Short Breaks in Mordor: Dawns and Departures of a Scribbler's Life
Reviews (230)
Brilliant series of essays from well-travelled man.
Want to know what REALLY goes on in the world? One surely won't find the answers in the mainstream press. Peter Hitchens, a correspondent for the Mail on Sunday, a British newspaper, gives us a tour of the world through a series of essays that he has written over the years. One can learn about bad western influence creeping into Bhutan; one can read with anxiety about the rise of Muslim power in Turkey and the despotic rule of Prime Minister Erdogan and the depressing rule of leaders in Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan. To we in the United States, these unpleasant truths about bad government are little heard about and are papered over with inane stories about Miley Cyrus or a gay man getting drafted into the NFL. Peter Hitchens, in essence, gives us a warning that all is not right in the world. A brilliant e-book. Five stars.
If you are interested in places you may never have the opportunity to visit.
Peter Hitchens describes his visits to places such as North Korea, Pakistan, and various other countries that most of us may never get to experience. This book gives a glimpse of the history and everyday life of the countries he visits, allowing one to have a better understanding of the world. It is well written. No chapters were tedious or boring, even though there was some repetition at times. An interesting, enjoyable read.
Worth the breaks into Mordor
This is a collection of essays that Peter Hitchens wrote for both British and American political magazines. They are his personal social commentary on countries, mostly with oppressive regimes -but not all (like Japan). They include his visits to North Korea, China, former eastern bloc countries, African countries and Japan. Hitchens is a favorite editorialist of mine and even though I don't 100% agree with all his conclusions, his writing is highly readable, witty, enjoyable and most importantly, acutely insightful to current events and politics. One will enjoy the vicarious ride to countries most of us will not be able to (or maybe want) to see in person.
Gripping but poorly edited
A fascinating book. You will find a lot of interesting facts here which are written about in an extremely poignant manner. Peter's content is second to none, backed up by real experience. However, the book is badly edited and formatted with no page breaks between chapters and a lot of curious repetition as if the same content was written twice in different ways. That is disappointIng. But nevertheless I urge you to read it as it will expand your horizons in a way you won't see elsewhere.
Top-notch travel writing/social commentary
Revisited this in light of the ongoing unspeakably horrific cultural genocide of the Uyghurs being carried out by the Chinese government, the first foreshadowing of which Peter describes here in one of the most memorable episodes in a book of highly memorable episodes. Alas, his pessimistic predictions proved only too perceptive in this, as in most cases. I've often thought that, for all people on the Right are derided as parochial bigots and cultural Philistines, it really only is conservatives who are able to truly appreciate other cultures, since they are the only ones who can appreciate them on their own terms, without trying to interpret them through the condescending/condemnatory lens of Western Liberalism-Marxism; without feeling the need to either excoriate or excuse their authoritarian backwardness, religious dogmatism and misogyny.
Engaging and hard to put down.
Engaging accounts of the multiple places through the eyes of everyday people. The author goes out of his way to seek out what is happening in the streets rather than in the palace. Somehow, that makes it all seem more real. The book contains 35 journeys. Sometimes, the journeys cover the same place, but different time frames. The writing is exquisite. Hard to put down.
Not only is this excellent writing that keeps you engaged
Not only is this excellent writing that keeps you engaged, but also when you compare the dates of the reports the opinions were well ahead of the common opinion and prove to be immensely valuable. This is a nice ebook to buy for those who enjoy reading the english language for the clarity of expression, ability to communicate passion and placing of the individual in the smells and events described. It never fails to turn from the attempt to capture the tensions and reality of a country, community or place. I particularly took pleasure in some of the Chinese and Iranian dispatches, echoes of which are now broadcast on in the last couple of years on mainstream television channels i.e. child abduction, ghost cities, middle east reaction to american adventurism in the region and forced abortion as state policy and the unintended consequences. Like all good writing, this is not so much for the escapism from the reality of our society, a chance to use what is seen elsewhere for examination of ourselves. I would only persuade the reader to finish the article and dwell on the content. Often i find myself wanting to put it down, so that i don't have to agree with the writer, only to be remorsefully pulled back into finishing it just to see if i can't hold on to my preconceived notions, which often but not always give way from the chomping at the bit and spewing of the bile in the days following.
Deep and Beautifully Written Reports of the Dark Side of the Earth
Peter Hitchens' book, so far available only in electronic form, is a compendium of his writings for different publications as a reporter from the less traveled roads of the world. It is in a word, outstanding. The reader can expect to have their comfortable cliches about every single one of these countries challenged and punctured on virtually every page. You may have your disagreements with Mr. Hitchens' take on things, from the Israel-Palestine issues, to Russia and Ukraine, but he puts together formidable arguments for his positions and writes breathtakingly beautiful accounts of these strange lands that will draw you to read them over and over again. It is true that these are troubled, dangerous parts of the world, so no happy endings over tinkling glasses, instead the lingering suspense of Mordor pervades these pages from Cairo to Tokyo. The author has visited, researched and written about more countries than some people have heard of, let alone visited and his deep historical frame and experience fill these accounts with an unerring instinct for the dark shadows beneath the shiny facades. Forget the flashing signs and hyper colors of Tokyo, Mr. Hitchens shines an incisive light on the scores of homeless and destitute in parks living off an unofficial can recycling economy, and the strange plight of Brazilian repatriates. That's just one of countless fascinating and deeply informative reports from this excellent book. The best thing I can say about Mr. Hitchens' writing is that reading these frequently disturbing accounts of countless horrors mixed occasionally and faintly with hope, nevertheless left me with a deep desire to visit these distant and dangerous lands and see these things with my own eyes. I found this to be an unforgettable book with a persistent ring of truth.
Functioning, Prosperous Societies Should Not Be Taken For Granted
Phenomenal book. Consists of many columns previously published written (apparently) on assignment. Exposes the false Western assumption that the normal state of human government is one that respects individual rights. Particularly poignant was the chapter about North Korea. It reminds one of the underworld kingdom in _The Silver Chair_. I highly recommend this book as being informative enlightening. I felt like a better person when I was done.
Smart, original and beautifully written
Smart, original and beautifully written. As a long-time admirer of PH I've been hoping for a while now that his foreign journalism would be collected and published. Motivated above all by a desire to tell the truth, Hitchens looks at his subjects with fresh eyes, and conveys deep compassion for human suffering and palpable outrage at the politicians and ideologies that propagate it. The chapters on Iran, North Korea, Chinese gendercide and Detroit should be read by everyone, but the standard of the whole is extremely high.
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