A couple of weeks ago I presented a review of Christopher Hitchens’s latest book, Arguably, at the Albany Public Library. The book is a collection of essays, many of them book reviews, and concerning mostly literary, political, and social commentary; and in typical Hitchens fashion, there is ample provocation in the book. (However, there is very little about religion.)
Doing my review was great fun, and I’m pleased to say the 30+ minute talk was well-attended and well-received. Since its length exceeds the norm for a blog posting, I have posted it at a separate website. You can find it by clicking here.
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November 30, 2011 at 11:28 am
Frank, You are “Arguably” as good a writer as Hitch. Thanks for the review. I’ll add this book to my pile of “books-to-do” and put it on top.
[FSR comment: Thanks; but having read the 750+ pages of this book, I emphatically deny that I am as good a writer as Hitchens.]
December 8, 2011 at 11:12 am
Hi Frank,
I read your stuff regularly, and I really enjoy it. I rarely post because most of the time I feel I have nothing to add.
I consider you to be one of a small number of opinion writers, on the internet or in conventional media, who is interested in pursuing the truth. Naive as that sounds, I believe it is the only responsible position. From your review of his book, it seems that Hitchens’ shares this perspective.
[FSR comment: Thanks! I do have strong opinions; but try to be mindful of Daniel Patrick Moynihan’s remark that everyone is entitled to their own opinions, but not their own facts. I think Hitchens follows that too.]
December 28, 2011 at 11:55 am
Rejected my comment twice. Oh well.
[FSR: I never “reject” comments. No comment from you on this post surfaced; perhaps something went awry in your attempt to submit it. Please try again.]
December 29, 2011 at 6:42 pm
Thank you for this review, Frank. I will definitely read Hitchens’ book. I have always enjoyed his writing in Vanity Fair. I wish I could have gone to your talk.
July 11, 2013 at 11:23 pm
[…] previously reviewed Hitchens’s fat book Arguably (a collection of essays), where this basic issue of human rights loomed large, and scarcely a word […]