Journalist and author Christopher Hitchens had canceled many events on his book tour recently, generating a round of speculative blog posts.
At Vanity Fair, the author provided his reason: “I have been advised by my physician that I must undergo a course of chemotherapy on my esophagus. This advice seems persuasive to me. I regret having had to cancel so many engagements at such short notice.”
Earlier this year, we wrote about Hitchens’ speech for the PEN World Voices festival, as the great author urged Americans not to be stalled by terrorist threats: “Somebody told me this evening that perhaps attendance was down at this event because of an attempted atrocity in Times Square. If that was true, I would both be depressed and I would take it as an opportunity to align what I want to talk about…the contagion of fear.” (Via Sarah Weinman)