In the recent bustle of starting in the PR industry I feel ashamed to have only just noticed that one of the UK’s and USA’s greatest political minds, the late Christopher Hitchens, won the prestigious Orwell Prize. The prize is awarded in Britain for a book, blog or classic journalism which attains closest to George Orwell’s ambition ‘to make political writing into an art’.
The prize was awarded to his widow, Carol Blue, in May. For a long time Christopher Hitchens’ has been referenced as Orwell’s successor and it seems fit that finally he writing has been officially recognised.
Christopher Hitchens was a classic journalist in every sense of the phrase. Whilst you will find much of his work through podcasts, audiobooks and YouTube videos – his books and newspapers articles were his primary mediums. His art for writing came from an astute mind, perhaps photographical, to which served him well during his years commenting on political and religious affairs. Some of his best books in my opinion include Hitch-22, God is not Great and Letters to a Young Contrarian.
As I made clear in December 2011 Christopher Hitchens was a writer that I will hold in the highest regard. Only a few days ago I was listening to a talk he conducted in 2002 on the principle author of the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson. The world is certainly with a debt without Christopher Hitchens’ astute mind but much of his work will last a generation.
