Christopher Hitchens: 1949-2011

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Christopher Hitchens, writer, seen outside the office of The New Statesman, Sept. 18, 1978.

Hitchens, a Washington, D.C.-based author, essayist and polemicist, died on Dec. 15, 2011, at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston of pneumonia, a complication of his esophageal cancer, according to a statement from Vanity Fair magazine. He was 62.

A look at the works of Christopher Hitchens

Christopher Hitchens was a most engaged, prolific and public intellectual who wrote numerous books, was a frequent television commentator and a contributor to Vanity Fair, Slate and other publications. He became a popular author in 2007, thanks to "God is Not Great," a manifesto for atheists.

A look at the works of Christopher Hitchens

Writer Christopher Hitchens participates in a panel discussion ("U.S. and Iraq One Year Later: Right to Get In? Wrong to Get Out?") at the 9th Annual LA Times Festival of Books on April 25, 2004, at UCLA in Westwood, Calif.

A look at the works of Christopher Hitchens

Christopher Hitchens, a Washington-based author, essayist and polemicist, died on Dec. 15, 2011, at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston of pneumonia, a complication of his esophageal cancer, according to a statement from Vanity Fair magazine. He was 62.

A look at the works of Christopher Hitchens

Christopher Hitchens was a most engaged, prolific and public intellectual who wrote numerous books, was a frequent television commentator and a contributor to Vanity Fair, Slate and other publications. He became a popular author in 2007, thanks to "God is Not Great," a manifesto for atheists.

A look at the works of Christopher Hitchens

Writer Christopher Hitchens attends the 9th Annual LA Times Festival of Books on April 25, 2004, at UCLA in Westwood, Calif.

A look at the works of Christopher Hitchens

Writer Christopher Hitchens participates in a panel discussion ("U.S. and Iraq One Year Later : Right to Get In? Wrong to Get Out?") at the 9th Annual LA Times Festival of Books on April 25, 2004, at UCLA in Westwood, Calif.

Hitchens, a Washington-based author, essayist and polemicist who waged verbal and occasional physical battle on behalf of causes left and right, died on Dec. 15 at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston of pneumonia, a complication of his esophageal cancer, according to a statement from Vanity Fair magazine. He was 62.

A look at the works of Christopher Hitchens

Writers Mark Danner, left, and Christopher Hitchens, right, sign copies of their books at the 9th Annual LA Times Festival of Books on April 25, 2004, at UCLA in Westwood, Calif.

A look at the works of Christopher Hitchens