In Memory of Christopher Hitchens

A devout atheist, polemicist, self-defined radical and controversial commentator – the world will be much quieter and less interesting place without Christopher Hitchens who passed away yesterday at the age of 62 in Houston, Texas. The English-born author, literary critic and journalist had battled with oesophagus cancer – regularly documented and discussed in his work – for over a year. A (third-class) Oxford graduate and son of a mother who ended her life in an apparent suicide pact, Hitchens went on to have a prolific career spanning more than four decades.

As a columnist and critic for The Atlantic, Vanity Fair, Slate, World Affairs, The Nation, Free Inquiry and a regular public speaker, Hitchens shared his thoughts in passionate, concise and powerful writings, on a variety of subjects ranging from active support of drug policy reform, abolition of the British monarchy, support of the Iraq war, his lifestyle and scathing critiques of key cultural figures. Arguably of the most remarkable quote-givers of our time (whether you agree with him or not), AnOther has selected its favourites:

On life…"The four most overrated things in life are champagne, lobster, anal sex and picnics" (The New Yorker, 2006)

On writing…“At the evident risk of seeming ridiculous...I have tried for much of my life to write as if I was composing my sentences to be read posthumously. I hope this isn't too melodramatic or self-centred a way of saying that I attempt to write as if I did not care what reviewers said, what peers thought, or what prevailing opinions may be.”  (A Long Short War: The Postponed Liberation of Iraq, 2003)

"My own opinion is enough for me...Anyone who disagrees can pick a number, get in line and kiss my ass"

On his opinion challengers…"My own opinion is enough for me, and I claim the right to have it defended against any consensus, any majority, anywhere, any place, any time. And anyone who disagrees with this can pick a number, get in line and kiss my ass" (Vanity Fair, 2011)

On Mother Teresa…."What is so striking about the "beatification" of the woman who styled herself "Mother" Teresa is the abject surrender, on the part of the church, to the forces of showbiz, superstition, and populism" (Slate Magazine, 2003)

On appearances…"A bit of a stomach gives a chap a position in society. A glass of refreshment, in my view, never hurt anybody...Smoking is a vice, I will admit, but one has to have a hobby. (Vanity Fair, 2007)

On cats and dogs…"“Owners of dogs will have noticed that, if you provide them with food and water and shelter and affection, they will think you are god. Whereas owners of cats are compelled to realise that, if you provide them with food and water and shelter and affection, they draw the conclusion that they are gods.” (The Portable Atheist: Essential Readings for the Non-believer, 2007)

On death…“Do I fear death? No, I am not afraid of being dead because there's nothing to be afraid of, I won't know it. I fear dying, of dying I feel a sense of waste about it and I fear a sordid death, where I am incapacitated or imbecilic at the end which isn't something to be afraid of, it's something to be terrified of.”(Vanity Fair, 2011)

The tragedy of Hitchens' death is that it comes at a time when he enjoyed a larger audience than ever – his passing will no doubt see an increase in sales of his engaging memoir, Hitch-22. Vanity Fair, the magazine which Hitchens joined in November 1992 was the first to announce his death saying there would "never be another like Christopher". Editor Graydon Carter described him as someone "of ferocious intellect, who was as vibrant on the page as he was at the bar. Those who read him felt they knew him, and those who knew him were profoundly fortunate souls."

Christopher Eric Hitchens was born on April 13, 1949 and passed away on December 15, 2011.