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The Last Interview
Christopher Hitchens: The Last Interview and Other Conversations
This selection of interviews showcases the remarkable career of one of this generation’s greatest and most divisive thinkers—featuring a foreword by Stephen Fry.
“ . . . pulls together some of Hitchens’s greatest dialogues, each sparkling with intelligence and wit.” —New York Times Book Review
If someone says I’m doing this out of faith, I say, Why don’t you do it out of conviction?
One of his generation’s greatest public intellectuals, and perhaps its fiercest, Christopher Hitchens was a brilliant interview subject. This collection—which spans from his early prominence as a hero of the Left to his controversial support for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan toward the end of his life—showcases Hitch’s trademark wit on subjects as diverse as his mistrust of the media, his love of literature, his dislike of the Clintons, and his condemnation of all things religious.
Beginning with an introduction and tribute from his longtime friend Stephen Fry, this collection culminates in Hitchens’s fearless final interview with Richard Dawkins, which shows a man as unafraid of death as he was of everything in life.
“ . . . pulls together some of Hitchens’s greatest dialogues, each sparkling with intelligence and wit.” —New York Times Book Review
If someone says I’m doing this out of faith, I say, Why don’t you do it out of conviction?
One of his generation’s greatest public intellectuals, and perhaps its fiercest, Christopher Hitchens was a brilliant interview subject. This collection—which spans from his early prominence as a hero of the Left to his controversial support for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan toward the end of his life—showcases Hitch’s trademark wit on subjects as diverse as his mistrust of the media, his love of literature, his dislike of the Clintons, and his condemnation of all things religious.
Beginning with an introduction and tribute from his longtime friend Stephen Fry, this collection culminates in Hitchens’s fearless final interview with Richard Dawkins, which shows a man as unafraid of death as he was of everything in life.
177 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 5, 2017
91 people are currently reading
471 people want to read
About the author
Christopher Hitchens
163 books7,901 followersChristopher Hitchens was a British-American author, journalist, and literary critic known for his sharp wit, polemical writing, and outspoken views on religion, politics, and culture. He was a prolific essayist and columnist, contributing to publications such as The Atlantic, Vanity Fair, Slate, and The Nation.
A staunch critic of totalitarianism and organized religion, Hitchens became one of the most prominent public intellectuals of his time. His book God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything (2007) became a bestseller and solidified his place as a leading figure in the New Atheism movement. He was equally fearless in political criticism, taking on figures across the ideological spectrum, from Henry Kissinger (The Trial of Henry Kissinger, 2001) to Bill and Hillary Clinton (No One Left to Lie To, 1999).
Originally a socialist and supporter of left-wing causes, Hitchens later distanced himself from the left, particularly after the September 11 attacks, when he became a vocal advocate for the U.S. invasion of Iraq. His ideological shift, combined with his formidable debating skills, made him a controversial yet highly respected figure.
Hitchens was also known for his literary criticism, writing extensively on figures such as George Orwell, Thomas Jefferson, and Karl Marx. His memoir, Hitch-22 (2010), reflected on his personal and intellectual journey.
In 2010, he was diagnosed with esophageal cancer but continued to write and speak publicly until his death in 2011. His fearless engagement with ideas, incisive arguments, and commitment to reason remain influential long after his passing.
A staunch critic of totalitarianism and organized religion, Hitchens became one of the most prominent public intellectuals of his time. His book God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything (2007) became a bestseller and solidified his place as a leading figure in the New Atheism movement. He was equally fearless in political criticism, taking on figures across the ideological spectrum, from Henry Kissinger (The Trial of Henry Kissinger, 2001) to Bill and Hillary Clinton (No One Left to Lie To, 1999).
Originally a socialist and supporter of left-wing causes, Hitchens later distanced himself from the left, particularly after the September 11 attacks, when he became a vocal advocate for the U.S. invasion of Iraq. His ideological shift, combined with his formidable debating skills, made him a controversial yet highly respected figure.
Hitchens was also known for his literary criticism, writing extensively on figures such as George Orwell, Thomas Jefferson, and Karl Marx. His memoir, Hitch-22 (2010), reflected on his personal and intellectual journey.
In 2010, he was diagnosed with esophageal cancer but continued to write and speak publicly until his death in 2011. His fearless engagement with ideas, incisive arguments, and commitment to reason remain influential long after his passing.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
June 18, 2024
Hitch in Eight Interviews
From televised discussions on C-Span and Comedy Central to articles borrowed from the pages of The Guardian and Portland Monthly, I was painfully reminded of what we all lost. When it came to erudite personalities that could alter my worldview in fifteen pages of transcribed dialogue, there was Christopher Hitchens and nobody else.
__________________________
On Abortion in America
“. . . It isn’t about the rights of the unborn child. I think it’s an argument about patriarchy. It is a metaphor for the status of women in what is still in some ways a frontier society.” (pg 62)
On Religion in America
“When people say, “I am a person of faith,” they expect applause for it as we see in every election cycle. If I could make one change in the culture it would be to withhold that applause, to say, “Wait a minute, you just told me you’re prepared to accept an enormous amount on no evidence whatsoever. Why are you thinking that that would impress me?” I have no use for it . . .” (pg 105)
On His Support of the War in Iraq
“. . . since one is always going to regret something, you have to decide in advance what it will be.” (pg 128)
From televised discussions on C-Span and Comedy Central to articles borrowed from the pages of The Guardian and Portland Monthly, I was painfully reminded of what we all lost. When it came to erudite personalities that could alter my worldview in fifteen pages of transcribed dialogue, there was Christopher Hitchens and nobody else.
__________________________
On Abortion in America
“. . . It isn’t about the rights of the unborn child. I think it’s an argument about patriarchy. It is a metaphor for the status of women in what is still in some ways a frontier society.” (pg 62)
On Religion in America
“When people say, “I am a person of faith,” they expect applause for it as we see in every election cycle. If I could make one change in the culture it would be to withhold that applause, to say, “Wait a minute, you just told me you’re prepared to accept an enormous amount on no evidence whatsoever. Why are you thinking that that would impress me?” I have no use for it . . .” (pg 105)
On His Support of the War in Iraq
“. . . since one is always going to regret something, you have to decide in advance what it will be.” (pg 128)
October 13, 2024
I read Hitchens because I find myself addicted to his erudition, style, and voice. I don’t agree with him on the -Iraq war; I agree with him on religion. I don’t like his confrontational style, but I do love to watch him flare. And so on. A voice that is sorely missed today.
January 10, 2018
Almost all Hitchens is worth reading, and this is no exception. The introduction, which is excellent, says that we miss Hitchens when we don't hear his voice on Trump and other issues of the day, and while I agree we miss Hitchens' voice, even this brief book is a testament to his likely feelings about myriad subjects. I had encountered many of the ideas before, in his books and YouTube videos and columns, but it was a very nice reminder of his range and ability.
November 15, 2025
The Last Interview and Other Conversations is a collection of eight of interesting Christopher Hitchens interviews including his very last interview with Richard Dawkins in December 2011, shortly before he died on December 15, 2011. The book beings with a poignant introduction by his friend, British actor, writer, and comedian, Stephen Fry.
Those who have read or heard Hitchens speak know he was a brilliant intellectual who never pulled any punches and never lost a debate. He wrote and debated on a number of subjects, my favorites being his take downs of religion. While considered a liberal, his views were all over the place. He was not a fan of Bill Clinton and supported W’s war in Iraq among other things you wouldn't expect a liberal to be in favor of.
The interviews include the following:
Hitchens on the Media, C-Span, February 1987
Hitchens on Mother Teresa, Free Enquiry, Fall 1996. Hitchens was always very critical of Mother Teresa who was admired and respected by most everyone on the planet. He even made a film exposing her operations and how despite getting millions she kept the hapless Indians poverty-stricken as if it was some righteous crusade. His writings about Mother Teresa are eye-opening for those like me who have been spoon fed her "story" by the Catholic Church from a young age.
Interview with The Progressive magazine in 1997
Hitchens on Literature, Stop Smiling magazine April 2005
Hitchens on the Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, The Daily Show with John Stewart, August 2005. In this rollicking interview interrupted by applause and laughter from the audience, Hitchens and Stewart really go at it in a friendly way and Hitchens explains why he supported W and why he believed that Middle East radicals presented a threat to western civilization.
Question of Faith, Portland Monthly magazine, January 2010. Hitchens talks about religion not long after his book God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything came out and became a best seller.
Christopher Hitchens “You Have to Choose Your Future Regrets”, interview with The Guardian magazine in November 2010. Hitchens talks about his life after his terminal esophagus cancer diagnosis. Hitchens continued to make public appearances and do debates as his health continued to deteriorate.
The Last Interview: “Never Be Afraid of Stridency”, interview by Richard Dawkins for the New Statesman magazine. I thought this was the best and saddest chapter of all. Dawkins and Hitchens were good friends, both part of the Four Horsemen of the new atheism, and while they shared anti-religious views they differed on a number of other subjects, and their conversations were always entertaining and interesting. I loved this interview because Dawkins set Hitch up with short questions and Hitch knocked them all out of the park. Knowing this was probably it for the great Hitch, this was very sad, much like Hitch’s last book, Mortality, which he wrote as he was dying.
I would’ve love this book to include some of his TV show appearance transcripts, namely his interview about religion on Fox New with a particularly smarmy Sean Hannity. Luckily, many of these great interviews and debates are all on YouTube, so anyone can experience the genius of Hitch.
I so wish he was alive to comment on the current state of affairs in this country and in other parts of the world. Sadly, some of the things wrote and spoke up about are coming to fruition.
This book is a short read, and while outdated in parts, it gives the reader a good introduction to what Hitch had to say and how he went about saying it.
Those who have read or heard Hitchens speak know he was a brilliant intellectual who never pulled any punches and never lost a debate. He wrote and debated on a number of subjects, my favorites being his take downs of religion. While considered a liberal, his views were all over the place. He was not a fan of Bill Clinton and supported W’s war in Iraq among other things you wouldn't expect a liberal to be in favor of.
The interviews include the following:
Hitchens on the Media, C-Span, February 1987
Hitchens on Mother Teresa, Free Enquiry, Fall 1996. Hitchens was always very critical of Mother Teresa who was admired and respected by most everyone on the planet. He even made a film exposing her operations and how despite getting millions she kept the hapless Indians poverty-stricken as if it was some righteous crusade. His writings about Mother Teresa are eye-opening for those like me who have been spoon fed her "story" by the Catholic Church from a young age.
Interview with The Progressive magazine in 1997
Hitchens on Literature, Stop Smiling magazine April 2005
Hitchens on the Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, The Daily Show with John Stewart, August 2005. In this rollicking interview interrupted by applause and laughter from the audience, Hitchens and Stewart really go at it in a friendly way and Hitchens explains why he supported W and why he believed that Middle East radicals presented a threat to western civilization.
Question of Faith, Portland Monthly magazine, January 2010. Hitchens talks about religion not long after his book God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything came out and became a best seller.
Christopher Hitchens “You Have to Choose Your Future Regrets”, interview with The Guardian magazine in November 2010. Hitchens talks about his life after his terminal esophagus cancer diagnosis. Hitchens continued to make public appearances and do debates as his health continued to deteriorate.
The Last Interview: “Never Be Afraid of Stridency”, interview by Richard Dawkins for the New Statesman magazine. I thought this was the best and saddest chapter of all. Dawkins and Hitchens were good friends, both part of the Four Horsemen of the new atheism, and while they shared anti-religious views they differed on a number of other subjects, and their conversations were always entertaining and interesting. I loved this interview because Dawkins set Hitch up with short questions and Hitch knocked them all out of the park. Knowing this was probably it for the great Hitch, this was very sad, much like Hitch’s last book, Mortality, which he wrote as he was dying.
I would’ve love this book to include some of his TV show appearance transcripts, namely his interview about religion on Fox New with a particularly smarmy Sean Hannity. Luckily, many of these great interviews and debates are all on YouTube, so anyone can experience the genius of Hitch.
I so wish he was alive to comment on the current state of affairs in this country and in other parts of the world. Sadly, some of the things wrote and spoke up about are coming to fruition.
This book is a short read, and while outdated in parts, it gives the reader a good introduction to what Hitch had to say and how he went about saying it.
May 2, 2018
Hitch was a master essayist, though in the genre interview few excelled quiet so incredibly as Christopher Hitchens. His wit was always on point, and sharp as a hawk's talon. And if I can be allowed this pathetic metaphor a bit longer, much like a hawk Hitch's words always cut deep.
I literally discovered Christopher Hitchens on the day he found out he was dying. It was the Daily Show interview in promotion of his memoir Hitch-22, and unbeknownst to anyone watching Hitchens had just received news of the esophageal cancer that would eventually end his life. I've never forgotten the interview because I recognized an incredible mind, a gifted orator, and an intellect that was almost otherworldly. Since that night I've read almost every book Hitchens ever wrote, and spent hours watching his interviews on YouTube.
The Last Interview series is a great boon to people like me, people who love the interview. The genre has incredible ability to show people at their most vulnerable, or at their most eloquent. the Last Interview is a chance to see a person's life in their totality, and while this book is sometimes lacking in the great body of Hitch's life, I knew as soon as I saw it that I had to own it.
Fans of Hitch will be generally satisfied by this book because it collects some impressive snapshots of his life, work, and personal ideology and intellect. But really, the only thing that matters is that this book is a chance to see Hitchens again. To hear him talking. To hear his voice, and to feel, for a moment that he's back. Those that are living now can only wistfully speculate about what he would be writing about, what he would be talking about, and what books he might be writing. Hitch is gone, and not coming back, but this book is a chance to see and read the man one more time.
And that's worth every penny.
I literally discovered Christopher Hitchens on the day he found out he was dying. It was the Daily Show interview in promotion of his memoir Hitch-22, and unbeknownst to anyone watching Hitchens had just received news of the esophageal cancer that would eventually end his life. I've never forgotten the interview because I recognized an incredible mind, a gifted orator, and an intellect that was almost otherworldly. Since that night I've read almost every book Hitchens ever wrote, and spent hours watching his interviews on YouTube.
The Last Interview series is a great boon to people like me, people who love the interview. The genre has incredible ability to show people at their most vulnerable, or at their most eloquent. the Last Interview is a chance to see a person's life in their totality, and while this book is sometimes lacking in the great body of Hitch's life, I knew as soon as I saw it that I had to own it.
Fans of Hitch will be generally satisfied by this book because it collects some impressive snapshots of his life, work, and personal ideology and intellect. But really, the only thing that matters is that this book is a chance to see Hitchens again. To hear him talking. To hear his voice, and to feel, for a moment that he's back. Those that are living now can only wistfully speculate about what he would be writing about, what he would be talking about, and what books he might be writing. Hitch is gone, and not coming back, but this book is a chance to see and read the man one more time.
And that's worth every penny.
March 30, 2018
What is there to be said about Hitchens that hasn't been said before? His role as an intellectual hero of mine began with his '07 book 'God is Not Great' and it continues, now, posthumously. This collection of interviews begins in '87 and culminates in a fearless final interview with Richard Dawkins. Always contemptuous of religion, his career saw him go from an intellectual superstar of the established Left to a strident and controversial political dissident--a man profoundly moved by the events of 9/11 and a man with no tribalism in his blood. His consistency was being against the totalitarian, both on the Left and on the Right. The interviews paint the evolution of thought of a brilliant man and reminds us the world is not so black and white.
January 26, 2022
This is a book from the Melville House Interview Series which features the thoughts and ideas of a variety of public figures and celebrities who are no longer with us, an attempt to preserve some of their candid comments.
Christopher Hitchens was a well-known intellectual, political commentator and speaker who was born in Britain but lived in the United States and died in 2011 from esophageal cancer. He was intellectually astute, well-spoken and a man who tended to be combative and cranky, but had a thick skin, was never concerned with the criticisms of his detractors and saw himself as a proud contrarian. He earned controversy for his views on everything from religion to politics, but he was considered to be a brilliant journalist, writer, critic and a superior debater. Although many disagreed with what he said, no one could fault him for the clarity of his arguments or his ability to present them in a cogent manner. People might not like what he said but they had to admire the way he presented his views. He in turn supported free thinking and the right of anyone to express their opinion.
His long-time friend Stephen Fry wrote the introduction which is short, but clearly conveys his respect for the man and the friendship they shared. To Fry he was an outsized character, a man who socialized, drank, dined, debated, wrote, lectured and traveled the world and although widely read, knew little about serious music and little about sports. People never felt neutral about Hitchens, he had both devoted followers and fierce detractors. Clearly fond of his friend, Fry always marveled that no matter how much Hitch drank, he always remained clear and sharp and although he could be feisty, merciless and unyielding, he had a sense of humour and could make people laugh.
Fry points out how Hitchen’s last years were dominated by his well-publicized assaults on religion and his treatment for cancer, an illness from which he knew he would not recover. Some thought he might change his thoughts about the "hereafter", but he continued to refute the possibility of an afterlife, except the kind represented by books.
This small volume contains eight transcribed interviews that took place from 1987 to the late 2011 and cover a range of subject matter. There is an interview from 2005 with Jon Stewart, which may have gone well in the studio but fails completely on the written page, when neither gets to put forward a complete thought or speak a sentence without being interrupted. It is so unintelligible that one questions why it was chosen for the book. On the other hand, the best is with Marilyn Sewell, a retired minister of The First Unitarian Church of Portland Oregon. That interview shows how two people with opposing views can have a thoughtful, sound, calm, and reasoned discussion about religion, a topic that always elicits strong feelings. It showed two very intelligent people countering each other’s arguments, clarifying their stances and agreeing on certain points.
In the interview done by Carl Ratin in 1987, Hitchens talks about the role of the media in public discourse. He criticizes TV talk shows in which the same people appear repeatedly, are given the issues to be discussed beforehand and by prior agreement avoid controversy and use only only diplomatic language . Hitchens believes these forums could present a vigorous exchange of ideas but instead what results is a pretense of objectivity and a conformist sense of politics. In his view it results in boring, dishonest and corrupt journalism.
In the 1996 interview with Matt Cherry, Hitchens mentions some of his criticisms of Mother Teresa and the reluctance of others to criticize her. He points out that no one has ever taken a close look at what she does or what happens to the money that pours into her organization. Her facilities in Calcutta remain rudimentary and do not provide treatment, only offer the dying a Catholic death. His research reveals how much of the money is used to spread the Catholic religion through her own order of convents and missionaries. He questions why her charity has never been audited, and describes how her money is kept in various bank accounts in New York and out of India, a country which requires disclosures about charitable funds. What is notable is that although some have criticized him for this work, he has also been praised for it and no one has challenged the truth of any of his statements.
Another piece that appeared in the Guardian in 2010 is presented as a narrative and gives a clear picture of Hitchens as a man with a “quick tongue and a deadly pen”. It also shows that interviews, transcribed directly to the written page are not always the best way to profile an individual.
This is not a great book about Christopher Hitchens and most of the interviews chosen do not show him to be the incredible writer, thinker and conversationalist many knew him to be. But they are another piece of his story and together with his articles, books, lectures and debates, help describe a man many called one of the greatest intellectuals of his generation. The volume serves to supplement his story, but should not be the first or only thing one reads about him.
Christopher Hitchens was a well-known intellectual, political commentator and speaker who was born in Britain but lived in the United States and died in 2011 from esophageal cancer. He was intellectually astute, well-spoken and a man who tended to be combative and cranky, but had a thick skin, was never concerned with the criticisms of his detractors and saw himself as a proud contrarian. He earned controversy for his views on everything from religion to politics, but he was considered to be a brilliant journalist, writer, critic and a superior debater. Although many disagreed with what he said, no one could fault him for the clarity of his arguments or his ability to present them in a cogent manner. People might not like what he said but they had to admire the way he presented his views. He in turn supported free thinking and the right of anyone to express their opinion.
His long-time friend Stephen Fry wrote the introduction which is short, but clearly conveys his respect for the man and the friendship they shared. To Fry he was an outsized character, a man who socialized, drank, dined, debated, wrote, lectured and traveled the world and although widely read, knew little about serious music and little about sports. People never felt neutral about Hitchens, he had both devoted followers and fierce detractors. Clearly fond of his friend, Fry always marveled that no matter how much Hitch drank, he always remained clear and sharp and although he could be feisty, merciless and unyielding, he had a sense of humour and could make people laugh.
Fry points out how Hitchen’s last years were dominated by his well-publicized assaults on religion and his treatment for cancer, an illness from which he knew he would not recover. Some thought he might change his thoughts about the "hereafter", but he continued to refute the possibility of an afterlife, except the kind represented by books.
This small volume contains eight transcribed interviews that took place from 1987 to the late 2011 and cover a range of subject matter. There is an interview from 2005 with Jon Stewart, which may have gone well in the studio but fails completely on the written page, when neither gets to put forward a complete thought or speak a sentence without being interrupted. It is so unintelligible that one questions why it was chosen for the book. On the other hand, the best is with Marilyn Sewell, a retired minister of The First Unitarian Church of Portland Oregon. That interview shows how two people with opposing views can have a thoughtful, sound, calm, and reasoned discussion about religion, a topic that always elicits strong feelings. It showed two very intelligent people countering each other’s arguments, clarifying their stances and agreeing on certain points.
In the interview done by Carl Ratin in 1987, Hitchens talks about the role of the media in public discourse. He criticizes TV talk shows in which the same people appear repeatedly, are given the issues to be discussed beforehand and by prior agreement avoid controversy and use only only diplomatic language . Hitchens believes these forums could present a vigorous exchange of ideas but instead what results is a pretense of objectivity and a conformist sense of politics. In his view it results in boring, dishonest and corrupt journalism.
In the 1996 interview with Matt Cherry, Hitchens mentions some of his criticisms of Mother Teresa and the reluctance of others to criticize her. He points out that no one has ever taken a close look at what she does or what happens to the money that pours into her organization. Her facilities in Calcutta remain rudimentary and do not provide treatment, only offer the dying a Catholic death. His research reveals how much of the money is used to spread the Catholic religion through her own order of convents and missionaries. He questions why her charity has never been audited, and describes how her money is kept in various bank accounts in New York and out of India, a country which requires disclosures about charitable funds. What is notable is that although some have criticized him for this work, he has also been praised for it and no one has challenged the truth of any of his statements.
Another piece that appeared in the Guardian in 2010 is presented as a narrative and gives a clear picture of Hitchens as a man with a “quick tongue and a deadly pen”. It also shows that interviews, transcribed directly to the written page are not always the best way to profile an individual.
This is not a great book about Christopher Hitchens and most of the interviews chosen do not show him to be the incredible writer, thinker and conversationalist many knew him to be. But they are another piece of his story and together with his articles, books, lectures and debates, help describe a man many called one of the greatest intellectuals of his generation. The volume serves to supplement his story, but should not be the first or only thing one reads about him.
August 8, 2018
Es un libro corto fisicamente, pero profundo intelectualmente. Hitchens fue uno de los mas grandes pensadores de los 2000. Su manera de debatir y su nivel intelectual son muy difíciles de encontrar en estos dias.
Este libro recoge algunas entrevistas que se le hicieron. Con temas variados como la invasion Americana a Irak hasta sus gustos literarios. Cualquiera que quiera conocer mas a este hombre deberia leer este libro.
Este libro recoge algunas entrevistas que se le hicieron. Con temas variados como la invasion Americana a Irak hasta sus gustos literarios. Cualquiera que quiera conocer mas a este hombre deberia leer este libro.
February 22, 2022
I usually skip over the introductions to books, but I do read them after I have finished the book that they are introducing. There is no questioning that Hitchens is an intellect, and although I disagree with a lot that he said, I do appreciate his arguments. Some of the interviews were excellent, others were almost a waste of time. Yeah, you Jon Stewart. Richard Dawkins was sycophantic, really nothing more than a Greek chorus. I did read Stephen Fry's introduction, and it was as tedious as I expected.
I am also reading Arguably by Hitchens, and so far it is terrific.
I am also reading Arguably by Hitchens, and so far it is terrific.
July 28, 2019
Great interviews with the late great Hitch. His last interview with Richard Dawkins will make you choke up knowing it was his last. He will be missed but remembered for his great debates and writings that make you think.
March 3, 2018
like most interactions with the dearly departed should be, this book was a brief remembrance that leaves you with a melancholy feeling for friends you'll never see again, but happy that they were once in your life and thankful for the memories you still have...
December 5, 2022
Have read everything Hitchens, have watched everything Hitchens, whether that's his well-known debates or his early appearances on C-SPAN.
This book encompasses all the classic Hitchens's rhetoric, can't recommend it enough. His classic wit and delivery had me in stitches for the majority of the book.
This book encompasses all the classic Hitchens's rhetoric, can't recommend it enough. His classic wit and delivery had me in stitches for the majority of the book.
December 25, 2017
Loved the intro by Stephen Fry. I wish the book had been longer.
Read
March 22, 2021I don’t know why I read this. I don’t even *like* Christopher Hitchens.
June 26, 2025
“Hitchens (‘the Hitch’ or ‘Christopher’ but never, never, unless you wanted a verbal slap that could cause tears to spring to your eyes, never ‘Chris’) was crammed with accomplishments. He had an extraordinary memory, an impossibly fast and efficient ability to assemble information, synthesize ideas and express them on the fly in elegant, forceful and original language that could still a hall and quell an opponent. How someone who socialized, drank, dined, debated, broadcast, wrote and traveled so much also found time to read and think so widely and deeply was a mystery that puzzled even those who knew him well. There were gaps in his knowledge—his ignorance of serious music and almost all sport was as profound as his mastery of literature, history, philosophy, art, architecture, scientific theory, politics and world affairs. He could quote Larkin, Baudelaire and Billy Wilder with the accuracy of a fanboy and the next minute anatomize the nuanced variations of doctrine within Luxemburgist theory, the Pelagian heresy or Mevlevi Sufism.”
“From his perspective recent history represented not a triumph of the right but a failure of the left. This is why his absence is felt so keenly today by all who value intelligent, informed, passionate public discourse. We want him to tell us what to think, or at least how to respond to all that is happening in our sublunary post-Hitchens world. We need to know how he would have engaged with an America led by Trump and a Britain riven by Brexit. It is clear what he thought of Hillary Clinton, but what would he have made of Bernie Sanders and Jeremy Corbyn? Would he have respected or fiendishly triggered the pampered campus darlings in their safe spaces? How would he have reacted to the imperial rise of the silicon valley tycoons and the oncoming tsunami of robotics and AI?”
“Combative, merciless and unyielding, the hard core of Hitchens was leavened by a fizzing yeast of humor. Being funny and finding the world funny were not incidental to him. The places of Waugh, Wodehouse and Wilde in his pantheon were central and defining. Only serious people have a sense of humor, only those who best understand the world can make us laugh.
To the last Christopher boldly and hilariously repudiated the possibilities of any afterlife save the kind represented by the publication of books like the one in your hands now. This welcome edition of the Last Interview series allows us to hear that marvelous voice again and for it to refuel our own engines of advocacy, argument and resistance.
Like his hero Orwell, Christopher’s mode of address to the political, cultural and social world stands outside the temporary issues of his time, whose provisional details and contingent concerns already seem strangely distant. He teaches us that reason, learning, engagement and commitment can turn tides. The Hitchens manner can never die.”
“If you could meet one dead author, who would it be?
HITCHENS: George Eliot. Eliot or Nabokov. I’d rather have met Orwell, I think. He was the guy who seemed to come the nearest to making journalism into literature, which is what I’m trying to do.”
“From his perspective recent history represented not a triumph of the right but a failure of the left. This is why his absence is felt so keenly today by all who value intelligent, informed, passionate public discourse. We want him to tell us what to think, or at least how to respond to all that is happening in our sublunary post-Hitchens world. We need to know how he would have engaged with an America led by Trump and a Britain riven by Brexit. It is clear what he thought of Hillary Clinton, but what would he have made of Bernie Sanders and Jeremy Corbyn? Would he have respected or fiendishly triggered the pampered campus darlings in their safe spaces? How would he have reacted to the imperial rise of the silicon valley tycoons and the oncoming tsunami of robotics and AI?”
“Combative, merciless and unyielding, the hard core of Hitchens was leavened by a fizzing yeast of humor. Being funny and finding the world funny were not incidental to him. The places of Waugh, Wodehouse and Wilde in his pantheon were central and defining. Only serious people have a sense of humor, only those who best understand the world can make us laugh.
To the last Christopher boldly and hilariously repudiated the possibilities of any afterlife save the kind represented by the publication of books like the one in your hands now. This welcome edition of the Last Interview series allows us to hear that marvelous voice again and for it to refuel our own engines of advocacy, argument and resistance.
Like his hero Orwell, Christopher’s mode of address to the political, cultural and social world stands outside the temporary issues of his time, whose provisional details and contingent concerns already seem strangely distant. He teaches us that reason, learning, engagement and commitment can turn tides. The Hitchens manner can never die.”
“If you could meet one dead author, who would it be?
HITCHENS: George Eliot. Eliot or Nabokov. I’d rather have met Orwell, I think. He was the guy who seemed to come the nearest to making journalism into literature, which is what I’m trying to do.”
May 25, 2018
https://msarki.tumblr.com/post/174236...
The Last Interview series produced by Melville House Publishing is always a treat. Though the sad platform is determined by our favorite authors dying, it is still refreshing and redeeming to revisit some of their last words. So is the case for Christopher Hitchens. Never shrinking from his truth Hitchens is always braced for a good fight with insights relative always to our general discourse.
…We say you may as well know you’re a primate, but take heart, primates are capable of great things.
The Last Interview series produced by Melville House Publishing is always a treat. Though the sad platform is determined by our favorite authors dying, it is still refreshing and redeeming to revisit some of their last words. So is the case for Christopher Hitchens. Never shrinking from his truth Hitchens is always braced for a good fight with insights relative always to our general discourse.
…We say you may as well know you’re a primate, but take heart, primates are capable of great things.
December 23, 2018
Christopher Hitchens died too soon and we miss him. That’s the beating heart of the introduction by Stephen Fry.
These cherry-picked interviews span from 1987 to 2011 and cover a wide range of topics. The most annoying of the batch is the transcript of a Daily Show interview. While it may work in person, Jon Stewart and Hitch talking over each other fails in print.
The interviews show a touch of the intellect of the man that was the essayist of his generation. His work is better than this collection, demonstrating he was better with a keyboard than with the spoken word.
If there ever was a decade that could use his insight, it’s this one.
These cherry-picked interviews span from 1987 to 2011 and cover a wide range of topics. The most annoying of the batch is the transcript of a Daily Show interview. While it may work in person, Jon Stewart and Hitch talking over each other fails in print.
The interviews show a touch of the intellect of the man that was the essayist of his generation. His work is better than this collection, demonstrating he was better with a keyboard than with the spoken word.
If there ever was a decade that could use his insight, it’s this one.
December 17, 2022
I found this very readable and went through it all in a day or two. A wonderful orator as always, I think this collection (that I found by chance in the local library) does a much better job than "Letters to a Young Contrarian" in actually putting Hitchens' own philosophy and ideas down on paper very clearly and understandably. Everything from Iraq to Mother Theresa is all here, and the cherry-picked interviews were well thought-out for what they provide on his insights into the major subjects of his day.
Seems almost, but not entirely, pointless to say that his voice is dearly missed, so I will say so.
Seems almost, but not entirely, pointless to say that his voice is dearly missed, so I will say so.
April 6, 2019
I have never read his work and its a belated read to start now on this. This is an interesting and varied look into how CH answers off cuff on his opinions to several startingly political views (as he is known for). A good primer if any as an introduction on a writer with very clear views on certain subjects. His incisiveness is what is lamented at this current climate.
December 24, 2021
A great collection of Hitchens interviews on some of the most important subjects of his career. The Iraq interview with Jon Stewart should be listened to while reading as the flow of that conversation isn't fully captured in the transcript. The titular final interview is great, he didn't lose his resolve against the negative forces he saw even at the end of his life.
December 25, 2021
A collection of Hitchens’s last interviews. They are a bit of a mixed bag. The quality depends to some extent on the quality of the interviewer. And the first could have used some editing. There is a fair amount of overlap. (Almost everyone wanted to know what Hitchens had against Mother Teresa, for example). But after all, it’s Hitchens. My, how I miss him.
April 12, 2018
Eloquence Like No Other Modern Polemicist
As you read his precise yet effortless choice of words, and the unflinching means that he builds arguments, your reminded what an intellectual force Hitchens was and how thoughtfulness can do easily be fleeting.
As you read his precise yet effortless choice of words, and the unflinching means that he builds arguments, your reminded what an intellectual force Hitchens was and how thoughtfulness can do easily be fleeting.
April 29, 2018
Hitchens defined what it means to be an independent thinker. Nobody could put him in a political, intellectual or spiritual box. Devastating in a debate. My kind of guy. Wish he was still with us.
May 5, 2018
Some of the interviews are old, one is, indeed, the last interview, but all are worth reading. A towering intellect and a brilliant wordsmith, I often disagreed with Hitchens, but I always felt his opinions were well presented and intellectually honest.
March 31, 2019
Good range of interviews starting in 1987 and culminating in the last interview in December of 2011 just days before he died. He was eloquent to the end and the world is richer for having had him in it, but poorer for his loss.
April 21, 2022
Each of these interviews do an excellent job at displaying some of Hitch. Like always, I want more details and essays from him.
In some ways the Reason Rally shortly after his death was a pinnacle of one push but much has changed. I'd love his take on some more current events.
In some ways the Reason Rally shortly after his death was a pinnacle of one push but much has changed. I'd love his take on some more current events.
December 31, 2017
about half (exactly) the time i don’t agree with CH. but i find i don’t don’t agree with him. so it’s 50-50 pretty much.
February 19, 2018
This book gives us a glimpse of one of the great thinkers of our time. I wish it was bigger! That's my only complaint!
February 6, 2019
Lots of great passages and razor sharp intellect, sadly a very short book. Will definitely read one his books after this. This is after all a collection of transcripts from interviews.
May 18, 2021
Almost 10 years since he passed away. An intellectual hero of mine. Great to read some interviews that I was not aware of. Would so much like to know what he thinks of the world today.
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