Letters to a Young Contrarian
Hitchens on dissent as a habit of mind, written as letters of advice in the Art of Mentoring series.
Hitchens writes to an imagined young correspondent on how to hold a minority position: the uses of scepticism, the risks of solidarity, and why the word contrarian is better than dissident. Part of the Art of Mentoring series, and among the most quoted of his shorter books.
Recommended by 1 Person
Guy Raz
I don’t think there is a better journalist than Hitchens writing in English. The power of his arguments – they’re so crisply written, they’re so forceful that, if you are on the other side, they almost strangle you. There’s nobody more compelling to read. Every time I read him, I learn something from him. His arguments are so tight, they’re hermetic. It’s very difficult to take them apart.
Interview · March 2011
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