A writer, provocateur, intellectual, and even gadfly, Christopher Hitchens has long been the target of jabs from his opponents, and he's thrown more than a few jabs himself. He is also a regular and welcome speaker at The Commonwealth Club of California, where he has had a number of well-received events.

Hitchens was slated to speak in The Commonwealth Club's San Francisco office and in its Silicon Valley location in late June, but at the last moment the programs were canceled due to reported personal reasons. The mystery was cleared up a bit today when Hitchens posted the following message on the web site of Vanity Fair, for which he writes a column:

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.

So for the many people who had bought tickets for his event and were looking forward to hearing him discuss his revealing memoir, Hitch 22, you now have an explanation for the cancellation. (It wasn't just The Commonwealth Club, of course, that had to cancel appearances by the author; his entire book tour was put on hold.)

The Commonwealth Club joins the many people wishing Christopher Hitchens a speedy and complete recovery, and we look forward to having him on our stage again soon to discuss and argue about things in the way that only Christopher Hitchens can.

Take care.