Wheen, Francis (1957- )

English journalist and writer. He is known for his astute observations and irreverent style. He published the critically acclaimed biography Karl Marx in 2000. A collection of his journalistic work, Hoo-Hahs and Passing Frenzies, won the George Orwell prize in 2003.

He has worked as a columnist for The Guardian and as deputy editor of Private Eye, and has contributed to several US newspapers and magazines, including The Washington Post, The Los Angeles Times, Vanity Fair, Esquire, and The New Yorker. Other works include Lord Gnome's Literary Companion (1994) and How Mumbo-Jumbo Conquered the World: A Short History of Modern Delusions (2004).