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kevin_shepherd's review
5.0
"Dying is an art, like everything else." ~Sylvia Plath
Christopher Hitchens had a much longer book in mind when he started writing Mortality. His chronicle of living, and dying, with stage four esophageal cancer is a testament to his tenacity, and it seems fitting that he died as he lived: brilliant, irreverent and completely cognizant of inevitability.
"...the thing about stage four is that there is no stage five"
Christopher Hitchens had a much longer book in mind when he started writing Mortality. His chronicle of living, and dying, with stage four esophageal cancer is a testament to his tenacity, and it seems fitting that he died as he lived: brilliant, irreverent and completely cognizant of inevitability.
"...the thing about stage four is that there is no stage five"
brokenlikefour's review
5.0
Although I am a great admirerer of Hitch's relentless wit, superb intelligence and uncontested memory recollection, his books are somewhat difficult for me to fully comprehend. Mortality, however, strikes a different tone. A great objective read about the decline of the human body when faced with the horrendous illness of espharogus cancer. Hitchens remains his 'cool' by acknowledging his lavish lifestyle ('I have been taunting the Reaper to take a free scythe in my direction. I did actually burn my candle at both ends, and it gave a lovely light. I cannot, however, escape the flat feeling of suddenly being a finalist in the 'race' of life')
Crisp and vivid, veined throughout with penetrating intelligence, Hitchens's testament is a courageous and lucid work of literature, an affirmation of the dignity and worth of man.
Crisp and vivid, veined throughout with penetrating intelligence, Hitchens's testament is a courageous and lucid work of literature, an affirmation of the dignity and worth of man.
megtall's review
5.0
Wow. Poignant, amazing book. It's inspired me to go back and read Hitchens' other works. He was a brilliant man.
m_m_shoe's review against another edition
5.0
You can find this book review and others at my blog https://montanasmusings.wordpress.com
"The man who prays is the one who thinks that god has arranged matters all wrong, but who also thinks that he can instruct god how to put them right."
If I'm being honest, I'm not sure why I initially bought this book. It was thin and a thin book means an easy read....right? I didn't know who the author was, but I quickly made his acquaintance via the written word. Christopher Hitchens wrote Mortality when he was dying of stage four esophageal cancer, and it is in this small but stellar volume that he ponders religion, life and death, and medical interventions.
I've always been curious with religion. I grew up Catholic and went to Catholic school so it's always been a part of my life. But the quote above about praying hit me hard and ever since I first read it years ago, I haven't been able to forget it. I haven't been able to come to terms with religion in the same way. Because I've been exploring religions lately, I knew I would have to give this book another read to ponder the points Hitchens makes in this book.
He discusses religion but also his experiences in "Tumortown" and how he handles people in "Wellville". Very rarely do people get such a blunt description of what illness is truly like, and very rarely do people wonder if medical interventions are helping or prolonging pain. Hitchens did a phenomenal job of discussing life, religion, philosophy, and illness. I think everyone should give this book a few reads throughout their lifetime.
"The man who prays is the one who thinks that god has arranged matters all wrong, but who also thinks that he can instruct god how to put them right."
If I'm being honest, I'm not sure why I initially bought this book. It was thin and a thin book means an easy read....right? I didn't know who the author was, but I quickly made his acquaintance via the written word. Christopher Hitchens wrote Mortality when he was dying of stage four esophageal cancer, and it is in this small but stellar volume that he ponders religion, life and death, and medical interventions.
I've always been curious with religion. I grew up Catholic and went to Catholic school so it's always been a part of my life. But the quote above about praying hit me hard and ever since I first read it years ago, I haven't been able to forget it. I haven't been able to come to terms with religion in the same way. Because I've been exploring religions lately, I knew I would have to give this book another read to ponder the points Hitchens makes in this book.
He discusses religion but also his experiences in "Tumortown" and how he handles people in "Wellville". Very rarely do people get such a blunt description of what illness is truly like, and very rarely do people wonder if medical interventions are helping or prolonging pain. Hitchens did a phenomenal job of discussing life, religion, philosophy, and illness. I think everyone should give this book a few reads throughout their lifetime.
audreychamaine's review
4.0
A few days ago, I had to put my cat to sleep. She meant a lot to me, and after it was done I couldn’t help but think about that instant where she was a breathing, sentient lady, and the next, when she was just a shell of organic compounds, laying there with eyes that no longer could see. It’s so hard to wrap my head around the death of another, but in Mortality, Hitchens takes it a step further by mediating at length on his own impending end, due to stage four esophageal cancer. Not that I can really compare the death of my cat with the death of Christopher Hitchens, but reading this book right now seemed appropriate.
This is a very short book, but with a subject as dark and universal as our own mortality, I don’t think it is necessary to linger longer. If we focus only on our impending deaths, we forget to enjoy our current lives. However, I do think it is important to approach the subject from time to time because a) death comes for us all and better to know your enemy, and b) it makes living that much more valuable to know that someday it will be taken from us. Hitchens’ voice in this is clear as a bell, until the last chapter, which remained unfinished and fragmentary due to his death. And as much as he knew he was going to die, reading this makes me wonder if he ever truly could wrap his mind around it until the final moment.
As grim as it was, reading Mortality actually helped. Hitchens brings forth the irony and humor of the horrors he went through, and even though he no longer believed that what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, the strength of his final writings show that he continued to live, even while dying.
This is a very short book, but with a subject as dark and universal as our own mortality, I don’t think it is necessary to linger longer. If we focus only on our impending deaths, we forget to enjoy our current lives. However, I do think it is important to approach the subject from time to time because a) death comes for us all and better to know your enemy, and b) it makes living that much more valuable to know that someday it will be taken from us. Hitchens’ voice in this is clear as a bell, until the last chapter, which remained unfinished and fragmentary due to his death. And as much as he knew he was going to die, reading this makes me wonder if he ever truly could wrap his mind around it until the final moment.
As grim as it was, reading Mortality actually helped. Hitchens brings forth the irony and humor of the horrors he went through, and even though he no longer believed that what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, the strength of his final writings show that he continued to live, even while dying.
littletaiko's review
4.0
When Christopher Hitchens was diagnosed with cancer, he did what he did best - wrote about it. This is a small collection that covers his thoughts on living and dying. It's an honest, staight-forward account that made me laugh and made me think.
uditnair24's review
5.0
Before starting this book i had apprehensions whether cancer would tone down Christopher Hitchens. But he is as eloquent and bold as he was. Well he is known to be vocal critic of religious discourse and doesn't spare it in his last book too. Overall absolutely a treat to read this memoir.