Anti-Intellectualism in American Life

By: Richard Hofstadter

Narrated by: Adam Verner

Winner of the 1964 Pulitzer Prize in Non-Fiction.

This book throws light on many features of the American character. Its concern is not merely to portray the scorners of intellect in American life, but to say something about what the intellectual is, and can be, as a force in a democratic society.

©1963 Richard Hofstadter (P)2017 Tantor

Critic reviews

"As Mr. Hofstadter unfolds the fascinating story, it is no crude battle of eggheads and fatheads. It is a rich, complex, shifting picture of the life of the mind in a society dominated by the ideal of practical success." (Robert Peel, Christian Science Monitor)

Very Well Written

I love the way this book is laid out. Extremely well organized and reads very easy.

excellent narration and content

This book clearly exposes American society in its moments of anti-intellectual bias and outright hostility. I learned more than I bargained for and, equally, more than I expected! Highly recommended!

Rediscovery

This book was a cornerstone of my intellectual development; hearing it here on Audible was like getting reacquainted with an old friend. Of course, the book isn't perfect; Hofstadter did wander a bit, and the Conclusion seems to be an effort to make a grand final statement. Still, it was wonderful to hear this book narrated, and narrated so well. Kudos to all involved.

Fifty years later, still valid today

Soon after graduation from Columbia I had the opportunity to read this seminal work which helped me better understand my sense of alienation from US society, following the McCarthy era and the Eisenhower years. Now, almost in my dotage I have listened to Verner's excellent reading of Hofstadter and realized that his observations about the state of anti-intellectualism are, if anything, more cogent today. Trump's election broadly supported by what H.L.Mencken might have called the " Booboisie" has provided clear evidence that intellect and thoughtful intelligence continue to be held in disregard.
Of course, the irony is that only readers who see themselves as intellectuals will want to obtain copies of this fine audiobook.

David Evan Glasser

A must-read, especially for immigrants

I live in the US for 20 years. This book finally explained some strange differences to my native Germany that I could never clearly understand or define. Highly recommended!!