Arguably: Essays by Christopher Hitchens

By: Christopher Hitchens

Narrated by: Simon Prebble

Length: 28 hrs and 22 mins

Publisher's summary

The first new collection of essays by Christopher Hitchens since 2004, Arguably offers an indispensable key to understanding the passionate and skeptical spirit of one of our most dazzling writers, widely admired for the clarity of his style, a result of his disciplined and candid thinking. Topics range from ruminations on why Charles Dickens was among the best of writers and the worst of men to the haunting science fiction of J.G. Ballard; from the enduring legacies of Thomas Jefferson and George Orwell to the persistent agonies of anti-Semitism and jihad.

Hitchens even looks at the recent financial crisis and argues for the enduring relevance of Karl Marx. The book forms a bridge between the two parallel enterprises of culture and politics. It reveals how politics justifies itself by culture, and how the latter prompts the former. In this fashion, Arguably burnishes Christopher Hitchens' credentials as - to quote Christopher Buckley - our "greatest living essayist in the English language."

©2011 Christopher Hitchens (P)2011 Hachette Audio

In awe of Hitchens way with words

Where does Arguably: Essays by Christopher Hitchens rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

There are times when I am completely taken aback with the sheer genius of select members of our species. The way Hitchens wrote was so impressive, I often found myself thinking that he has no peer. I didn't agree with everything he said, but I had to concede, what he said could not have been articulated in a more entertaining or convincing manner.

What does Simon Prebble bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Here is my only problem with the narration: the author didn't have the chance to record his own work. No fault of Mr. Prebble. But Hitchens was fun to listen to as well as read.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

More than anything, this book humbled me. I like to think I am smart, and eloquent. But after this, I felt like an illiterate chump.

Any additional comments?

You likely won't agree with everything the man said, but you owe it to yourself to at least listen and let your beliefs get challenged.

Fascinating History & Philosophy Lessons

If you could sum up Arguably: Essays by Christopher Hitchens in three words, what would they be?

Fascinating history and philosophy lessons, not to mention economics, politics, etc., etc., are all contained in Hitchens essays (a title that is a little misleading as many are book reviews--but certainly more essay-like and with way more depth than the usual book review). His breadth is breath-taking and the language/vocabulary extraordinary. Sometimes I didn't know the meaning of a marvelous word he was stringing together in a powerful phrase with other wonderful words, and,since I was listening in the car, I couldn't stop to look it up, An intellectual challenge and delight!

Who was your favorite character and why?

Not applicable, though I appreciated the essays/reviews involving the founding fathers, Carl Marx, and other well known historical figures.

Have you listened to any of Simon Prebble’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No.

What’s the most interesting tidbit you’ve picked up from this book?

The personal history of Karl Marx and how his work has been distorted was of great interest.

Any additional comments?

no

An intelligent collection of essays

I really enjoyed Agrguably but it was rather intellectual "heavy lifting" so I would not reccomend listening to it in the car or before you go to bed. Hitchens really requires your undivided attention and your critical thinking skills.

This collection by Hitchens has a real post 9/11 slant. What makes Hitch really interesting is he is not a product of the current black and white; left and right debate that seems to dominate current discourse. The book is broken into numerous parts (America; literature; humour; international corresponsence; shadows of Totalitaranism; and the written word). I liked the Ameican and Humour sections as I have a rather broad understanding of American culture/literasture/history and the Humour section is just plain funny.

The only fault I had in the book was more my problem than HItchens there were a few moments (heck whole essays) that my eyes glazed over because I had no frame of reference to what Hitch was talking about (re. he would discuss a writter or political movement that I knew nothing about). But this was rather rare and I can not fault Hitch for challenging the reader/listener and engaging in high level discourse on subjects rather than just introducing the subjecf and giving a very broad slant. When I did have an understanding of a subject (even elementary) I found the essays very enlightening especially the way he mixes politics, literature, and history all in the same essay about one particular topic.

Hitch you will be sorely missed in the world of 2 second sound bites, mindless reality TV, and black and white discourse

"Like , You know" I got learned .You should get it

It's long , I would zone out in some of the essays .
some , I would stop what I was doing and stand still to listen till the end of an essay .
mouth opened in awe . some in laughter . and some in tears .
The Narrator , I feel , sounds like Hitchens .

The book to have while stranded on a desert island

???Arguably??? is great but it is not of the ???god is Not Great??? genre; it's a choice selection of Christopher Hitchens??? own essays, and of a vaster scope than the global-fallout-from-religion that the 'god' title focuses on. It is riveting in just the same way, however, and the temptation to adopt Hitchens' lucid opinions as my own is also similar.

???Arguably??? covers a wild variety of topics. Some I may not have typically sought out but all are worth reading and for me, re-reading. It has introduced many intriguing new titles, authors and subjects for my to-read stack. I???ve kept the globe spinning and Wikipedia fired-up throughout; memorized a little of the Rubayat and seen Animal Farm acted out in many times and places. The political essays are more than a few ranks above my typical American understanding but my perceptions are a bit sharper for having read them anyway (and my position on torture is validated). His graphic, sumi-style images from his experiences in Viet Nam, Cuba, Pakistan, Iran and many more, are intense. While reading, (I also bought the print version for proper mulling over), I???ve lost my optimism for humankind a few times, and re-found it almost the same number.

If I had a complaint, it???s that, at 749 pages, it???s still too short. Thankfully, everything Hitchens has written is archived "somewhere". In all, ???Arguably??? is brilliant and it???s the perfect book for a reader who wants to level up a few.

Written with skill and style

This was my first exposure to Hitchens' writing and I was blown away. I have never come across another author whose skill with the English language left me shaking my head in wonder. His knowledge of literature is astounding and the ability to pull apart books and essays in reviews and then combine the contents with information from various sources and his personal experience is breathtaking.

Some of the content is heavy, reviewing authors from the 1920s and 30s while other essays focus on contemporary issues. You will likely need ready access to a dictionary and wikipedia to thoroughly understand some of the topics but several essays inspired me to go back and pick up some of the classic books of literature.

Some people may argue with his conclusions or disagree with his political views but I don't think anyone could argue with the incredible wordsmith power.

Simon Prebble, the narrator deserved extra credit as well. Phenomenal job. You'd think it was Hitchens reading his own book. Prebble delivers the difficult text with emotion and confidence - a pleasure to listen to.

It was definetly worth the credit and I've already picked up another Hitchens' tilte on Audible.

Challenge Your Intellect with this Collection

This was not my first foray into the work of Hitchens. I read God is Not Great as well as several Vanity Fair articles prior to this set of essays. This book, however, illuminated the huge gap in intellect between Hitchens and myself. Not a surprising discovery but rather humbling. Fortunately, Hitchens himself made some progress in closing that gap as I progressed through his 100+ essays from start to finish. Because nearly all of the literary references in the first third of the book were lost on me, it almost felt like I was reading a book written in a different language but that slowly dissipated as I moved along. For the casual reader of Hitchens, be prepared for a literary challenge but don't let that challenge stop you from getting to know this prolific writer and his thought-provoking opinions on literature, politics and religion.

Worth every credit

Two things are remarkable about this audio book.

The first is the quality of the content. Hitchens' mind, evidently, possessed a voracious curiosity, an enormous capacity, and the gift of incisive synthesis. Additionally, he had the ability to articulate this combination with precision and delight.

The second is the rare, to me, ability of the narrator to match the clarity of the prose. He makes no attempt to clarify meaning, merely and intelligently allowing it to come through in the phrasing of the writer's sentences and the shapes of his paragraphs. The result is the clear emergence of both sense and the author's voice.

The listener is very fortunate to find both at once.

On Becoming an Educated Person

I have now listened to 28 of the 32 hours of this book of essays. It took me a while to get into it (it has been in my library for over a year). At first, it seemed so dense that I would listen to 1/2 or one essay and then take a break for a month or so. Then, something happened and it got much more interesting. I learned about writers in a way I had never thought about them and historical events from the viewpoint of a person who has thought deeply about issues of contemporary history.

Hitchens has a particular viewpoint. He was unabashedly against religion, especially in the ways in which religion has been misused. He has absolutely no patience with the use of religion to torture others. He traveled in Africa and Afghanistan during disruptions and wars. He experienced waterboarding and described the sensation in detail, while admitting that it must have been worse for those who had less trust that they would live through the experience.

One interesting experience is how much attention he pays to women who have written on history or as novelist. His (possibly) favorite novelist was George Eliot.

I heard about his impending death and then his death when I was not familiar with his work. His essay just before his death, in, I believe, the NY Review of Books, was to dense for me to read. Now, I am so sorry he is gone. I would like to argue with him about several of his points, or ask him for even more details. Of course, I wouldn't have a chance with such a sardonic wit.

Classic Hitch

Fantastic to think of another modern writer as literate as Hitch. You may not agree with all of his views, but isn't that the point? Think... if you dare.