National Magazine Awards: Christopher Hitchens honored with posthumous Ellie

Christopher Hitchens was honored at the National Magazine Awards—the Oscars of the magazine industry—on Thursday with a posthumous prize for three columns published in Vanity Fair last year.

"He's the bravest man I've ever known," Graydon Carter, Vanity Fair editor-in-chief, said while accepting the so-called Ellie for Hitchens at a ceremony at New York's Marriott Marquis. Hitchens, who died last December after a battle with cancer, "wrote with speed and accuracy" until the very end, Carter said.

Brian Williams—who served as the evening's host—arrived late after anchoring Thursday's "NBC Nightly News," blaming cross-town traffic and the "poured-cement" hotel's confusing elevator system.

New York magazine won three awards, edging the New Yorker, which won two. Time won magazine of the year. In all, 18 magazines were honored with Ellies.

"If you publish a magazine—even desktop publishing—you're winning an award," Williams joked. "If Cat Fancy wins for best commentary, be happy for them."

Tim Rogers, the editor of Dallas-based D magazine, won the unofficial award for most awkward acceptance speech, saying his magazine's Ellie (for a profile of the hacking group Anonymous) would help him in the bedroom. "Tonight, with a little bit of luck, a little red wine, I'm gonna get lucky," Rogers said, pointing to his wife in the crowd.

Williams said he felt bad for "Mrs. D."

"There's a lot of pressure on her now," the "Rock Center" host said.

Later, Williams professed his love for magazines.

"I am a lover of this tactile medium," he said. "I get on a plane [with a magazine] and I pretend to bathe in it."

The full list of winners:

MAGAZINE OF THE YEAR
Honors the achievement of editorial excellence both in print and on digital platforms

TIME
Rick Stengel, managing editor
Catherine Sharick, managing editor, TIME.com

May 20, October 17 and December 26/January 2, 2012, print issues
TIME.com
Weekly iPad App

GENERAL EXCELLENCE - Active- and Special Interest Magazines
Honors magazines serving targeted readerships

Inc.
Jane Berentson, editor
February, November and December 2011/January 2012 issues

GENERAL EXCELLENCE - General-Interest Magazines
Honors large-circulation weeklies, biweeklies and general-interest monthlies

Bloomberg Businessweek
Josh Tyrangiel, editor
October 10-16, October 31-November 6 and November 14-20 issues

GENERAL EXCELLENCE - Lifestyle Magazines
Honors city and regional publications as well as food, travel and shelter magazines

House Beautiful
Newell Turner, editor-in-chief
March, June and July/August issues

GENERAL EXCELLENCE - Thought-Leader Magazines
Honors small-circulation general-interest magazines as well as literary, scholarly and professional publications

IEEE Spectrum
Susan Hassler, editor-in-chief
September, October and November issues

GENERAL EXCELLENCE - Women's Magazines
Honors health, fitness and parenting publications as well as fashion, service and lifestyle magazines

O, The Oprah Magazine
Oprah Winfrey, founder and editorial director
Susan Casey, editor-in-chief
April, May and November issues

COLUMNS AND COMMENTARY
Honors political and social commentary; news analysis; and reviews and criticism

Vanity Fair
Graydon Carter, editor
Three columns by Christopher Hitchens, contributing editor: "When the King Saved God," May; "Unspoken Truths," June; and "From Abbottabad to Worse," July

DESIGN
Honors overall excellence in magazine design

GQ
Jim Nelson, editor-in-chief
Fred Woodward, design director
May, August and October issues

ESSAYS AND CRITICISM
Honors long-form journalism on topics ranging from the personal to the political

New York
Adam Moss, editor-in-chief
"Paper Tigers," by Wesley Yang, contributing editor
May 16

FEATURE PHOTOGRAPHY
Honors the use of original photography in a feature story, photo essay or photo portfolio

The New York Times Magazine
Hugo Lindgren, editor-in-chief
"Vamps, Crooks & Killers," photographs by Alex Prager; introduction by A.O. Scott
December 11

FEATURE WRITING
Honors original, stylish storytelling

Esquire
David Granger, editor-in-chief
"Joplin!" by Luke Dittrich, contributing editor
October

FICTION
Honors the publication of fiction in magazines

Zoetrope: All-Story
Michael Ray, editor
"The Hox River Window," by Karen Russell
Fall

LEISURE INTERESTS
Honors coverage of fashion and beauty; travel; decorating and gardening; food; fitness and active sports; cars and boats; and hobbies and crafts

Saveur
James Oseland, editor-in-chief
"Italian America," by John Mariani, Lou Di Palo, Marne Setton, Rina Oh, Greg Ferro, Jane and Michael Stern, James Oseland, Dana Bowen, Frank Castronovo and Frank Falcinelli
December

MAGAZINE SECTION
Honors the editorial direction of a clearly branded front- or back-of-the-book department or section

New York
Adam Moss, editor-in-chief
"Strategist"
July 11, October 10 and November 28

NEWS AND DOCUMENTARY PHOTOGRAPHY
Honors photojournalism and photography that documents news events or news-related subjects

Harper's Magazine
Ellen Rosenbush, editor
Stacey Clarkson, art director
"Juvenile Injustice," photographs by Richard Ross
October

PERSONAL SERVICE
Honors coverage of health care, personal relationships, parenting, career planning and personal finance

Glamour
Cynthia Leive, editor-in-chief
"The Secret That Kills Four Women a Day," by Liz Brody, editor at large
June

PHOTOGRAPHY
Honors overall excellence in magazine photography

Vogue
Anna Wintour, editor-in-chief
Grace Coddington, creative director
Raul Martinez, design director
March, October and November issues

PROFILE WRITING
Honors news or feature stories about an individual or a group of closely linked individuals

D Magazine
Tim Rogers, editor
"He is Anonymous," by Tim Rogers
April

PUBLIC INTEREST
Honors magazine journalism that illuminates issues of local or national importance

The New Yorker
David Remnick, editor
"The Invisible Army," by Sarah Stillman
June 6

REPORTING
Honors reporting excellence as exemplified by one article or a series of articles

The New Yorker
David Remnick, editor
"The Apostate," by Lawrence Wright
February 14 & 21

SINGLE-TOPIC ISSUE
Honors magazines that have devoted an issue to the comprehensive examination of one subject

New York
Adam Moss, editor-in-chief
"The Encyclopedia of 9/11"
September 5-12

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