Mr. M what do you think about...

[Anonymous]

Hey Mr. M,

Lately, I have been reading some Chritopher Hitchens, are you familiar with him. What is your take? He seems pretty complex.
However, if you prefer to not comment on a specific person like this I understand.

[Jerico]

Dave, I'm sure Mike will answer if he sees this thread, and if he feels he has an opinion worthy of posting.

I don't know that much about Christopher Hitchens. The most I've seen of him is on TV as a political commentator.
I know he has quite a resume and enough credentials to be considered a worthy writer/ journalist.
I did feel compelled to post about him at one point. He does seem to criticise politicians appropriately. Lately, though, he seems to support Bush's war on terror, looking like a humorless man with a stick up his arse.
That's just my opinion.
It's possible that he had a loved one(s) die in WTC.
Either that or he just despised Hussein as much as Dubya,
or is emotionally charged about terrorism in general for some reason.

There has to be an emotional reason involved that a man of intellect such as he, would support an unnecessary war in Iraq, and hold a belief that bombing deemed terrorist enemies will somehow result in victory.

I'm not claiming that I know anything. Just offering my opinion.

[Bill]

"There has to be an emotional reason involved that a man of intellect such as he, would support an unnecessary war in Iraq, and hold a belief that bombing deemed terrorist enemies will somehow result in victory. "

It has to be dismissed as "emotion"? There are some very intelligent, reasonable, objective people that don't agree with your opinion that it is "unnecessary".

[Anonymous]

Yes, I'm confused about him too. I have been reading Letters to a Young Contrarian lately and have been enjoying it very much. On one hand he will write something that attacks a liberal cause such as, the non-smoking in restaurants, New York policy. Then he will support the war. I like that because he seems to analyze issues logically (maybe his logic) rather than ideologically. Frankly, he seems to fit the definition of a neocon to a certain degree, as he stated in the book that he was of a communist frame of mind in the past. He has written a book against mother Teresa and seems to have a fascination with George Orwell, whose significance escapes me because of my own ignorance. He may just have an anti-oppression stance. Anyway, just curious about what he is.

Hey Bill!
For once I’m there with you! I’m sure that I could write a book about all the reasons that I am not a fan of middle-eastern belief systems and behavior. Iraq had a form of national socialism! If you think that I get worked up about our country’s inequities you have heard nothing yet! There’s plenty of reasons to get emotional about the issue.

[Michael Moorcock]

Well, I've always reckoned Christopher Hitchens was a bit of a wanker.
These days he seems even more of a wanker.
He's a fashionable journalist. That's his career. So he behaves like a fashionable journalist. In my view there's never been that much more to say about him. But then I'm somewhat cynical about careerist journalist who come to the US when their careers are in the doldrums in the UK.
They do very well in NY. I feel much the same about Salman Rushdie.
I don't find a lot of depth in any of them which is why they export so easily.
Maybe you'd better not get me started on this subject. :)

[Anonymous]

He seems to oscillate between subjects and stances. Sometime I wonder if its just me that is missing the point. Anyway, I wonder if he is worth reading. Sometimes I’m amused while other times I’m bored.
Please get started, if you will. Not to butter you up, but I really enjoy your analysis.
The book that I mentioned is written in a form that mimics a stoic classic and was part of a “contrarian� series. Its enjoyable and amusing, but as I said I’m not sure about what I’m being served up.


P.S.
How can I find sources of nonfiction things that you have written.

[Michael Moorcock]

I did a piece on all this which never appeared because The Edge, my favourite magazine, stopped publishing. However, you might find some stuff in King of the City, if you haven't read it, in which I talk about UK journos who wind up having to go to America to get work... A better paid alternative to editing The Provincial Advertiser.
Hmmm. That could be me, come to think of it. Maybe we'd better not pursue this any further.
Non fiction has been published in Casablanca (1989), The Opium General and also at Fantastic Metropolis. I review fairly regularly for The Guardian and have started reviewing for the London MagazineI also write occasionally in The Spectator and used to appear a fair bit in
The New Statesman and the Daily Telegraph. Which might explain my politics... I've appeared in Red Pepper, too. Most of my Guardian reviews are archived. I haven't done much journalism lately, being involved in the final Pyat and the final EC novels. I hope to start doing a bit more from next year. Savoy have plans to produce a John Davey edited book of much of my non-fiction which I think will reprint my 1980s polemic The Retreat from Liberty as well as a lot of other embarrassing stuff... :D

[Typhoid_Mary]

Great! I'm really looking forward to reading The Retreat From Liberty. I'm currently enjoying your non-fiction more than your fiction!

While we're on the subject of your non-fiction, was Letters From Hollywood ever published as a paperback?

[ReaveTheJust]

Chris Hitchens. I'm thinking of two people

Is he thin faced and miserable looking or a little overweight? (maybe the same person who's been "super sized" too often).

The first was an absolute t*sser when I saw him on TV - wasn't just his opinions - he was plain rude. The second a bit upper class, but I can't remember what he was like when I saw him (maybe I was inebriated)

[LoE]

When in doubt, Google it!!

Here's a pic... http://images.amazon.com/images/P/04...1.LZZZZZZZ.jpg

here's a couple o sites I came across...

http://backword.me.uk/2004/May/thesearch.html

http://www.antiwar.com/justin/j082602.html

Alderian, can you tell us what a Contrarian is?
And are Klingons a common enemy? <-- ignore this one :lol:

[Michael Moorcock]

There are two Hitchens. Peter is also a journalist and works in the UK - has a regular column in one of the tabloids and appears pretty regularly either in the New Statesman or the Spectator (I know there's a difference, but I get both and often can't remember who is writing where). I will often disagree with Peter, but he's not the tosser his brother is. Getting fashionable in New York is probably the worst fate of any writer, especially columnists, who depend entirely on being topical, so their work does tend to be full of contradictions. A contrarian presumably is a polemicist from another part of the Forum.
:)

[Mikey_C]

Both Peter and Christopher Hitchens were both members of the International Socialists (forerunners of the British SWP) in the 60s & 70s. Peter turned right wing after leaving the Labour Party in 1983 - Christopher stayed left(ish) until 1999, when he enthusiastically supported NATO's bombing of Yugoslavia. Now he's a cheerleader for Bush and the invasion of Iraq, which his brother - strangely enough - opposed. I would agree with MM's assessment of him, although I do have a sneaking regard for someone who can get away with writing a book slagging off Mother Theresa. :twisted:

Peter is more consistent in his politics but has a most unhealthy obsession with the death penalty - even going to witness an execution in the States for the purposes of advocating capital punishment. Basically he just wants to roll the clock back to the 1950s - (now, wouldn't that be lovely?) :(

It seems that being a controversial media pundit is top occupation for disillusioned Trots (those who aren't in the Bush administration, of course). Nothing grabs the attention like a lefty who supports the war or an ex-Marxist who's in favour of the free market. Radio 4 listeners will have had the frequent displeasure of listening to members of the late, unlamented Revolutionary Communist Party such as Frank Furedi, who have moved into this business full time and set up an entire organisation devoted to it: http://www.instituteofideas.com/

This phenomenon should be investigated further (although not by me!) :lol: