Arguably: Essays by Christopher Hitchens

While I don't always agree with Hitchens I always enjoy his writing and unique take on peoples, places, and history. I haven't actually finished the book yet but I have so far I really have enjoyed it.

Endlessly enlightening and demanding for those of us who read and digest the world of literature and politics at a mortal speed. Anyone who seeks the "honest man" will find Hitchen's that and more. The expanse of material and subject will lure you to wander and wonder.

The breadth and depth of this talented iconoclast's knowledge, his inerrant logic and his stunning command of the English language are all palpable in this collection of Christopher Hitchens' essays. Would that there were more like him...the world would be an inarguably better place.

I enjoyed this book very much. Hitchins is, as usual opinionated and pithy. He also enjoyed using big words. I like the range of subjects, many of which I had not read about before. Agree or disagree (if you dare), it is a stimulating, pleasurable and occasionally challenging read,.

Hitchens writes an extraordinarily lucid and beautiful English. His treatment of writing colleagues is sometimes rather harsh, but perhaps for this very reason very enjoyable.

When he deals with global poltics I find him well worth reading, albeit somewhat overmoralizing. His take on history is also very anglo-centered, which needs to be taken into account.

This is one of the best collections of writings that has ever been published. It is worthy of the highest praise just for the use of the English language. I have close relatives who have been in the newspaper publishing business for decades and when I mentioned that I had just read the "Essays," they admonished me for my ignorance of Hitchens work.

How I will miss encountering new essays by Hichens on contemporary history and on literature, ancient and modern. He writes lucidly, passionately and with compassionate humour. This is a fine collection of his magazine pieces. We will not soon see his like again, I'm afraid.

This is an excellent book, featuring many great Hitchens essays. Simon Prebble also had a very pleasing voice for the narration. My only complaint is that unless you're paying close attention, it's easy to lose track of whether what is being read is Hitchens' writing, or the writing of others that is being quoted.

In contrast, I've been listening recently to books by Richard Dawkins as well, and one way they've worked around this problem is that if Richard is reading the main passage, then his wife, Lala Ward will read the quoted passages or vice versa. This is a style that's much easier to follow.

This is an excellent book, featuring many great Hitchens essays. Simon Prebble also had a very pleasing voice for the narration. My only complaint is that unless you're paying close attention, it's easy to lose track of whether what is being read is Hitchens' writing, or the writing of others that is being quoted.

In contrast, I've been listening recently to books by Richard Dawkins as well, and one way they've worked around this problem is that if Richard is reading the main passage, then his wife, Lala Ward will read the quoted passages or vice versa. This is a style that's much easier to follow.

I learned a tremendous amount from this collection. I had read other things by Hitch but I did not know he was so eclectic in his knowledge. Nor did I know he could be so funny, as in his lighter essays.

Brilliant collection of essays by one of the more lucid thinkers and writers of this or any time. Even when you may not agree with Hitchens, he causes you to re-think your own views. I particularly enjoyed the breadth of subject matter. Christopher Hitchens is sorely missed!

Hitchens writes essays that require a huge range of knowledge, from current events to history to English literature and religion, and he interweaves all of this knowledge without any obvious effort. Plus reading Hitchens is a great way to improve vocabulary!

While this product is great with a variety of topics from over the years, it suffers from having only CDs with no liner notes or playlist. This makes it a grab bag of sorts, never knowing what's coming up next.

Even a book review by Hitch is rewarding. This collection of writings has plenty of those, but there's never any doubt as to whose voice we're hearing, and he never disappoints. Reading this only compounds the feelings of loss at his untimely death.

extraordinary knowledge of contemporary and historical English litterature, a great sense of humor & irony & in many ways compassionate despite being jugemental, which surprised me.

edmund stevens

I know Hitchens` politics are wide and variable. All the better as he sees the world "from both sides now"....I have never enjoyed the short read of essays as I have with Arguably, learned much and gone on to purchase some books of which he writes. The feeling of being better off than before is strong and full. Larry Benz

Cannot recommend this enough. He was one of the best essayists to ever have lived, perhaps the best of the 20th century and there was some stiff competition. This is a well-chosen selection of his essays for various publications. It introduced me to many other authors and notable men and women of history, and his love of life and literature is infectious. I'm a better person for having read this book.