Status
Available
Call number
Collection
Publication
Atlantic Books (2010), 448 pages
Description
"The life story of one of the most admired and controversial public intellectuals of our time"--Provided by publisher.
Media reviews
Christopher Hitchens became dazzled by his “friendships” with the rich and powerful and turned into an apologist for war on Iraq. Terry Eagleton reads his new memoir –– and finds a man in conflict with every one of his own instincts.
Oedipus wrecked
The Oedipal children of the
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establishment have always proved useful to the left. Such ruling-class renegades have the grit, chutzpah, inside knowledge, effortless self-assurance, stylishness, fair conscience and bloody-mindedness of their social background, but can turn these patrician virtues to radical ends. The only trouble is that they tend to revert to type as they grow older, not least when political times are lean. The Paul Foots and Perry Andersons of this world are a rare breed. Men and women who began by bellowing "Out, out, out!" end up humiliating waiters and overrating Evelyn Waugh. Those who, like Christopher Hitchens, detest a cliché turn into one of the dreariest types of them all: the revolutionary hothead who learns how to stop worrying about imperialism and love Paul Wolfowitz.
That Hitchens represents a grievous loss to the left is beyond doubt. He is a superb writer, superior in wit and elegance to his hero George Orwell, and an unstanchably eloquent speaker. He has an insatiable curiosity about the modern world and an encyclopaedic knowledge of it, as well as an unflagging fascination with himself. Through getting to know all the right people, an instinct as inbuilt as his pancreas, he could tell you without missing a beat whom best to consult in Rabat about education policy in the Atlas Mountains. The same instinct leads to chummy lunches with Bill Deedes and Peregrine Worsthorne. In his younger days, he was not averse to dining with repulsive fat cats while giving them a piece of his political mind. Nowadays, one imagines, he just dines with repulsive fat cats. . . .
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Hitchens acknowledges many people for their help, but interestingly no specific editor for this particular book. This is unfortunate: a good editor might have cut out 100 pages, pruned the moments of self-indulgence, reminded Hitchens that abuse is not equivalent to analysis and asked for a little
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more introspection. Read Christopher Hitchens, certainly, but not necessarily Hitch-22. Show Less
A generous friend, Mr. Hitchens gives most of his book’s good lines (and there are many, a good deal of them unprintable here) to the people he loves. Those good lines including this one, from Clive James, who began a review of a Leonid Brezhnev memoir this way: “Here is a book so dull that a
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whirling dervish could read himself to sleep with it.... If it were read in the open air, birds would fall stunned from the sky." Whatever the opposite of that book is, Mr. Hitchens has written it. Show Less
Our protagonist is a bit of a disembodied brain, highly capable of poignancy but not exactly introspection or, as is welcome in memoirs, overwhelming indiscretion. (Would it be primitive to say that he seems so English in this way, though he’s become an American citizen?) When he shares a tender
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memory, his preference is to quickly convert it into a larger political observation; for him, politics remains the most crucial sphere of moral and intellectual life. Show Less
When previously surveying his writerly recycling, I wrote, “I did not compile these examples to suggest that Hitchens has dined out on the same material for decades,” but Hitch-22 made me start to wonder.
User reviews
LibraryThing member msbosh
As another LibraryThing member put it, 'there's no denying the beauty of his prose.' I simply love how Mr. Hitchens writes. I knew this book would be a delicious read, and I wasn't disappointed.
I've been enjoying Hitchens ever since he wrote regularly for The Nation, although it took his short and
Like others, I consider his defense of his controversial views on the Iraq War not at all convincing. And yes, his vanity can be a bit much. But his take on some of the major international political events of the last 40 years (so many of which he witnessed first-hand), his wildly affectionate and unabashedly erotic descriptions of his close friends Amis, Fenton, McEwan, Rushdie and others, the many stories he tells, and the humor are nothing less than wonderful.
Someone else pointed out how Hitchens generously gives all the great lines in this book to others. One of my favorites is his retelling of an Isaiah Berlin story about the meeting of an elderly Henry James and a young Winston Churchill. James had been eager to meet the famous admiral, but Churchill snubbed him quite coldly. James' friends were worried about how he'd handle being crushed in such a humiliating fashion, but James seemed undeterred. "It is strange how uneven a hand nature chooses to distribute her riches favors," James said (according to Berlin's story). "But it rather bucks one up."
This may be a good description of how Hitchens is handling his recent diagnosis of cancer, at least judging by his moving report of his illness in a recent Vanity Fair. The treatment is horrible ("There are bad days, and then there are worse days," he told the Atlantic Monthly in a video interview). The prognosis is grim. The many folks writing to tell him that they're praying for him are thoughtful but unconvincing. And he can't help feeling a little jealous of his dad, who died of the exact same disease, but not before reaching the age of 79. Yet there are moments of grace for which he is grateful. Moments, Hitchens suggests, that do indeed, at least occasionally, buck him up.
I do recommend this book to people who enjoy a little irreverence. As for those who don't, well, you may have the saints and the pious role models on your side, but we've got all the good jokes.
I've been enjoying Hitchens ever since he wrote regularly for The Nation, although it took his short and
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pointed attack on Mother Teresa, something I thought was long overdue, to turn me into a true fan. I loved his 'God is Not Great,' especially the early pages where he discusses how a local pastor's failure to explain the contradictions in the Bible contributed to his loss of belief. (In fact, I had been hoping he'd expand on his youthful conversion in this memoir, but he only occasionally mentions his atheism, and always very briefly)Like others, I consider his defense of his controversial views on the Iraq War not at all convincing. And yes, his vanity can be a bit much. But his take on some of the major international political events of the last 40 years (so many of which he witnessed first-hand), his wildly affectionate and unabashedly erotic descriptions of his close friends Amis, Fenton, McEwan, Rushdie and others, the many stories he tells, and the humor are nothing less than wonderful.
Someone else pointed out how Hitchens generously gives all the great lines in this book to others. One of my favorites is his retelling of an Isaiah Berlin story about the meeting of an elderly Henry James and a young Winston Churchill. James had been eager to meet the famous admiral, but Churchill snubbed him quite coldly. James' friends were worried about how he'd handle being crushed in such a humiliating fashion, but James seemed undeterred. "It is strange how uneven a hand nature chooses to distribute her riches favors," James said (according to Berlin's story). "But it rather bucks one up."
This may be a good description of how Hitchens is handling his recent diagnosis of cancer, at least judging by his moving report of his illness in a recent Vanity Fair. The treatment is horrible ("There are bad days, and then there are worse days," he told the Atlantic Monthly in a video interview). The prognosis is grim. The many folks writing to tell him that they're praying for him are thoughtful but unconvincing. And he can't help feeling a little jealous of his dad, who died of the exact same disease, but not before reaching the age of 79. Yet there are moments of grace for which he is grateful. Moments, Hitchens suggests, that do indeed, at least occasionally, buck him up.
I do recommend this book to people who enjoy a little irreverence. As for those who don't, well, you may have the saints and the pious role models on your side, but we've got all the good jokes.
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LibraryThing member SamSattler
I have been aware of Christopher Hitchens for a long time, but it is only in the last few years that I've really been much of an admirer of his. It's amazing how much "smarter" the man seemed to become as his political views grew closer to my own (for those unsure, this is my lame attempt at a
Hitch-22 is in some ways more than the book I expected and, in other ways, a bit less than I hoped for when I first picked it up. On the one hand, Hitchens is frank about many aspects of his personal life, including the family scandal that cost his mother her life when she was killed by her lover in one of those murder-suicide incidents that destroy so many families. He addresses his own bisexuality, tracing it all the way back to his boarding school days during which homosexual experimentation among the students was commonplace - and admits that he became more of a womanizer after he came to believe that signs of physical aging made him unattractive to men. On the other hand, however, Hitchens says very little about either of his wives or his children, using them more as props, than anything else, in stories about some of his more famous friends, and enemies in the literary world.
Most interesting to me is the explanation Hitchens gives for his gradual shift of political views, all the way from being about as far left as one could be in 20th century England to becoming an advocate of the far right viewpoint on American/world politics by the 21st century. Along the way, Hitchens became friends with some of the most influential political and literary minds of his day; as his politics changed, some of those same people would become his bitter enemies. Hitchens, never one to pull his punches, tells the reader exactly what he thinks of the politicians, writers, pundits, and personalities he encountered along the way. While that it definitely a good approach to writing a memoir, many American readers are likely to find themselves a bit befuddled by some of the names and situations Hitchens describes from his earlier life. Too, these particular chapters constitute some of the most dryly written ones in the book, and it takes determination on the part of the reader to get through them despite the war zone adventures they often describe.
Hitch-22 does, though, reflect the personality of its author, and the book will not disappoint Hitchens fans. The man's feisty, confrontational approach to life, one leavened by his rather raunchy and witty take, is there for all to see - and enjoy. Even taking into account his current fight for survival, few would say that Christopher Hitchens has been cheated by life. His has been one of the more interesting ones of the 20th century and Hitch-22 proves it.
Rated at: 4.0
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joke) - even his "take no prisoners" debate style seemed less abrasive than before. Hitch-22 is in some ways more than the book I expected and, in other ways, a bit less than I hoped for when I first picked it up. On the one hand, Hitchens is frank about many aspects of his personal life, including the family scandal that cost his mother her life when she was killed by her lover in one of those murder-suicide incidents that destroy so many families. He addresses his own bisexuality, tracing it all the way back to his boarding school days during which homosexual experimentation among the students was commonplace - and admits that he became more of a womanizer after he came to believe that signs of physical aging made him unattractive to men. On the other hand, however, Hitchens says very little about either of his wives or his children, using them more as props, than anything else, in stories about some of his more famous friends, and enemies in the literary world.
Most interesting to me is the explanation Hitchens gives for his gradual shift of political views, all the way from being about as far left as one could be in 20th century England to becoming an advocate of the far right viewpoint on American/world politics by the 21st century. Along the way, Hitchens became friends with some of the most influential political and literary minds of his day; as his politics changed, some of those same people would become his bitter enemies. Hitchens, never one to pull his punches, tells the reader exactly what he thinks of the politicians, writers, pundits, and personalities he encountered along the way. While that it definitely a good approach to writing a memoir, many American readers are likely to find themselves a bit befuddled by some of the names and situations Hitchens describes from his earlier life. Too, these particular chapters constitute some of the most dryly written ones in the book, and it takes determination on the part of the reader to get through them despite the war zone adventures they often describe.
Hitch-22 does, though, reflect the personality of its author, and the book will not disappoint Hitchens fans. The man's feisty, confrontational approach to life, one leavened by his rather raunchy and witty take, is there for all to see - and enjoy. Even taking into account his current fight for survival, few would say that Christopher Hitchens has been cheated by life. His has been one of the more interesting ones of the 20th century and Hitch-22 proves it.
Rated at: 4.0
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LibraryThing member ChanceMaree
Hitchens was a curiosity. I sporadically followed his interviews and writing, admired his courage travelling to world hot spots and in the face of his own mortality, yet couldn't quite keep him pinned in any one category of intellectuals. Hitchens was an Anti: Anti-theist, Anti-fascist,
His memoir is written in a mostly reserved fashion, with a few exceptions. First, his upbringing seemed almost Shakespearean. His pretty and ambitious mother insisted on sending her boy-king off to quality English boarding schools from the age of eight, despite her own unhappy marriage, and the financial and personal sacrifices that such ambition required. Their relationship was close. When Hitch was a young adult, his mother sought and gained his approval of her secret lover. The most sad and moving part occurred in November 1973 when Hitchens' mother committed suicide in Athens in a suicide pact with that very same, Hitch-approved, lover. At first, news had been that his mother had been murdered. Hitch then had to tell father and brother about the infidelity and suicide. He regreted he was not available when his mother called him the day she died. Beyond that, Hitch does not describe romances or marriages for a couple of reasons: he thought it not fair to disclose other people's stories, and he thought they would bore the reader. Instead, he focused on what he termed, heterosexual love between males, primarily his nonsexual love for Amis Martin. At the same time, he does not hide nor deny the homosexual acts in boarding school and after.
For most of the remaining text, Hitch describes a life as a “rebel with a cause”. From the start, he sided with the working class, yet had to reconcile this allegiance with the obvious corruption of trades and unions. This, it seems to me, was the beginning of a refinement of stances that he'd take throughout his life. I believe Hitch developed a keen sense of gray. Or, a fine honing knife.
Hitch was an author and journalist for over 40 years. He was ranked among the most influential liberals in the U.S. Media, yet he was a harsh critics of Clinton and sided with the Iraq war because he wanted to see regime change. He saw the Iraq as an alliance of goons and gangsters and terrorists. However, he was genuinely surprised at the incompetence of Bush administration and he criticized the planning and execution of the war. This was a man in agreement with neo-cons and progressives, but he rejected both labels and was not a fan of either.
Hitch was an atheist who saw organized religion as "the main source of hatred in the world'. He was against any state that “recognizes no limits to its authority and strives to regulate every aspect of public and private life.” He believed “individual freedom, and free expression and scientific discovery should replace religion as a means of teaching ethics and defining human civilization.” This, I believe was the essence of the man. He weighed all opinions and judgments and stances on the basis of that one truism. I believe much of his ambition stemmed from the need to justify and earn his mother's love and sacrifice. The man was complicated.
Hitch's book is about battles of ideas and psychodrama. He describes countercultural and protest movements. He had ideological interests that labeled him a Trotskyist and a sort of anti-Stalinist socialist, yet he rejected socialists, as he claimed they ceased to offer a positive alternative to the capitalist system. He described himself as thinking like a Marxist, yet he thought capitalism had become the more revolutionary economic system, and he welcomed globalization. He sided in the freedom of the individual from the state, yet he had harsh words for libertarians.
I'd personally call much of what he believed as being a humanist. Despite his acerbic tongue, Hitchens believed "one must not insult or degrade or humiliate people." Hitch was terrified of being boring, or of being bored, and went to great lengths to be the center of attention. Good grief. After reading Hitch-22, I have a sense of the man as he matured. The man was complicated, but so is life and if Hitch has taught me anything, it's to not look for a side to follow blindly, but to slice and parse and think a bit more deeply about what it is I believe.
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Anti-totalitarian, Anti-Stalin, Anti-Zionist....I didn't follow him that closely, but the list goes on. I was curious as to whether I fundamentally agreed with him or not, given that many times I had agreed, and many times I hadn't. His thinking seemed to be in a constant state of evolution as I heard him project and defend popular and unpopular opinions. I wanted to know the underlying principle in his personal map. What made this man tick? His memoir is written in a mostly reserved fashion, with a few exceptions. First, his upbringing seemed almost Shakespearean. His pretty and ambitious mother insisted on sending her boy-king off to quality English boarding schools from the age of eight, despite her own unhappy marriage, and the financial and personal sacrifices that such ambition required. Their relationship was close. When Hitch was a young adult, his mother sought and gained his approval of her secret lover. The most sad and moving part occurred in November 1973 when Hitchens' mother committed suicide in Athens in a suicide pact with that very same, Hitch-approved, lover. At first, news had been that his mother had been murdered. Hitch then had to tell father and brother about the infidelity and suicide. He regreted he was not available when his mother called him the day she died. Beyond that, Hitch does not describe romances or marriages for a couple of reasons: he thought it not fair to disclose other people's stories, and he thought they would bore the reader. Instead, he focused on what he termed, heterosexual love between males, primarily his nonsexual love for Amis Martin. At the same time, he does not hide nor deny the homosexual acts in boarding school and after.
For most of the remaining text, Hitch describes a life as a “rebel with a cause”. From the start, he sided with the working class, yet had to reconcile this allegiance with the obvious corruption of trades and unions. This, it seems to me, was the beginning of a refinement of stances that he'd take throughout his life. I believe Hitch developed a keen sense of gray. Or, a fine honing knife.
Hitch was an author and journalist for over 40 years. He was ranked among the most influential liberals in the U.S. Media, yet he was a harsh critics of Clinton and sided with the Iraq war because he wanted to see regime change. He saw the Iraq as an alliance of goons and gangsters and terrorists. However, he was genuinely surprised at the incompetence of Bush administration and he criticized the planning and execution of the war. This was a man in agreement with neo-cons and progressives, but he rejected both labels and was not a fan of either.
Hitch was an atheist who saw organized religion as "the main source of hatred in the world'. He was against any state that “recognizes no limits to its authority and strives to regulate every aspect of public and private life.” He believed “individual freedom, and free expression and scientific discovery should replace religion as a means of teaching ethics and defining human civilization.” This, I believe was the essence of the man. He weighed all opinions and judgments and stances on the basis of that one truism. I believe much of his ambition stemmed from the need to justify and earn his mother's love and sacrifice. The man was complicated.
Hitch's book is about battles of ideas and psychodrama. He describes countercultural and protest movements. He had ideological interests that labeled him a Trotskyist and a sort of anti-Stalinist socialist, yet he rejected socialists, as he claimed they ceased to offer a positive alternative to the capitalist system. He described himself as thinking like a Marxist, yet he thought capitalism had become the more revolutionary economic system, and he welcomed globalization. He sided in the freedom of the individual from the state, yet he had harsh words for libertarians.
I'd personally call much of what he believed as being a humanist. Despite his acerbic tongue, Hitchens believed "one must not insult or degrade or humiliate people." Hitch was terrified of being boring, or of being bored, and went to great lengths to be the center of attention. Good grief. After reading Hitch-22, I have a sense of the man as he matured. The man was complicated, but so is life and if Hitch has taught me anything, it's to not look for a side to follow blindly, but to slice and parse and think a bit more deeply about what it is I believe.
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LibraryThing member knightlight777
I have liked Christopher Hitchens in the past primarily through his previous book, "God is Not Great." Being an anti-religionist, not an atheist I was pretty much in agreement with what he had to say. I was not aware however how little I knew about the man. I was hoping I would gain a lot of
First in fairness this is a memoir not an autobiography and that is where I may have been misdirected. About 85% of the book deals with his political leftest escapades throughout his life. Other topics include a semi-bio on his father and mother. His early schooling is covered also and his experimentation in homosexuality. But very little beyond that such as his own family. His children are mentioned in a paragraph or two. His wife is not mentioned at all. Beyond his analysis of his part Jewish heritage which was kept from him he rarely ventures into his feelings and thoughts on his personal life outside of the political ring.
So for those very much into political debate of the right vs. left and socialism contrasted to communism then the book would certainly have appeal. No doubt Hitchens was committed to his cause throughout his life. The problem I found is that he never really gave the reasons why just the experiences.
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answers in this book but I was disappointed.First in fairness this is a memoir not an autobiography and that is where I may have been misdirected. About 85% of the book deals with his political leftest escapades throughout his life. Other topics include a semi-bio on his father and mother. His early schooling is covered also and his experimentation in homosexuality. But very little beyond that such as his own family. His children are mentioned in a paragraph or two. His wife is not mentioned at all. Beyond his analysis of his part Jewish heritage which was kept from him he rarely ventures into his feelings and thoughts on his personal life outside of the political ring.
So for those very much into political debate of the right vs. left and socialism contrasted to communism then the book would certainly have appeal. No doubt Hitchens was committed to his cause throughout his life. The problem I found is that he never really gave the reasons why just the experiences.
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LibraryThing member exitfish
With great humor, tenderness and conviction, Hitch gives us a brilliant account of himself. It's a cerebral book of ideas and struggle - struggle within oneself as much as with an unjust world - that has challenged and expanded my view of some of the great political/ideological forces and events of
Hitch is also one of the great masters of prose style. It's a fast current. And exhilarating. Highly recommended.
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the past 50 years. It's certainly challenged and expanded my view of Christopher Hitchens. But like all the best writing, it's also a struggle between reader and author (Many times did I find myself saying, "Yes, but...") that helps open the curtains of one's own mental blind spots and emotional illusions. Hitch is also one of the great masters of prose style. It's a fast current. And exhilarating. Highly recommended.
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LibraryThing member Mihal
I am a big Christopher Hitchens fan and was quite pleased that he undertook this project. It is everything you expect from Hitchens: urbane, witty, pointed. There are a few problems, however, namely his continued need to justify his position on the Iraq war and his association with the neo-cons. I
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also found the dragging into the narrative the family and memory of a killed American soldier who also happened to have been a Hitchens fan...well, it was a bit distasteful because he seemed to want to use the young man as further proof of the correctness of his judgments. What I liked a great deal were his recountings of personal memories and his profiles of people like Martin Amis, James Fenton and Salman Rushdie. It would have been nice to get a little more on the women in his life (although the parts on his mother were extremely moving) but maybe Hitch doesn't kiss and tell (how refreshing!) All in all, except for the dark spots mentioned above this is a fine addition to the collected works. Show Less
LibraryThing member peirastic
Liberating, inspiring, life changing. A wake up call for the budding intellectual. A manifesto of free thinking. A call to the revolutionaries, to never abandon their convictions - imploring one to look towards the lost treasure of revolution in shaping our lives; our world.
Hitch is the catalyst in
"Get on with your own ork, and behave as if you were immortal."
Hitch is the catalyst in
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my personal odyssey, in realizing that it is your mind that changes you. "Get on with your own ork, and behave as if you were immortal."
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LibraryThing member sundaraz
A little disappointed that it wasn't as interesting as i had hoped it would be. It's a different kind of a memoir than the normal ones. Hitch is really fluid and rambles here and there in this. I would read this book just for the chapters on "Mesopotamia from both sides" and "decay, evolution or
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metamorphosis". It really shows his open mindedness and soundness of judgement instead of clinging to ideas only because he already had a foot in it. It's a good lesson for everyone too, seemingly obvious but tough to grasp. It's just amazing how he quotes extensively from so many authors and books and incidents, and it's a real pleasure to read all of that. Glad he wrote this and gladder that i had the chance to read it! It took me a while to understand the title though. Even though reading the book doesn't give the idea of remorse or any such need for it, the over emphasis on double identity and the changes he went through gives an impression that he wanted to do some explanation on his leanings and their changes, or at least wanted the lesson to be known about certitudes in anything. Show Less
LibraryThing member soylentgreen23
Christopher Hitchens's memoirs, like his other writings, is remarkably satisfying in its breadth of content and its approach to reporting on a life well and truly lived. In fact, Hitchens lived so much that I was almost depressed by reading of his adventures, especially considering that he did so
However, one should know before reading this volume that these are Hitchens's memoirs, not an autobiography of such. Although he discusses his relationship with his parents at length, and the late-in-life revelation of his Jewish ancestry, he manages to avoid for the most part mentioning either of his wives (or at least how his marriage came to have a sequel) or his relationship with his brother. There is still much work available for any would-be biographer, though the prose here is so faultless that the task should not be taken on lightly.
In all, a magnificent work, and I feel truly better for having read it.
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much so young, and what do I have to say for myself?However, one should know before reading this volume that these are Hitchens's memoirs, not an autobiography of such. Although he discusses his relationship with his parents at length, and the late-in-life revelation of his Jewish ancestry, he manages to avoid for the most part mentioning either of his wives (or at least how his marriage came to have a sequel) or his relationship with his brother. There is still much work available for any would-be biographer, though the prose here is so faultless that the task should not be taken on lightly.
In all, a magnificent work, and I feel truly better for having read it.
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LibraryThing member Sandydog1
Long, rambling and fascinating.
LibraryThing member jwhenderson
Christopher Hitchens was a passionate reader, thinker, speaker, and writer. I share his passion, but not all of his passions. Some of those I share include a passion for reading (widely and deeply), and an intense dislike of hypocrisy of all kinds. His memoir chronicles a life that began the same
one example of the all too few oases of value in the wasteland that with the ubiquity of Cable has only grown larger over the years.
The memoir chronicles his personal history with a bent toward intellectual history. The passion of his living shows through in his writing with excitement for the reader both from his adventures in political warfare and his experience in the literary realm of reading and subsequently writing. He developed an uncanny ability to see and understand both sides of an argument, making his own positions stronger in the process. One moment that epitomizes this is his epiphany when, as a student at Oxford in 1968, he visits a camp for international revolutionaries in Cuba. Even there, left-wing as his views were, he could not tow the line and had the audacity to question the unreflexive adherence to whatever opinion emanated from Castro, the "revolutionary leader". Ironically he remembers the aimlessness of a whole day when, with Russian tanks entering Prague, the communists in Cuba had no official view until their leader revealed the official line. To what extent his memory was tempered with hindsight the reader will have to judge for himself, but given his outspoken often contrarian views the picture of his role in that time rings true.
His roles as student, lecturer, foreign correspondent, polemicist of ideas (usually contrarian and always well-thought), and more fill the pages of a book that must be read by all who have appreciated his presence in the battlefield of ideas over the last few decades. Perhaps the best example of the many facets of his critical and literary life was his move from England to America. In doing so, becoming a regular contributor for The Nation magazine as a Brit in America he seemed to become a sort of left-wing version of Alistair Cooke and William F. Buckley melded into one outspoken contrarian commentor. This is the Christopher Hitchens that I first encountered in essays and on television and his version of the journey is fascinating.
I share his love of literary giants like Orwell and appreciate the way he could effectively stand up against hypocrites of all stripes and, usually, irrational beliefs. His was a life bred in the exciting world of ideas and one that in his words makes for a great memoir. I would encourage everyone to make some room for Christopher Hitchens in their reading life.
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day that mine did although, unlike mine, it has ended--all too soon. While I have read his essays and biographical sketches the catalyst for reading his memoir was the tribute for him that, thanks to the wonder that is CSPAN BookTV, was broadcast on television a week ago as "A Tribute for Christopher Hitchens"; one example of the all too few oases of value in the wasteland that with the ubiquity of Cable has only grown larger over the years.
The memoir chronicles his personal history with a bent toward intellectual history. The passion of his living shows through in his writing with excitement for the reader both from his adventures in political warfare and his experience in the literary realm of reading and subsequently writing. He developed an uncanny ability to see and understand both sides of an argument, making his own positions stronger in the process. One moment that epitomizes this is his epiphany when, as a student at Oxford in 1968, he visits a camp for international revolutionaries in Cuba. Even there, left-wing as his views were, he could not tow the line and had the audacity to question the unreflexive adherence to whatever opinion emanated from Castro, the "revolutionary leader". Ironically he remembers the aimlessness of a whole day when, with Russian tanks entering Prague, the communists in Cuba had no official view until their leader revealed the official line. To what extent his memory was tempered with hindsight the reader will have to judge for himself, but given his outspoken often contrarian views the picture of his role in that time rings true.
His roles as student, lecturer, foreign correspondent, polemicist of ideas (usually contrarian and always well-thought), and more fill the pages of a book that must be read by all who have appreciated his presence in the battlefield of ideas over the last few decades. Perhaps the best example of the many facets of his critical and literary life was his move from England to America. In doing so, becoming a regular contributor for The Nation magazine as a Brit in America he seemed to become a sort of left-wing version of Alistair Cooke and William F. Buckley melded into one outspoken contrarian commentor. This is the Christopher Hitchens that I first encountered in essays and on television and his version of the journey is fascinating.
I share his love of literary giants like Orwell and appreciate the way he could effectively stand up against hypocrites of all stripes and, usually, irrational beliefs. His was a life bred in the exciting world of ideas and one that in his words makes for a great memoir. I would encourage everyone to make some room for Christopher Hitchens in their reading life.
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LibraryThing member nbmars
Christopher Hitchens wrote a very entertaining and provocative book—God is Not Great. He also wrote a rather tedious and tendentious memoir, Hitch 22. Or at least the first 2 CD’s of his 14 CD memoir were just too slow for me to push on to the end.
He apparently wants to tell us about the
It didn’t help that Hitch himself was the reader: he not only frequently slurs his words, but he often ends his sentences at a substantially lower volume than at the beginning. The effect on the listener is to require frequent and annoying mid-sentence raising or lowering of the volume dial. Of course, that assumes that the listener actually wants to hear and understand what Hitch is saying.
Needless to say, I was quite disappointed in Hitch 22. But then, the last six-sevenths of the book may be more exciting than the first seventh, and it all may be better enjoyed in print than in listening to the author mumble.
(JAB)
He apparently wants to tell us about the
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roots of his personal and political convictions, and the changes he went through while growing up and growing older. He also wants to share his impressions of other notables. This might have gone over better in print.It didn’t help that Hitch himself was the reader: he not only frequently slurs his words, but he often ends his sentences at a substantially lower volume than at the beginning. The effect on the listener is to require frequent and annoying mid-sentence raising or lowering of the volume dial. Of course, that assumes that the listener actually wants to hear and understand what Hitch is saying.
Needless to say, I was quite disappointed in Hitch 22. But then, the last six-sevenths of the book may be more exciting than the first seventh, and it all may be better enjoyed in print than in listening to the author mumble.
(JAB)
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LibraryThing member satyridae
Hitchens is a fascinating character, and his memoir is no less fascinating. I really enjoyed hearing his narration, though his reading style did take a lot of getting used to.
This memoir is wildly discursive in the most erudite fashion- and some of the political bits were far too complicated for
Well worth reading.
This memoir is wildly discursive in the most erudite fashion- and some of the political bits were far too complicated for
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me to follow 40-odd years later. I love Hitchens' willingness to stand up for what he believes in, and his utter fearlessness.Well worth reading.
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LibraryThing member AnnB2013
Come back, Hitch, there's no one quite like you.
Interesting memoir although that word game he and the boys play does sound like something that's a lot more funny to those actually present and drunk.
Interesting memoir although that word game he and the boys play does sound like something that's a lot more funny to those actually present and drunk.
LibraryThing member JeffV
Christopher Hitchens wrote one of my favorite books of the decade: God Is Not Great: How Religion Ruins Everything. Culled from first-hand experience in many of the world's hot-spots and conversation with some of the movers and shakers of the past four decades, the book was filled with remarkable
Now I look forward to a biography written by someone else.
While the book did include a lot of what I hoped to read, it seemed to drag more than it should because some people and places that Hitchens credits as being influential in his life simply weren't all that compelling to me -- especially when he goes on and on about poets and authors I've never read. Perhaps I should read some of what was referenced...and then maybe I'll better appreciate this memoir. But the fact is, it was a slow, arduous read, and it was with much perseverance that I made it to the end.
I still find him to be a fascinating individual, I just think his story will be better told by someone else.
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insight from someone who's career was largely as a socialist activist and journalist, until abandoning that cause fairly recently. Knowing a little of the places he's been and who he knew, I was excited to hear about this autobiography when he appeared on The Daily Show.Now I look forward to a biography written by someone else.
While the book did include a lot of what I hoped to read, it seemed to drag more than it should because some people and places that Hitchens credits as being influential in his life simply weren't all that compelling to me -- especially when he goes on and on about poets and authors I've never read. Perhaps I should read some of what was referenced...and then maybe I'll better appreciate this memoir. But the fact is, it was a slow, arduous read, and it was with much perseverance that I made it to the end.
I still find him to be a fascinating individual, I just think his story will be better told by someone else.
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LibraryThing member mthelibrarian
Fascinating memoir by the legendary Vanity Fair writer who attended Oxford and is friends with Martin Amis. I listened to it on Audible audiobook. Hitchens is an atheist and highly opinionated, but also brilliant, and refreshingly unafraid to share controversial views. I recently read an excerpt of
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the book in a 2010 issue of Vanity Fair that I hadn't yet gotten around to finishing or recycling - it included the Martin Amis chapter or portion thereof - and had to download it immediately. His mother's tragic death and his late discovery of Jewish ancestry were fascinating; I was particularly interested in his discussion of Wroclaw, Poland (the former Breslin, Germany). He notes the impact of 1968, 1989 and 2001 events on his world view. He thought he might be able to depart from his political writing and debates but realized after Sept. 11, 2001 that it would be impossible. He has a new book of essays out in hardcover. Show Less
LibraryThing member Sullywriter
I enjoyed this book more than I thought I would because I frequently get annoyed with Hitchens coming off like an arrogant and pompous bastard. The man writes beautiful prose and never bores. He's lived a rich, full life and shares many fascinating observations and insights. A great intellectual
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with a sharp wit and keen sense of irony. Show Less
LibraryThing member wonderperson
Careerist Memoir at end of life reflecting on battles, achievements, intellectual journey, move from Left to Right aided and abetted by degeneration of the Left into Totalitarian Dictatorship.
LibraryThing member HadriantheBlind
A brilliant memoir, with acidic wit and an encyclopedic description of everything. I am reminded slightly of Mencken, who had such a brilliant and acerbic way with words, and whose slight arrogance can be justified with their linguistic brilliance.
LibraryThing member Chris469
If you like Hitchens' essays and columns, then you should read this. He's an intelligent writer, and for the most part the memoir is entertaining and breezy. He's a bit of a name-dropper with regard to various intellectuals, writers and poets with whom he has had acquaintances, which I didn't mind
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but some readers might find off-putting.. First half of book is better than second half. He fails to understand why so many principled individuals might have problems with the Bush-Cheney decision to take unilateral action to go to war on Iraq in March 2003, simplistically depicting opponents of the war as friends and supports of the sadistic regime of Saddam Hussein. Having said that, most of his criticisms of left-wing intellectuals such as Edward Said and Noam Chomsky seem justifiable. Show Less
LibraryThing member daisyq
Christopher Hitchens could be very witty and incisive, and was clearly intelligent and well-read. His wit doesn't come through that strongly in this memoir, though. It is only at times a traditional autobiography. The foreword from the more recent edition (in which he writes about his terminal
As for the rest, for me there's far too much blathering about drinking games with his mates that are only funny if you were there, and also drunk. Far too much justification of previously held beliefs and attempting to reconcile them with later positions. Far too many wounded descriptions of his fallings out with others, without ever really taking any responsibility himself.
I am not that interested in Hitchens' wider circle (e.g. Martin Amis, James Fenton..)and Hitch-22 would be more worthwhile for someone who is.
I almost gave up on this after the visit to the brothel with Amis, and spent much of the rest of the book disliking both of them because I couldn't get over the attitude displayed here. Those awful, ungrateful prostitutes, looking with contempt at people who were paying for sex (or in Hitchens' case, fortuitously spared from the full deal as he didn't have enough cash). Poor, poor Martin Amis, forced - forced - to have sex with a contemptuous prostitute in order to use the experience in his fiction. The episode is just spectacularly lacking in self awareness, or any attempt to understand or empathise with the women in question, and paints Amis and Hitchens as somehow victims of an enterprise they chose to instigate. And it's not even funny!
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illness, undiagnosed when the book was written) the chapter about his mother, and a later chapter where he muses on his Jewish heritage that was hidden from him, were the most personal and interesting.As for the rest, for me there's far too much blathering about drinking games with his mates that are only funny if you were there, and also drunk. Far too much justification of previously held beliefs and attempting to reconcile them with later positions. Far too many wounded descriptions of his fallings out with others, without ever really taking any responsibility himself.
I am not that interested in Hitchens' wider circle (e.g. Martin Amis, James Fenton..)and Hitch-22 would be more worthwhile for someone who is.
I almost gave up on this after the visit to the brothel with Amis, and spent much of the rest of the book disliking both of them because I couldn't get over the attitude displayed here.
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LibraryThing member Niecierpek
It’s definitely worth reading. Even though there were a few chapters that bore me to tears, the reason for this was that I had almost no reference to what he was discussing, as in the British politics of the 60s and early seventies. Most of it was excellent though. It reflects on him as a
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socially and politically engaged animal; there is very little about his private life. There are great chapters on Martin Amis, Salman Rushdie and Susan Sontag, and general reflections on democracy, totalitarianism, terrorism and religion. He makes a great argument for literature and states that it’s a much better source of moral education than religion. Show Less
LibraryThing member jimocracy
Boring. I had such high hopes but it just didn't pan out for me. I'm sure this was rivoting for political junkies but it seemed so stuffy and detached to me. Even the author's account of his mother's suicide seemed devoid of emotion.
LibraryThing member Kitscot
This is a memoir first published in 2010. My copy is the 2011 edition that includes a forward by Hitchens having earlier that same year been diagnosed with oesophageal cancer. He died in December 2011.
Christopher Hitchens was an author, journalist, essayist, pamphleteer and superb orator. His
To my utter shame I didn’t start taking an interest in Christopher Hitchens and his writings until around 2005. My introduction to Hitchens was through my love of the works of George Orwell. I stumbled upon Christopher Hitchens biographical essay ‘Orwell’s Victory ’, (known as ‘Why Orwell Matters’ in the USA), in a second hand bookshop. Not only was ‘Orwell’s Victory’ a superb piece of literature and a cracking read but it had the effect of wanting to know more about Mr. Hitchens.
Hitch 22 details his relationship with his parents, loving, beautiful but distant mother and uncommunicative, stoic but heroic father. Names are dropped within the book like so many autumn leaves; Salman Rushdie, James Fenton, Richard Dawkins, Martin Amis etc etc. But, this is not an attempt by Christopher Hitchens to show off or communicate to the outside world about his highly influential friends. Each name is ‘dropped’ to illustrate a point or to help frame a chapter and give it context.
There have been many superlatives used to describe Christopher Hitchens, erudite, witty, passionate and rhetorically astute. It is not only hard to think of new ones but it is difficult to disagree with any of them.
Hitch 22 is 422 pages of the English language in perfect harmony. His writing style is the language equivalent of the Taj Mahal or the Potala Palace in Tibet: beautifully constructed with no superfluous building materials.
Christopher Hitchens was an author, journalist, essayist, pamphleteer and superb orator. His
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debating skills, honed at Oxford, were sharp, insightful and could leave his opponent feeling like they had undergone ten rounds with Cassius Clay.To my utter shame I didn’t start taking an interest in Christopher Hitchens and his writings until around 2005. My introduction to Hitchens was through my love of the works of George Orwell. I stumbled upon Christopher Hitchens biographical essay ‘Orwell’s Victory ’, (known as ‘Why Orwell Matters’ in the USA), in a second hand bookshop. Not only was ‘Orwell’s Victory’ a superb piece of literature and a cracking read but it had the effect of wanting to know more about Mr. Hitchens.
Hitch 22 details his relationship with his parents, loving, beautiful but distant mother and uncommunicative, stoic but heroic father. Names are dropped within the book like so many autumn leaves; Salman Rushdie, James Fenton, Richard Dawkins, Martin Amis etc etc. But, this is not an attempt by Christopher Hitchens to show off or communicate to the outside world about his highly influential friends. Each name is ‘dropped’ to illustrate a point or to help frame a chapter and give it context.
There have been many superlatives used to describe Christopher Hitchens, erudite, witty, passionate and rhetorically astute. It is not only hard to think of new ones but it is difficult to disagree with any of them.
Hitch 22 is 422 pages of the English language in perfect harmony. His writing style is the language equivalent of the Taj Mahal or the Potala Palace in Tibet: beautifully constructed with no superfluous building materials.
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LibraryThing member jonfaith
The chief attributes were the references to the Amis clan. There wasn't much else but a bloviated rasping.
It may be fitting that I finished the book at a shopping mall, waiting for my wife. The structure of this memoir could strike one as a pitch. Maybe the mark finds forgiveness, maybe the neo-con
It may be fitting that I finished the book at a shopping mall, waiting for my wife. The structure of this memoir could strike one as a pitch. Maybe the mark finds forgiveness, maybe the neo-con
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conversion was genetic. The blood made him do it. I'll stop there. Show Less
Awards
LA Times Book Prize (Finalist — Biography — 2010)
National Book Critics Circle Award (Finalist — Autobiography/Memoir — 2010)
British Book Award (Shortlist — 2011)
Orwell Prize (Shortlist — 2011)
Booklist Editor's Choice: Adult Books (Biography — 2010)
The New York Times Notable Books of the Year (Nonfiction — 2010)
San Francisco Chronicle Best Book of the Year (Nonfiction — 2010)
Globe and Mail Top 100 Book (Biography and Memoir — 2010)
Language
Original publication date
2010