Book review: Arguably by Christopher Hitchens

Book: Arguably
Author: Christopher Hitchens
Year Published: 2011

Review: Arguably, published in 2011, is a collection of Hitchens' essays from the first decade of this century.

The essays in Arguably are mostly short - about three or four pages - but they range to about 20. They cover the topics that Hitchens was known for: Literature, history, politics and religion; all from Christopher Hitchens' distinctive point of view. They are erudite (Hitchens must have read an amazing number of books, and remembered them), literate (how many writers can use "regnant" without it seeming forced?) and strongly opinionated. Hitchens was (on most issues) a liberal (in the American sense) but he was something of a proponent for the invasion of Iraq and an opponent of Hugo Chavez (see his essay Hugo Boss). He was an atheist and a fierce opponent of religion, particular when that religion was promulgated by a state.

As with any such collection, your interest in them will depend on the subject, but Christopher Hitchens is always a pleasure to read, even when he is infuriating enough to disagree with you. Most of the political and historical essays in this collection are strongly opinionated: It's not surprising that Hitchens is a strong supporter of Benjamin Franklin (who isn't?) but it's more controversial that he believes John Brown is "the man who ended slavery" and that he had a well thought out plan on how to "purge this land with blood". Hitchens doesn't overlook the negatives of Brown (for instance, his child rearing methods that today would be considered abusive) but he dispels the idea that Brown was unhinged.

Many of these essays are also amusing (e.g. his dissection of some of the positions of Gore Vidal, and the final essay Prisoner of Shelves on his life being taken over by books), many are angry (e.g The Vietnam Syndrome on the long term effects of Agent Orange; or A Nation of Racist Dwarves on what the Kims have created in North Korea).

If you like to think and have your thoughts provoked on topics like these, then you will enjoy Arguably.

About the Author:  Christopher Hitchens was a contributing editor to Vanity Fair, Slate and the Atlantic. He wrote 13 books, four pamphlets and five collections of essays (including Arguably) and contributed to five more books. He died in 2011.