Chris Hedges (born September 18, 1956) is an American journalist, activist and author. Hedges, who was the Middle East Bureau Chief and the Balkan Bureau Chief for The New York Times, is the best-selling author of several books including War Is a Force That Gives Us Meaning (2002)—a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award for Nonfiction—Empire of Illusion: The End of Literacy and the Triumph of Spectacle (2009), Death of the Liberal Class (2010) and the New York Times best seller, written with cartoonist Joe Sacco, Days of Destruction, Days of Revolt (2012). His most recent Wages of Rebellion: The Moral Imperative of Revolt (2015). Hedges is a columnist for the progressive news and commentary website Truthdig and a host of On Contact on RT.