Christopher Hitchens

Christopher Hitchens was a British-American author, journalist, and public intellectual renowned for his polemical style, formidable debating skills, and staunch advocacy of secularism, free speech, and enlightenment values. A prolific contributor to publications like Vanity Fair, The Atlantic, and The Nation, he evolved from a radical Trotskyist in his youth to a prominent figure in the New Atheism movement and a supporter of the Iraq War. His scathing critiques of public figures, including Mother Teresa, Bill Clinton, and Henry Kissinger, alongside his bestselling polemic God Is Not Great, cemented his reputation as one of the most provocative and influential commentators of his era.

Early life and education

Born in Portsmouth to Commander Eric Hitchens and Yvonne Hickman, he was educated at the Leys School in Cambridge before winning a scholarship to Balliol College, Oxford. At Oxford University, he studied Philosophy, Politics and Economics, immersing himself in the political fervor of the late 1960s. During this period, he became involved with the International Socialists, a Trotskyist group, and began honing his skills as a debater and writer, laying the ideological groundwork for his future career.

Career and writings

After graduating, he began his journalistic career in London, writing for the New Statesman and later serving as a foreign correspondent. He moved to the United States in 1981, becoming a prolific essayist for The Nation, The Atlantic, and, most notably, Vanity Fair. His major works include the controversial exposé The Missionary Position, which criticized Mother Teresa; the memoir Hitch-22; and the bestselling atheist manifesto God Is Not Great. He also authored collections like Letters to a Young Contrarian and penned vehement critiques of Henry Kissinger and Bill Clinton.

Political and religious views

Initially a man of the far-left, his views shifted dramatically following the September 11 attacks, leading him to support the Iraq War and the broader War on Terror, a stance that alienated many former allies on the left. He became a leading voice in the New Atheism movement alongside Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, and Daniel Dennett, arguing vociferously against organized religion in debates with figures like Tony Blair and Al Sharpton. A self-described anti-theist, he championed secularism, rationalism, and the ideals of the American Revolution and the Enlightenment.

Personal life and death

He was married twice, first to Greek Cypriot writer Eleni Meleagrou, with whom he had a son, and later to author and screenwriter Carol Blue, with whom he had a daughter and a stepdaughter. A renowned conversationalist and bon vivant, his lifestyle was famously associated with prodigious consumption of alcohol and tobacco. In 2010, while on a promotional tour for his memoir in New York City, he was diagnosed with esophageal cancer. He chronicled his illness in a series of poignant essays for Vanity Fair before his death in Houston, Texas, at the MD Anderson Cancer Center in December 2011.

Legacy and influence

Widely regarded as one of the great modern essayists and orators, his legacy is that of a fearless public intellectual and master rhetorician. The posthumously published collection Mortality offers a powerful meditation on illness and dying. His influence endures in the realms of secular humanism, political commentary, and literary journalism, with admirers and detractors alike acknowledging the force of his intellect and the clarity of his prose. Annual events like the Hitchens Prize, awarded by the Dennis & Victoria Ross Foundation, honor individuals who exemplify his commitment to free expression and enlightenment values.

Category:British essayists Category:American atheists Category:English emigrants to the United States