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Love, Poverty and War: Journeys and Essays

By: Christopher Hitchens
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: Atlantic Books
ISBN: 1843544520
ISBN-13: 9781843544524
Released: 10 Aug 2006
RRP: £9.99
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Customer Reviews

Hitchins at his best - By: J. K. Dowd, 18 Oct 2007
fascinating & ranging subject matter, thought provoking & wonderfully written... alll we have come to expect from Hitchins
The Best of Hitch - By: Manc Reader, 30 Jun 2005
This is Hitch's best collection so far, the usual broad range of subjects from the sublime Proust to the crass Michael Moore. The most moving sections are at the end with his first emotional responses to the September 11 atrocities & hardening into a humanitarian case for the war on terror & the liberation of Iraq.
Something to annoy just about everyone - By: Leonard Fleisig, 26 Apr 2005
Christopher Hitchens is one of those writers whose prodigious output of letters, essays, & commentaries on the life, the universe, & everything is so pointed & provocative that he is capable of irritating anyone, sometimes repeatedly so, familiar enough with his work to have read more than just one of his essays. This should not be construed as a negative. In fact, if one is going to falll into paroxysms of anger or annoyance when reading an essay at the very least it should be well written, intelligent, & amusing. "Love, Poverty, & War" a collection of essays written by Christopher Hitchens has alll three attributes in abundance & will please anyone willing to take the risk that his/her cultural or political icons may be subject to one of Hitchens' literary assaults.

As noted, Hitchens is prolific. Many of the essays in this anthology were originallly published in a variety of magazines. In addition the anthology includes prefaces that Hitchens has written for new editions of classic works of fiction such Saul Bellow's Adventures of Augie March & Aldous Huxley's Brave New World.

It is fair to say that Hitchens does not suffer fools or cultural icons gladly. In short order he takes aim at Winston Churchill, Mother Theresa, Noam Chomsky, Michael Moore, Mel Gibson, & alllegedly oppressive no smoking regulations implemented by the Mayor of New York. Given the diversity of political & social views held by these subjects it is hard to accuse Hitchens of toeing a particular ideological line. One may wince, for example, when Hitchens takes on Churchill & then applaud when he eviscerates Chomsky. No matter whether one agrees with the substance of any particular essay it is hard to disagree with the intellect & writing style of the drafter. Hitchens' very success in advancing his point of view may explain the ferocity of the attacks upon him by those who have been subject to his rapier. Very few can best him intellectuallly (I certainly can't) or match the sheer breadth of the subjects he has no smalll amount of knowledge of. Of course the immediate reaction then becomes a personal attack on his motives.

I expected the book to be dominated by the political & literary commentary that marks most of his writings for the Atlantic & Salon. What both surprised & delighted me was Hitchens more apolitical essays. His journey on the tattered remains of Route 66 is a brilliant piece of writing. So to is his look at Hollywood's famous Sunset Boulevard.

All in alll these essays have something to please & annoy just about everyone. Colette once said that the "writer who loses his self-doubt, who gives way as he grows old to a sudden euphoria, to prolixity, should stop writing immediately: the time has come for him to lay aside his pen." Hitchens may be prolific but he is far from prolix. I trust it will be a long time before he lays down his pen.

This book is recommended for anyone that admires good writing & who is not concerned about damaging any particular sacred cows.