Thanks so much for the mention, Daniel! Also, that's a great Hitchens quote. I've read a lot of his work, but don't think I'd come across that particular witticism.
Thanks for reading Lee. I'm a big fan of Hitchens's writing, not necessarily him as a person (he was a man of contradictions, to put it mildly). But his quotes are gold, so many great ones.
I'm curious Daniel, which contradictions are you talking about? I ask because the older I get the more I feel the need to lean into my contradictions 😁
It relates to authors and the kinds of people they are, and whether we can separate their work from their lives. Some of my favourite writers, like Ryszard Kapucinski, VS Naipaul and Graham Greene, were pretty lousy fathers and husbands and knowing this does change the way we view their books.
In Hitchens's case, he veered back and forth from left-wing to right-wing and seemed to contradict himself and offer spurious explanations or justifications. I didn't always agree with his politics or beliefs, but I always loved his writing. He wrote loads of book reviews and cultural criticism on top of his political polemics.
This is such a rich place to look. The tension between admiring a writer’s work and reckoning with who they were, or how they lived, is one I return to often. Especially when the writing itself is so full of moral clarity, intellectual precision, or insight that seems at odds with their personal behaviour.
You name something really important in mentioning Naipaul, Kapuściński, and Greene. These are men whose brilliance on the page often coexisted with deeply flawed, sometimes cruel private selves. It raises the question: do we read for beauty, for truth, or for moral example? And what happens when we get two out of three?
Hitchens IS a fascinating case because his contradictions were so very public, that he almost dared readers to keep up, or forgive. I agree: I didn’t always align with his politics, but there’s no denying the force of his prose, or the cultural contribution of his criticism. It’s unsettling to admire the sentences and wince at the man. And maybe that discomfort is the most honest way to read some of these figures now...not with blind reverence or total rejection, but with clear eyes and full context. Thank you for this thoughtful conversation.
Beautiful insight, and there are still so many unanswered questions. I love the way you laid this out, and this sentence "It’s unsettling to admire the sentences and wince at the man" is such a powerful one, worth lingering over.
There's a longer post here that I'd like to explore one of these days - I'll file it away with all of the other half-baked ideas I have floating about in various folders.
Thank you so much, Danusia, I'm grateful for the opportunity to spill my thoughts!
You're a stellar guest! Loved bringing your words to Parents Who Think readers. Thank you so much.
Really liked this guys. Daniel, I cherish all the time I got to spend with my daughter when she was that age. Enjoy it!!!!
What gorgeous words Henny! It’s lovely to meet you. Thank you for reading.
Lovely interview and gorgeous picture with your daughter.
Daniel is such a fab guest, thank you for taking the time to support our interview. Hugely appreciate you’re here and reading! 🥰
thank you!
Thanks so much for the mention, Daniel! Also, that's a great Hitchens quote. I've read a lot of his work, but don't think I'd come across that particular witticism.
It's so 'Daniel' I thought he was quoting himself 😉❤️🔥
So true!
Thanks for reading Lee. I'm a big fan of Hitchens's writing, not necessarily him as a person (he was a man of contradictions, to put it mildly). But his quotes are gold, so many great ones.
I'm curious Daniel, which contradictions are you talking about? I ask because the older I get the more I feel the need to lean into my contradictions 😁
It relates to authors and the kinds of people they are, and whether we can separate their work from their lives. Some of my favourite writers, like Ryszard Kapucinski, VS Naipaul and Graham Greene, were pretty lousy fathers and husbands and knowing this does change the way we view their books.
In Hitchens's case, he veered back and forth from left-wing to right-wing and seemed to contradict himself and offer spurious explanations or justifications. I didn't always agree with his politics or beliefs, but I always loved his writing. He wrote loads of book reviews and cultural criticism on top of his political polemics.
This is such a rich place to look. The tension between admiring a writer’s work and reckoning with who they were, or how they lived, is one I return to often. Especially when the writing itself is so full of moral clarity, intellectual precision, or insight that seems at odds with their personal behaviour.
You name something really important in mentioning Naipaul, Kapuściński, and Greene. These are men whose brilliance on the page often coexisted with deeply flawed, sometimes cruel private selves. It raises the question: do we read for beauty, for truth, or for moral example? And what happens when we get two out of three?
Hitchens IS a fascinating case because his contradictions were so very public, that he almost dared readers to keep up, or forgive. I agree: I didn’t always align with his politics, but there’s no denying the force of his prose, or the cultural contribution of his criticism. It’s unsettling to admire the sentences and wince at the man. And maybe that discomfort is the most honest way to read some of these figures now...not with blind reverence or total rejection, but with clear eyes and full context. Thank you for this thoughtful conversation.
Beautiful insight, and there are still so many unanswered questions. I love the way you laid this out, and this sentence "It’s unsettling to admire the sentences and wince at the man" is such a powerful one, worth lingering over.
There's a longer post here that I'd like to explore one of these days - I'll file it away with all of the other half-baked ideas I have floating about in various folders.
Daniel is hilarious, and he is still my favourite substacker.
You're too kind, Hanna, thank you 🤗
YES! Isn’t he so damned funny. I enjoyed the interview, a true hoot 😂💖