Christopher Hitchens (1949–2011)

Author of God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything

88+ Works 27,224 Members 596 Reviews 150 Favorited

About the Author

Christopher Hitchens was born in Portsmouth, England on April 13, 1949. He was a contributing editor to Vanity Fair and wrote for numerous other publications throughout his lifetime. He was the author of numerous books including No One Left to Lie To, For the Sake of Argument, Prepared for the show more Worst, God Is Not Great, Hitch-22: A Memoir, and Arguably. He died due to complication from esophageal cancer on December 15, 2011 at the age of 62. (Bowker Author Biography) show less

Includes the names: Chrstophr Htchns, Christophr Hitchns, Christophr Hitchens, Christoper Hitchens, Christophe Hitchens, Christopher Hitchen, Cristopher Hitchens, Christpher Hitchins, Chistopher Hitchens, Hitchens Christopher, Christopher Hitchens, Christopher Hitchins, Christopher Hitchens, CHRISTOPHER HITCHINS, Christopher Htichens, Christophrr Hitchrns, CHRISTOPHER HITCHEENS, Christopher Eric Hitchens, Christopher Hitchins Christopher Hitchens

Image credit: ensceptico

Works by Christopher Hitchens

Popular Recent

God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything (2007) 8,321 copies, 203 reviews

The Portable Atheist: Essential Readings for the Nonbeliever (2007) 2,558 copies, 27 reviews

Hitch-22 (2010) 2,259 copies, 56 reviews

Arguably: Essays by Christopher Hitchens (2011) 1,923 copies, 34 reviews

Mortality (2012) 1,638 copies, 75 reviews

Letters to a Young Contrarian (2001) 1,391 copies, 22 reviews

Why Orwell Matters (2002) 1,198 copies, 16 reviews

The Missionary Position: Mother Teresa in Theory and Practice (1995) 971 copies, 33 reviews

The Trial of Henry Kissinger (2001) 887 copies, 17 reviews

Thomas Jefferson: Author of America (Eminent Lives) (2005) 739 copies, 12 reviews

Thomas Paine's Rights of Man: A Biography (2006) 699 copies, 11 reviews

Love, Poverty, and War: Journeys and Essays (2004) 683 copies, 5 reviews

No One Left To Lie To: The Values of the Worst Family (1999) 542 copies, 12 reviews

And Yet...: Essays (2015) 437 copies, 6 reviews

Unacknowledged Legislation: Writers in the Public Sphere (2001) 279 copies, 3 reviews

The Four Horsemen: The Conversation That Sparked an Atheist Revolution (2019) 279 copies, 3 reviews

Blood, Class and Empire: The Enduring Anglo-American Relationship (1990) 265 copies, 5 reviews

The Quotable Hitchens: From Alcohol to Zionism--The Very Best of Christopher Hitchens (2011) 245 copies, 4 reviews

Is Christianity Good for the World? (2008) 240 copies, 13 reviews

The Best American Essays 2010 (2010) — Editor — 228 copies, 7 reviews

Blaming the Victims: Spurious Scholarship and the Palestinian Question (1988) — Editor — 202 copies, 2 reviews

A Long Short War: The Postponed Liberation of Iraq (2003) 192 copies, 4 reviews

For the Sake of Argument: Essays and Minority Reports (1993) 188 copies, 2 reviews

The Parthenon Marbles: The Case for Reunification (1987) 119 copies, 3 reviews

Prepared for the Worst: Selected Essays and Minority Reports (1988) 111 copies, 2 reviews

Hostage to History: Cyprus from the Ottomans to Kissinger (1984) 94 copies, 1 review

Hitchens vs. Blair (2011) 83 copies, 1 review

The Enemy (Kindle Single) (2011) 75 copies, 2 reviews

The Monarchy: A Critique of Britain's Favourite Fetish (1990) 70 copies, 4 reviews

Christopher Hitchens: The Last Interview: and Other Conversations (The Last Interview Series) (2017) 52 copies, 1 review

Left Hooks, Right Crosses: A Decade of Political Writing (2002) — Editor — 47 copies

A Hitch in Time: Writings from the London Review of Books (2021) 45 copies, 2 reviews

American Presidents Eminent Lives Boxed Set: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Ulysses S. Grant (2005) — Contributor — 32 copies, 1 review

A hitch in time (2024) 26 copies, 2 reviews

Collision - Is Christianity Good For The World? (2010) 15 copies

Long Live Hitch: Three Classic Books in One Volume (2012) 9 copies

Why Religion is Immoral: And Other Interventions (2014) 6 copies

Triumvirate of Rationalism: Thomas Paine, Thomas Jefferson, and George Orwell (2016) 5 copies

Hitch Attacks: "No One Left to Lie", "The Missionary Position", "The Trial of Henry Kissinger" (2012) 4 copies

Het beste van Christopher Hitchens (2012) 4 copies

The Atheist Manifesto: 2nd Edition (2016) 4 copies

Struggle of the Kurds (1992) 3 copies

Does God Exist? (2009) 3 copies

Hitch's Books: What he Read, what he loved (2014) 3 copies

Cristianismo e Bom para o Mundo?, O 2 copies

Christopher Hitchens in Conversation with Salman Rushdie 2 copies

Christopher Hitchens 2 copies

The Romantic Poets: Percy Bysshe Shelley (2010) 2 copies

Hitch-22 (Em Portuguese do Brasil) (2011) 2 copies

Is God Great? - A Debate with Christopher Hitchens and John Lennox (2007) 2 copies

une portée de chiens 1 copy

By Christopher Hitchens - Love, Poverty and War: Journeys and Essays (New edition) 1 copy

Dios no existe: lecturas esenciales para el no creyente (2000) 1 copy

Why Orwell Matters 1 copy

The Quotable Hitchens: From Alcohol to Zionism—The Very Best of Christopher Hitchens 1 copy

The Portable Atheist 1 copy

A Vitória de Orwell (Portuguese Edition) (2012) 1 copy

On Not Knowing the Half of It: Homage to Telegraphist Jacobs 1 copy

'Proust's Way: ... the acutest ear in Paris' in AFR, 27 Feb 2004 [review of 'Swann's Way'] 1 copy

Can Atheism Save Europe (2010) 1 copy

The Enemy 1 copy

Letters to a Young Contrarian 1 copy

God Is Not Great 1 copy

Inequalities in Zimbabwe (1981) 1 copy

The Nation Magazine, February 19, 2001 Minority Report 1 copy

The Embarrassment of the Riches 1 copy

Vanity Fair (April 2011 What I Don't See at the Revolution) 1 copy, 1 review

The Nation Magazine, February 5, 2001 Minority Report 1 copy

'Edward Said: if only his political judgment had matched his intelligence & moral sensitivity' in Slate, 26 Sept 2003 1 copy

Why women aren't funny 1 copy, 1 review

'Young men in shorts' in The Atlantic Monthly, June 2004 [review of Baden-Powell's 'Scouting for Boys: the original… 1 copy

The Atlantic Monthly Magazine Volume 306, Number 2, September 2010 Israel Is Gettig Ready to Bomb Iran * Christopher… (2010) 1 copy

'Trotsky: a man of some purpose' in AFR, 13 Aug 2004 [review of new ed of Deutscher's Trotsky (3 vols) 1 copy

'The Old Man' in The Atlantic Monthly, July/Aug 2004 [review of new ed of Deutscher's Trotsky (3 vols)] 1 copy

Blaming the Victims Spurious Scholarship and the Palestinian Question 1 copy

'French lessons' in AFR, 27 Oct 2006 [review of Horne's 'A Savage War of Peace: Algeria 1954-1962'] 1 copy

Greenspan Shrugged 1 copy

Talk Live-John Metzger 1 copy, 1 review

The Nation Magazine, January 22, 2001, Minority Report 1 copy

'Brief shining moments' in LRB 20/4, 19 Feb 1998 1 copy

Triumvirate of Rationalism: Thomas Paine, Thomas Jefferson, and George Orwell 1 copy

The Wit and Wisdom of Christopher Hitchens: Thoughts of an Outspoken Atheist 1 copy, 1 review

The Portable Atheist Publisher: Da Capo Press; Edition Unstated edition 1 copy

God Is Not Great, Hitch 22: A Memoir and Arguably 3 Books Collection Set By Christopher Hitchens - How Religion Poisons… (2017) 1 copy

On the limits of self-improvement 1 copy, 1 review

'At the going down of the sun' in AFR, 20 Jan 2006 [review of AN Wilson's 'After the Victorians: the decline of Britain… 1 copy

'Bad ending & the British in India: the writing of Paul Scott on the decline of the Raj' in AFR, 22 Feb 2008 [review of… 1 copy

Mortality 1 copy

Work Explorer

Associated Works

The House of the Spirits (1982) — Introduction, some editions — 14,232 copies, 250 reviews

Our Man in Havana (1958) — Preface, some editions — 5,470 copies, 141 reviews

Infidel (2007) — Foreword, some editions — 4,654 copies, 192 reviews

Brave New World & Brave New World Revisited (1932) — Foreword, some editions — 4,587 copies, 45 reviews

Scoop (1938) — Introduction, some editions — 3,897 copies, 86 reviews

Animal Farm / 1984 (2003) — Introduction, some editions — 3,670 copies, 34 reviews

Stamboul Train (1932) — Introduction, some editions — 1,909 copies, 47 reviews

Black Lamb and Grey Falcon: A Journey through Yugoslavia (1941) — Introduction, some editions — 1,733 copies, 25 reviews

The Mating Season (1949) — Introduction, some editions — 1,659 copies, 32 reviews

Safe Area Goražde: The War in Eastern Bosnia 1992-1995 (2000) — Introduction, some editions — 1,101 copies, 30 reviews

The Three Hostages (1924) — Introduction, some editions — 571 copies, 14 reviews

Everyday Drinking: The Distilled Kingsley Amis (1983) — Introduction, some editions — 450 copies, 7 reviews

Booknotes: America's Finest Authors on Reading, Writing, and the Power of Ideas (1997) — Contributor — 437 copies, 5 reviews

Diaries (2009) — Introduction, some editions — 260 copies, 7 reviews

The Best American Essays 2011 (2011) — Contributor — 231 copies, 4 reviews

The Best American Essays 2002 (2002) — Contributor — 226 copies, 1 review

The Best American Travel Writing 2003 (2003) — Contributor — 180 copies, 1 review

Granta 31: The General (1990) — Contributor — 144 copies, 2 reviews

The Best American Essays 1989 (1989) — Contributor — 106 copies, 1 review

The Best American Travel Writing 2010 (2010) — Contributor — 105 copies, 6 reviews

Imagine There's No Heaven: Voices of Secular Humanism (1997) — Contributor — 90 copies, 1 review

Granta 16: Science (1985) — Contributor — 82 copies

The Best American Magazine Writing 2003 (2003) — Contributor; Contributor — 71 copies

The Best American Magazine Writing 2007 (2007) — Contributor — 61 copies, 1 review

The Best American Magazine Writing 2008 (2008) — Contributor — 47 copies

The Weekly Standard: A Reader: 1995-2005 (2005) — Contributor — 47 copies

The Best American Political Writing 2004 (2004) — Contributor — 41 copies, 1 review

The Best American Magazine Writing 2011 (2011) — Contributor — 36 copies, 1 review

Why Bosnia? Writings on the Balkan War (1993) — Contributor — 34 copies

The Best American Magazine Writing 2012 (2012) — Contributor — 34 copies, 1 review

The Best of Slate: A 10th Anniversary Anthology (2006) — Contributor — 28 copies, 2 reviews

The Best American Political Writing 2009 (2009) — Contributor — 25 copies, 1 review

Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness: Ten Years of the Claremont Review of Books (2012) — Contributor — 11 copies

The Trial of Henry Kissinger [2002 film] (2008) — Original book — 5 copies

Critical Essays on Oscar Wilde (1991) — Contributor — 2 copies

Hustler Magazine, January 2008 (2008) — Interview — 2 copies

The Atlantic Monthly July / August 2011 (Feature) the Annual Ideas Issue, the Trouble with Good Parents, the Case for… (2011) — Contributor — 1 copy

Harper's Magazine 1989 Oct. — Contributor — 1 copy

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Common Knowledge

Canonical name: Hitchens, Christopher
Legal name: Hitchens, Christopher Eric
Birthdate: 1949-04-13
Date of death: 2011-12-15
Gender: male
Nationality: USA
UK (birth)
Birthplace: Portsmouth, Hampshire, England, UK
Place of death: Houston, Texas, USA
Cause of death: Hitchens died from esophageal cancer.
Places of residence: Washington, D.C., USA
Malta
England, UK
Education: The Leys School
University of Oxford (BA ∙ Balliol College ∙ 3rd class degree, Philosophy-Politics-Economics)
Occupations: journalist
social critic
Relationships: Hitchens, Peter (brother)
Amis, Martin (friend)
Organizations: National Secular Society
International Socialism (journal)
Times Higher Education
New Statesman
The Nation
Evening Standard (show all 15)
Daily Express
Harper's Magazine
The Spectator
The Times Literary Supplement
New York Newsday
Vanity Fair
The Atlantic Monthly
Slate
The New School
Awards and honors: Lannan Literary Award (Nonfiction, 1991)
Richard Dawkins Award (2011)
LennonOno Grant for Peace (2012)
National Magazine Award for Columns (2007, 2011, 2012)
The Orwell Prize – Special Prize (2012)

Members

Reviews

A Hitch in Time: Reflections Ready for Reconsideration by Christopher Hitchens

I have friends who love Hitch on the debate stage, where his learning and verbal nimbleness shine. I always prefer his essays, especially his book reviews in The Atlantic. This is a book of, as I understand it, never previously collected essays, many from Vanity Fair. As with any collection, some pieces are more attractive than others. I have little interest in Hitch's opinion of the Clintons, and many of the other essays assume background knowledge that I don't have and am not going to pick up just so that I can read the essay. Nevertheless, here is the work of a man who was an excellent writer and who had an extraordinary ability to recall facts, documents, anecdotes, and ancient gossip, and to weave them into his pieces, some of which are brilliant.

I received a review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.com.… (more)

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Dokfintong | 1 other review | Aug 28, 2024 |

God is Not Great by Christopher Hitchens

Considering the importance of antitheism, a more accessible vocabulary and algorithmic reasoning would've increased this book's effectiveness. Every few lines I had to use a dictionary.

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CynicusRex | 202 other reviews | Aug 22, 2024 |

Hitchens, C: Missionary Position: Mother Teresa in… by Christopher Hitchens

If this book was a Youtube video, the likely title would be: "Hitchens UTTERLY DESTROYS mother Teresa".

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CynicusRex | 32 other reviews | Aug 22, 2024 |

God Is Not Great : How Religion Poisons Everything by Christopher Hitchens

Another along the lines of The God Delusion, but this one doesn’t so much argue the point of nonexistence and focus on all the actual harm religion can do and has done throughout history. It suffered a bit in comparison, but is still an excellent read.

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electrascaife | 202 other reviews | Aug 21, 2024 |

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