God Is Not Great

How Religion Poisons Everything

By Christopher Hitchens; Christopher Hitchens (Read by)
(Hachette Audio, Compact Disc, 9781600240096)

Publication Date: May 2007

Other Editions of This Title: Paperback, Hardcover, Paperback, Compact Disc

Categories: Atheism, Sociology of Religion

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I am pretty sure that Hitchen's book will stand out as a leading example. How does Hitchens fare as a narrator? Quite well, at least to these unwashed ears. Hitchens has a windy prose style that is sometimes too stuffed with parenthetical qualifiers to be read easily. His breezy narration, however, makes such cluttered prose easy on the ear; we sense more of a conversational lecturer at work rather than a mere writer. Of course, Hitchens' upper-crust British accent will sound either  charming or down-right intimidating. It enhanced his formidable learning and dry sense of humor.

The author propounds his belief that all religion is not only wrong-headed but dangerous. One doubts the flamboyant journalist will sway those convinced that metaphysical certainty depends on faith, not proof, and that the higher powers are fundamentally good. Others will find his points familiar (if not self-evident), his knowledge wide, his writing graceful, and his sarcasm apt. Like partisans of any description, he ignores inconvenient facts and overstates his case. As narrator, he contributes a pleasantly moderated voice and a listener-friendly British accent. At times, he sounds a bit tired, at other times rushed, but, all in all, he reads well enough, with the added benefit of knowing where the laugh lines are. Y.R. © AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine [Published: DEC 07/ JAN 08]

"God is not great; brilliant"... Dennis Groves says: My Audio Book List

Hitchen's also proves to be more than a capable readeer; his wit, erudition, and passionate unbelief could not have been conveyed as compellingly by a surrogate. Highly recommended for all general collections.