Best Quotes From Hitch 22 (by Hitch)

To me, the autobiography of Hitch was a true literary journey. I consumed it as an audiobook during the summer.

I spent 17.5 hours with Hitch, resting on a sunny terrace, walking through lush woods and lakes in my hometown in Poland. Hitch shared his thoughts on audiobooks and I learned about his life story. I didn’t take notes while listening, instead, I immersed myself in the story. Later, I wrote down what I learned in the afterglow of intellectual intercourse.

Best Ideas & Quotes from Hitch 22:

1. Live is valuable and worth living if you have something to live for

Not many people have this internal drive to live fully. Hitch had it. Ever hungry for ideas, literary beauty, and argument, he took to heart a piece of advice from Ambassadors (which appears on one of the first pages of Arguably, his collection of essays):

“Live all you can, it’s a mistake not to”.

2. You can play a role in the history

You can be a force for good in the history of your period. You may have a positive influence on world affairs. You are not a pawn. Hitch fought for Cyprus, Kurdistan, and Iran. He demolished African priests who treated contraception as a sin. He advanced the understanding of history, literature, and science around the globe. He traveled to the “Axis of Evil” and showed the true face of totalitarianism. None of these events singularly contributed to a major change in the world but it’s the butterfly effect that matters.

3. It’s worth forming great connections and relationships with people – but to get to know them you have to become a quality person yourself

Someone wisely said that to attract high-quality people in your life, first, you have to become attractive. Hitch certainly was an attractive person. He was naturally witty but he also worked hard on his talents. This enabled him to rub shoulders with luminaries such as Gore Vidal, Richard Dawkins, Lawrence Krauss, and many others.

4. History is so multifaceted that you have to dig deep to uncover the truth

There are various attempts to change history or to make it politically correct. The Turkish government still lies about the Armenian Genocide. But you’ll also hardly hear much about the Churchill-approved Bombing of Dresden that took a toll of 600,000 lives during the final year of WW II. Most people think that Mother Theresa was a saint but in fact, she wasn’t. That’s what I learned from Hitch – never be satisfied with simple answers.

5. It’s alright to drink and have a good time as long as you can do your duty

Hitch was an incessant drinker but there was some strange discipline to this habit. He used it to his advantage. By drinking, he became even more eloquent and persuasive. And coffee and cigs enabled him to write long after others went to bed. Here are a couple of words of advice on drinking from Hitch 22:

Don’t drink on an empty stomach: the main point of the refreshment is the enhancement of food. Don’t drink if you have the blues: it’s a junk cure. Drink when you are in a good mood. Cheap booze is a false economy. It’s not true that you shouldn’t drink alone: these can be the happiest glasses you ever drain.

6. There are causes worth fighting for, and values to be defended

Philosophers may argue about it, but there is something like universal values, meanings, and values that we recognize as beneficial to human flourishing. That includes freedom of speech, gender equality, and freedom of making your own choices as an independent person. Many people around the world disagree with that. We have to fight to minimize their appeal and influence. Hitch certainly did.

7. You should read your prose out loud to see how it flows

This is common-sense writing advice that’s often overlooked because it requires an additional disciplined step. But it’s essential for catching all the stylistic mistakes and revealing areas for improvement. Hitch always said you should write as you speak (he was influenced by Orwell in that regard). By reading your work before sending it to the editor, you get closer to good prose.

8. If you have a good reputation and influence, you can meet some of your heroes

Many people dream about meeting their favorite writers, artists, filmmakers, intellectuals, and political and business leaders. If you present value, if you are a person of quality, even the seemingly inaccessible people will grant you an audience.

9. You should read voraciously, be active in social spheres and voice your opinion

Hitch lived with a love for the argument. He engaged in long conversations and was always bold while expressing his opinions. This made him a lot of enemies but that’s precisely what he wanted. In his apartment in Washington D.C., you could see mountains of books that gave him fuel to obliterate his intellectual foes. His reading was wide and in his memoir, he says:

“Your ideal authors ought to pull you from the foundering of your previous existence, not smilingly guide you into a friendly and peaceable harbor.”

10. Preparation and being in the know gives you the confidence to influence the world

Although always on stage, with other people, teaching, in conversation, or on the road, Hitch also spent lots of his time in his library. That’s one of the reasons why he was able to write marvelous essays almost without effort (but not without some good vintage to go with it).

11. Even the minor work you do can change somebody else’s life in a positive way

It all matters – every moment matters. You don’t have to change the world, but you have to change the lives of others for the better. Hitchens was a Bohemian from an early age but with time, he took up teaching and wrote Letters to a Young Contrarian, which I highly recommend. Serve others. It matters.

12. There are still so many books to be read

Most people become complacent about their reading just after finishing college. But that’s actually when the real fun begins. To become knowledgeable you need years and years of study. Hitch certainly was an expert in many subjects – literature, history, politics, religion, mythology, travel, psychology, and sociology.

13. It’s important to know the history of your country, of the world and your family

Hitch was born in England but later on, he discovered his Jewish roots on his mother’s side who committed suicide in Athens when he was still a lad.

14. Travel enables you to better appreciate the country that you live in. You can be a witness of historical moments if you travel for that purpose

Hitch was never a casual traveler. He roamed the world to witness some of the great historical moments and fascinating places. He came back to Cyprus frequently and fought for its independence. He went to Isfahan to converse with a descendant of the Prophet and learn more about Iran’s nuclear program. He went to North Korea to witness 1984 in action. He went to Poland and Czechoslovakia under the communist regime.

15. It’s important to defend your friends and your ideas

There are people with wrong agendas in this world. When Salman Rushdie wrote The Satanic Verses, he fell under the morbid fatwa of the Ayatollah. Rushdie went into hiding but Hitchens defended his friend and freedom of speech for many years. Hitch called himself a First Amendment Absolutist and his thoughts on the subject are eloquently described in his essay Assassins of The Mind.

16. There is something dramatic about the way that history plays out. Sometimes it takes decades but ultimately you may be able to affect the lives of millions

Before reading Hitch 22, my notion of history was that of impetuous and almost instantaneous events – like 9/11. But there’s another type of history: the one that evolves over decades and finally reaches culmination. It was the case with the Berlin Wall, the fall of the USSR, the Human Rights Movement, the Emancipation of Women, the Gay Movement, and many other historical struggles that took years to come to a successful conclusion. If you fight for a cause and stay patient, maybe it will take your whole lifetime to see it come through.

17. Literature is one of the things worth living for

Hitch was an anti-theist and rightly argued that religion (especially in its organized form) is bullshit. But he never lost the sense of awe towards nature and the arts. The appreciation of the language is important. Great novels can get you through the toughest times. Great poetry can lift the spirit. Great expository works can flood your mind with new possibilities.

18. It takes years to master your craft as a writer, and you always have to be humble and appreciate the ones that came before you

Hitchens said he always tried not to have heroes. All humans are flawed in some way and even Hemingway, revered for generations was found out to be collaborating with the communist regime. But we can still draw inspiration from our favorite writers. Usually, it takes years of struggle before your work meets any standard of quality. Hitch put in the work:

“Your favorite occupation? Travel in contested territory. Hard-working writing and reading when safely home, in the knowledge that an amusing friend is later coming to dinner.”

19. There might be a connection between music and fiction writing (the X factor)

Does musicality enable one to write beautiful novels and poetry? This might be a tenable hypothesis.

20. Foreign language is a door to a whole new world

Being a cosmopolitan gentleman, you would expect Hitch to speak one other language. Well, he didn’t but I’m sure he would advise you to learn at least French or Spanish. Here’s an excerpt from his Telegraph interview:

Are there any other insecurities we should know about? ‘Money. Never had enough growing up. And I’m full of self-loathing that I don’t speak another language well. And I would have liked to have run for a seat in Parliament. Think less of myself for not doing it.’

21. Show up! Play a part in some great events that are always going on in a civilized city

Showing up for events, talks, arguments, debates, parties, and interviews was the daily bread of Hitch. This human factor made his life more interesting and helped to develop his style. I’ll have to remember that next time when practicing my introverted ways. How did you like this article about the late Christopher Hitchens? Next up, you may want to explore a guide on how to get started with self-publishing.