Christopher Hitchens on Kingsley Amis

[bertrand]

Christopher Hitchens is interviewing the author of a mammoth new bio of Kingsley Amis (at a bookstore five minutes away). Amis is one of my favorite writers (despite his politics and mild bigotry), and Lucky Jim is probably my favorite book of all time.

I only know of Hitchens by reputation. Could this be interesting, or will I be wasting my time? If an opportunity arises, I will squeeze in a question about how in almost every Amis novel, there is a scene where a character is listening to a 'new' Miles Davis album and wincing in pain.

Bertrand.

Edited April 25, 2007 by bertrand

[Larry Kart]

It almost certainly will be interesting, but perhaps in the way a train wreck is. Among other things, it might be as much or more about Hitchens as about Amis.

[donald byrd 4 EVA]

Amis article in the NYTIMES

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/22/magazine/22amises.t.html

[sidewinder]

In his autobiography I recall a story of Amis walking out of a NYC (Birdland I think) gig in the late 50s with Miles and Coltrane and hating it.

The Philip Larkin 'fuddy-duddy' stuff was more his thing !

[bertrand]

There's a whole section in One Fat Englishman where the title character is going from one jazz club to the next in NYC looking for some 'authentic' jazz.

At one point he winds up in a club where one of the musicians (unnamed) keeps saying 'Vootie' and such, and announces 'John Colvootie'.

I'm mostly concerned I would get in a fight with Hitchens. He's not, like, Ann Coulter with a penis, right?

Bertrand.

Edited April 25, 2007 by bertrand

[Larry Kart]

There's a whole section in One Fat Englishman where the title character is going from one jazz club to the next in NYC looking for some 'authentic' jazz.

At one point he winds up in a club where one of the musicians (unnamed) keeps saying 'Vootie' and such, and announces 'John Colvootie'.

I'm mostly concerned I would get in a fight with Hitchens. He's not, like, Ann Coulter with a penis, right?

Bertrand.

No -- Ann Coulter is like Christopher Hitchens with a penis.

[umum_cypher]

Not at all. She's just an anti-'liberal' ranter like the other neo-con pundits isn't she? It does Hitchens a disservice to describe him as any of those things. He was, for instance, a signatory of this. And until he gets onto the war, he's still pretty much his old-left self - I'd be interested to hear him on K.A.

[bertrand]

I had just decided to go and Tom's recommendation sealed the deal. I was being facetious - I can tell he's no idiot like Coulter, although articles I found while googling show that he is very opinionated. Coulter is a special case of psychosis.

I'm off in a minute - I'll report back.

Bertrand.

[umum_cypher]

Cool

[Shannon Dickey]

Just finished Hitchens' new bk.

A fantastic, gin-soaked screed against Religion. Very amusing.

---HB

[Guy Berger]

Hitchens is a "clever" writer and obviously an intelligent guy, but I find him hard to take seriously.* His opinions on everything are so extreme/over-the-top, and he's perfectly willing to resort to well-written sophistry to make a point. In addition, I find him to be a little light on substance.

His columns are very enjoyable to read if you agree with him.

Guy

*I'm sure you can search the politics forum and find that I was singing a different tune a few years ago.

Edited April 27, 2007 by Guy

[Guy Berger]

I don't have much interest in reading Hitchens's new book, but if it's as good as this review by Michael Kinsley it might be worth checking out.

(Warning to those who avoid political discussion on this board: the book is an anti-religion polemic.)

Guy