he spent years as a writer not afraid to take on anyone or anything. he has his own devoted following as well as critics. he is an atheist without apology. two months ago he discovered he has esophogeal cancer and many wondered if that diagnosis changed his belief in god or in prayer. he was diagnosed just recently, as i said. he has a new book out, hitch 22. frankly, the diagnosis just came as it hit the best sellers list. i had a chance to talk with him. when did you realize something was wrong? it was in the middle of my tour for my memoir. my hitch 22 and i was feeling a bit ropey, but i wrote it down to overwork and i rather enjoyed the feeling of burning the candle at both ends and living a 36-hour day, but it abruptly was brought in on me that that was an illusion. there was a morning i couldn t get out of bed. something was obviously wrong
lungs. this was in new york. you felt it as soon as you woke up? oh, yeah. i couldn t move really. there s an expression about i woke up feeling like death. i ve had that. this was not like that. you ve had some rough mornings? i thought maybe i m dying. and when you found out what kind of cancer it was, it s the same kind of cancer your father had? one of the first things i thought was, that s what killed the old man. my dad died of a heart attack when he was 50, and i really don t want to die of a heart attack. yes. for some odd reason the idea of dying not just the age thing but having that for some reason did that cross your mind? you don t feel any familial piety about the disease that killed your father. and the second thought was self centered. i thought he lived to be 79. i m 61. so that question, why me, came across your mind? well, you can t avoid the question. however stoic you are. you can only bat it away as a
with my heart and my lungs. this was in new york. you felt it as soon as you woke up? oh, yeah. i couldn t move really. i thought this is not you know, there s an expression, i woke up feeling like you ve had some rough mornings? death. i ve had that. this was not like that. i thought maybe i m dying. and when you found out what kind of cancer it was, it s the same kind of cancer your father had? one of the first things i thought was, that s what killed the old man. my dad died of a heart attack when he was 50, and i really don t want to die of a heart attack. yes. for some odd reason the idea of dying not just the age thing but having that for some reason did that cross your mind? you don t feel any familial piety about the disease that killed your father. and the second thought was self centered. i thought he lived to be 79. i m 61. so that question, why me, came across your mind? well, you can t avoid the
co-work co-workers in connecticut. he dialeded 911. they treat me bad over here and treat all black employees bad over here. so i had to take it into my own hands. i wish i could have got more of those people. best-selling author christopher hitchins who wrote god is not great. now facing a battle with cancer, has it changed his views on religion? my subaru saved my life. i won t ever forget that. love. it s what makes a subaru, a subaru. love. waking up with morning pain can drain the energy right out of you. fight it with new. it combines extra strength bayer aspirin to treat pain plus an alertness aid to help you get off to a running start. try bayer am
yeah, having to sit through chemotherapy, for example, is almost a zen experience of bo boredom. you re watching poison going into your arm. people say you should be struggling, battling cancer. you re not battling. you couldn t be living a more passive moment than that. you feel as if you re drowning in powerlessness. in a moment of doubt, isn t there i don t know. i find it fascinating that even when you re alone and no one else is watching, that there might be a moment where you, you know, want to hedge your bets. if that comes, it will be when i m very ill. when i m half demented, either by drugs or pain where i wouldn t have control over what i say. i mention this in case you ever hear a rumor later on. these things happen and the faithful love to spread these rumors. on his death bed he finally i can t say that the entity by then wouldn t be me wouldn t do such a pathetic thing, but not while i m lucid, no.