom. This subtle imposed ignorance keeps the masses in a haze but sufficienty free to do the bidding of its leaders, however, harmful they may be. I see a great service that Hitchens offers us which is the constant questioning of the existence of any large institution in the world whether it be government, religous, or business.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
good, but not great.,
This review is from: Letters to a Young Contrarian (Paperback)
The Hitch's apostrophizing tract could have easily been titled, "How to be More Like Me"; not a bad thing, really. It ought to be required reading for all potential Holden Caulfields. The lack of a greater emphasis on the virtues of secular humanism leaves the read with a lamentable blemish.
4.0 out of 5 stars
Little worth outside the world of Hitchens fandom?,
This review is from: Letters to a Young Contrarian (Paperback)
Hitchens' Letters to Young Contrarian is, more or less, a guide to the particular techniques which Hitchens himself uses to approach thinking about politics and philosophy. He offers reading recommendations and advice on being analytical and critical. Indeed, this is a must for Hitchens fans.However, I would warrant the book falls short in that there are much better sources for this subject matter. With that said though, Hitchens himself points you to some of these sources in his text, while offering his take on them (with beautiful prose I might add). If you want to study dissidents, and how to think freely and critically, then this book only acts as a stepping stone. Personally, I'm not sure it has much worth outside the world of Hitchens fandom. I do enjoy the man's prose style though and cannot say that Letters was anything but a good read.
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