RIP Christopher Hitchens

hotography by Christian Witkin (via Vanity Fair)

First piece of news I read after waking up this morning was about the death of Christoper Hitchens. 

A man who used words so wonderfully, whether it was related to politics, humour, life or death - and reagrdless whether you agreed with his point of views or not, you can't deny his talent. 

Here's a video that was filmed last month. It features Stephen Fry and friends of Christopher Hitchens who talk about him at Intelligence² with much admiration. Christopher Hitchens was scheduled to appear at this event, but because he was too ill to turn up, the evening turned into a celebration of the life and work of Christopher Hitchens. 

RIP Christopher Hitchens, 1949-2011. 

In November 2011, just five weeks before Christopher Hitchens died, Stephen Fry and other friends came together to celebrate the life and work of this great writer, iconoclast and debater. Fry was joined on stage at the Southbank Centre's Royal Festival Hall by Richard Dawkins and the two discussed Hitch's unflinching commitment to the truth. Hollywood actor Sean Penn was beamed in from LA by Google+ and, between cigarette puffs, read from Hitch's acclaimed work, The Trial of Henry Kissinger. Five friends of Hitch spoke via satellite in New York: satirist Christopher Buckley and editor Lewis Lapham mused on Hitch's prowess as a journalist. 'Like a pot of gold', said Lapham. Martin Amis, Salman Rushdie and James Fenton delighted the audience with stories of Hitchens as a young man. Rushdie drew roars of laughter when he recounted a word game invented by Amis and Hitchens where the word 'love' is replaced with 'hysterical sex'. Particular favourites included Hysterical Sex in the Time of Cholera and Hysterical Sex Is All You Need. 

Watching the event with Hitch at his bedside in Texas, Hitch's wife Carol and novelist Ian McEwan provided an email commentary. 'His Rolls Royce mind is still purring beautifully', typed McEwan. (via hitchfry.intelligencesquared.com)

Read Trial of the Will, the last essay written by Christopher Hitchens for Vanity Fair. And here are links to read some more of his writings:
www.vanityfair.com/contributors/christopher-hitchens
www.slate.com/authors.christopher_hitchens.html 



[image via Vanity Fair - Photos: In Memoriam of Christopher Hitchens, 1949–2011]