Eric Hoffer

Eric Hoffer
Eric Hoffer in 1967, in the Oval Office, visiting President Lyndon Baines Johnson
Eric Hoffer in 1967, in the Oval Office, visiting President Lyndon Baines Johnson
Born(1902-07-25)July 25, 1902
New York City, New York, U.S.
DiedMay 21, 1983(1983-05-21) (aged 80)
San Francisco, California, U.S.
OccupationAuthor, Longshoreman
GenreSocial psychology, Political science
Notable awardsPresidential Medal of Freedom, 1983

Eric Hoffer (July 25, 1902 – May 21, 1983)[1] was an atheist American philosopher and social critic. A conservative moderate with an atypical working-class background, Hoffer authored ten books over his career and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in February 1983. His first book, The True Believer (1951), was widely recognized as a classic, receiving critical acclaim from both scholars and laymen,[2] although Hoffer believed that The Ordeal of Change (1963) was his finest work.[3] The Eric Hoffer Book Award is an international literary prize established in his honor.[4] The University of California, Berkeley awards an annual literary prize named jointly for Hoffer.[5]

  1. ^ "Eric Hoffer | American writer". Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved October 9, 2017 – via britannica.com.
  2. ^ "Hoffer, Eric". Encyclopædia Britannica (Ultimate Reference Suite CD-ROM ed.). Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. 2003.
  3. ^ According to longtime companion Lili Fabilli Osborne, executrix of the Hoffer Estate; also noted in personal archives stored at the Hoover Institute.
  4. ^ The Eric Hoffer Book Award was established in 2007 with permission from the Eric Hoffer Estate.
  5. ^ "Fabili Hoffer Prize". grad.berkeley.edu. University of California, Berkeley. November 14, 2018. Retrieved July 25, 2021.