Letters to a Young Contrarian

In the book that he was born to write, provocateur and best-selling author Christopher Hitchens inspires future generations of radicals, gadflies, mavericks, rebels, angry young (wo)men, and dissidents. Who better to speak to that person who finds him or herself in a contrarian position than Hitchens, who has made a career of disagreeing in profound and entertaining ways.This book explores the entire range of "contrary positions"-from noble dissident to gratuitous pain in the butt. In an age of overly polite debate bending over backward to reach a happy consensus within an increasingly centrist political dialogue, Hitchens pointedly pitches himself in contrast. He bemoans the loss of the skills of dialectical thinking evident in contemporary society. He understands the importance of disagreement-to personal integrity, to informed discussion, to true progress-heck, to democracy itself. Epigrammatic, spunky, witty, in your face, timeless and timely, this book is everything you would expect from a mentoring contrarian.

“"Part revolutionist, part court jester, he is possessed of a wickedly effective prose style and sense of moral purpose....True democracy would not exist without Hitchens and his ilk. May this book breed many more contrarians, young and old alike."-- Timeout New York”

"Hitchens is expanding his influence, showing the next generation how to 'think independently'." - USA Today"

Christopher Hitchens is a contributing editor to Vanity Fair. His numerous books include Letters to a Young Contrarian and Why Orwell Matters.

In Letters to a Young Contrarian, best-selling author and world-class provocateur Christopher Hitchens inspires future generations of radicals, gadflies, mavericks, rebels, and angry young (wo)men. Exploring the entire range of "contrary positions" from noble dissident to gratuitous pain in the butt, Hitchens introduces the next generation to the minds and the misfits who inspire him-invoking such mentors as Emile Zola, Rosa Parks, and George Orwell. As is his trademark, Hitchens pointedly pitches himself in contrast to stagnant traditions across the ideological spectrum. There is no one writing today with a greater understanding of the importance of disagreement-to personal integrity, to informed discussion, to true progress, to democracy itself.

In the book that he was born to write, provocateur and best-selling author Christopher Hitchens inspires future generations of radicals, gadflies, mavericks, rebels, angry young (wo)men, and dissidents. Who better to speak to that person who finds him or herself in a contrarian position than Hitchens, who has made a career of disagreeing in profound and entertaining ways.This book explores the entire range of "contrary positions"-from noble dissident to gratuitous pain in the butt. In an age of overly polite debate bending over backward to reach a happy consensus within an increasingly centrist political dialogue, Hitchens pointedly pitches himself in contrast. He bemoans the loss of the skills of dialectical thinking evident in contemporary society. He understands the importance of disagreement-to personal integrity, to informed discussion, to true progress-heck, to democracy itself. Epigrammatic, spunky, witty, in your face, timeless and timely, this book is everything you would expect from a mentoring contrarian.

This item is eligible for free returns within 30 days of delivery. See our returns policy for further details.