Letters to a Young Contrarian
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Letters to a Young Contrarian
Narrated by:
James Adams
Buy Now for $16.99
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Narrated by:
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James Adams
About this listen
In Letters to a Young Contrarian, bestselling author and world-class provocateur Christopher Hitchens inspires the radicals, gadflies, mavericks, rebels, and angry young (wo)men of tomorrow. Exploring the entire range of "contrary positions"—from noble dissident to gratuitous nag—Hitchens introduces the next generation to the minds and the misfits who influenced him, invoking such mentors as Emile Zola, Rosa Parks, and George Orwell. As is his trademark, Hitchens pointedly pitches himself in contrast to stagnant attitudes across the ideological spectrum. No other writer has matched Hitchens's understanding of the importance of disagreement—to personal integrity, to informed discussion, to true progress, to democracy itself.
Enlightening in a Hitch kind of way
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As a student of history, I’ve often wished that some of the great thinkers of old had provided us with a larger window into their minds.
Fortunately, Hitchens has done just that!
While the stunning quality of his prose and staggering breadth of his knowledge can easily leave you feeling quite inadequate, his purpose is clearly to encourage each reader to be a better version of themselves and thereby make the world a better place.
I also know from reading other works by Hitchens that he felt a similar sense of inadequacy after reading literary giants that preceded him (eg. Nabokov) and yet he continued to write…so I guess there’s still hope for the rest of us!
If I had one critique, it would be that an overly critical mindset can be stifling to those who want to try a make a difference for good (the oft quoted “Man in the Arena” excerpt comes to mind). However, I dare say that Hitchens would agree that you don’t have to have all of your feathers perfectly preened before you start flapping your wings and take your first tentative flight. Preening is a lifelong practice that will help you soar to higher heights in time, but you have to start somewhere, so “flap away” despite the fact that you might not soar like Hitchens…yet!
Perhaps, the best compliment to any author is that a reader wants to read his/her work again, which is what I plan to do now! In fact, it’s the sort of book that you can read annually, as a tonic of the mind. Enjoy!
How fortunate that Hitchens left this legacy!
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