Author of ten books, his big break came in when he penned the true believer which amassed recognition and acknowledgement from the critics and audience alike. A stevedore on the san francisco docks in the 1940s, eric hoffer wrote philosophical treatises in his spare time while living in the railroad yards. Eric hoffer was a san francisco longshoreman who selfeducated and left behind the true believer, an astonishingly insightful examination of the phenomenon of mass movements. This could easily be seen as hoffer s starting point. Eric hoffers landmark analysis of the psychology of mass movements identifies the appeal of these campaigns for. Eric hoffer was a workingclass american autodidact who authored a variety of treatises on moral and social philosophy. A macat analysis of eric hoffers the true believer. Eric hoffer 19021983 was a selfeducated us author and philosopher who was a migratory worker and longshoreman until 1967. Hoffer wrote the book in 1951, when two of the most malignant mass movements in human history, those that produced the soviet union and nazi germany, sprung up, and the. Eric hoffers true believer outlines a model that mass movements follow or need to follow in order to succeed. Eric hoffer, in his seminal work, the true believer. Christian science monitor the famous bestseller with concise insight into what drives the mind of the fanatic and the dynamics of a mass. Allen scarbrough chose the true believer as one of 25 books that you need to read to know just about everything.
It corrupts politics, sports, literature, art, labor unions and so on. Anyone wanting to understand this horrible irony would do well to read eric hoffer s 1951 classic, the true believer. The true believer is one of the most provocative books of our immediate day. The true believer by eric hoffer tacoma retired mens. Journal by presidential medal of freedom recipient eric hoffer, the true believer is a landmark in the field of social psychology, and even more relevant today than ever before in history. He wrote in his spare time after doing shifts on the san francisco docks, where he continued to work, even after becoming a successful author. It was a great story about jeremy and lexi and their hesitations about falling in love with each other. Nevertheless, they committed suicide for their cause. Fair with yellowed cover, rubbed and bumped edges, and creased backstrip. The true believer by eric hoffer posted on december 12, 2017 by ron boothe to start off the new year, 2018, we will meet in january to discuss the following book, suggested by van. Eric hoffer is a student of extraordinary perception and insight. Even as eric hoffer makes plain the impetus of any major movements in world history from biblical times to postwar russia,china and germany,he he says the scriptures should be so essential,integral and imperative to the true believer that. Author eric hoffer analyzes and attempts to explain the motives of the various types of personalities that give rise to mass movements. Sep 16, 2015 i read the book true believer by nicholas sparks who is one of my favorite authors.
In walden henry david thoreau wrote, the mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation. Published in 1951, it depicts a variety of arguments in terms of. His first book, the true believer 1951, demonstrated his insights into the nature of mass movements and the people who compose them. He received the presidential medal of freedom, in february, 1983. Eric hoffer july 25, 1898 may 21, 1983 was an american moral and social philosopher. The true believer was written over 60 years ago, but it is still frighteningly relevant and accurate today. The twentieth anniversary of the death of eric hoffer, in. May 10, 2011 a stevedore on the san francisco docks in the 1940s, eric hoffer wrote philosophical treatises in his spare time while living in the railroad yards. Apr 01, 2005 part love story and part ghost story, this is an unforgettable new york times bestseller about a science journalist and a north carolina librarian who dare to believe in the impossible. Thoughts on the nature of mass movements perennial. A selfeducated man, eric hoffer was most likely born in 1898.
Dec 12, 2017 to start off the new year, 2018, we will meet in january to discuss the following book, suggested by van. The true believer is a manuscript that attempts to grant justification as to why people would be drawn to a. The true believer revisited issue 34 philosophy now. A piece of cardboard is glued onto the inside of the front cover in an attempt at. As a science journalist with a regular column in scientific american, jeremy marsh specializes in debunking the supernatural and has a real nose for the strange. Thoughts on the nature of mass movements, by eric hoffer. The nazi party in eric hoffers true believer essay 1140. Thoughts on the nature of mass movements perennial classics hoffer, eric on.
The true believer project gutenberg selfpublishing. The true believerthe first and most famous of his bookswas made into a bestseller when president eisenhower cited it during one of the earliest television press conferences. Author eric hoffer analyzes and attempts to explain the motives of the various types of personalities that give. Summary of eric hoffers, the true believer reason and meaning. Capitalism is at its liberating best in a noncapitalist environment. Journal by presidential medal of freedom recipient eric. The conservatism of a religionits orthodoxyis the inert coagulum of a once highly reactive sap. The famous bestseller with concise insight into what drives the mind of the fanatic and the dynamics of a mass movement wall st. Internet archive contributor internet archive language english. After writing his first book, the true believer, he went on to publish over ten others. The true believer 1951, published in the aftermath of world war ii, is an exploration of mass movements and the means by which they attract followers.
Thoughts on the nature of mass movements is a nonfiction book authored by american philosopher eric hoffer. Hoffer thought of himself as a writer of sentences, and his book is a collection of. The macat analysis of eric hoffers the true believer. I read the book true believer by nicholas sparks who is one of my favorite authors. Published in 1951, it depicts a variety of arguments in terms of applied world history and social psychology to explain why mass movements arise to challenge to status quo, hoffer discussing the sense of individual identity and the holding to particular ideals that can. Anyone wanting to understand this horrible irony would do well to read eric hoffers 1951 classic, the true believer.
Thoughts on the nature of mass movements is a 1951 social psychology book by american writer eric hoffer that discusses the psychological causes of fanaticism the book analyzes. In the awakening of asia 1954, published in the reporter and later his book the ordeal of change 1963, hoffer discusses the reasons for unrest on the continent. Thoughts on the nature of by eric hoffer a poetry channel top 20 eric hoffer quotes duration. The true believer summary essay 1088 words bartleby. I felt bombarded by wisdoms and common sense sayings that, so i thought, defy an approach to a pressing issue that.
The nazi party rose to power because of the setting of germany at the time and the people involved in the movement. The true believer is a manuscript that attempts to grant justification as to why people would be drawn to a mass movement. Aug 04, 2018 i had great difficulty to gain traction in eric hoffers the true believer. The true believer the first and most famous of his bookswas made into a bestseller when president eisenhower cited it during one of the earliest television press conferences.
The true believer the first and most famous of his books was made into a bestseller when president eisenhower cited it during one of the earliest television press conferences. Anything that needs to be said, he believed, could be said in 200 words. The following quotes are from eric hoffers book, and are posted here because of their. The author uses examples of movements of all types from the past, as well as movements that were current when the book was written. Author of ten books, his big break came in when he penned. People join movements because of personal feelings of inadequacy or failure, to escape their seemingly powerless individual self. Eric hoffer s true believer outlines a model that mass movements follow or need to follow in order to succeed. He found it difficult to explain the forces that had channeled the disillusion of trench warfare and poison gas, had established the. Eric hoffer in 1967, in the oval office, visiting president lyndon baines johnson hatred is the most accessible and comprehensive of all the unifying agents mass movements can rise and spread without belief in a god, but never without a belief in a devil.
Thoughts on the nature of mass movements 1951, viewed the postwar world at midcentury with trepidation. Thoughts on the nature of mass movements by eric hoffer is a political philosophy classic from 1951. Subsequent to the publication of the true believer 1951, eric hoffer touched upon asia and american interventionism in several of his essays. Even as eric hoffer makes plain the impetus of any major movements in world history from biblical times to postwar russia,china and germany,he he says the scriptures should be so essential,integral and. The true believer by eric hoffer tacoma retired mens bookclub. The author uses examples of movements of all types from the past, as. I felt bombarded by wisdoms and common sense sayings that, so i thought, defy an approach to a pressing issue that could not be of less importance today than at the time of the books writing, 60 years ago. Part love story and part ghost story, this is an unforgettable new york times bestseller about a science journalist and a north carolina librarian who dare to believe in the impossible. I had great difficulty to gain traction in eric hoffers the true believer. As a science journalist with a regular column in scientific american, jeremy marsh specializes in debunking the supernaturaluntil he falls in love with the granddaughter of the town psychic. The true believer eric hoffer paperback harpercollins publishers. As an alternative, the kindle ebook is available now and can be read on any device with the. This book presents ideas about how mass movements work and the psychology of people that awakenjoin mass movements.
Thoughts on the nature of mass movements ebook written by eric hoffer. Other articles where the true believer is discussed. The range of his reading and research is vast, amazing. Completely relevant and essential for understanding the world today, the true believer is a visionary, highly provocative look into the mind of the fanatic and a.
The true believer ebook by eric hoffer 9780062029355. Eric hoffer, the true believer, originally published by harper in 1951. Eric hoffer, a selfmade man, a longshoremanphilosopher, has been chosen by president johnson to serve on a committee studying. From christianity to national socialism, eric hoffer shows how all mass movements are similar. The true believer by eric hoffer overdrive rakuten. The nazi political movement in germany is explained well through the use of this framework. Thoughts on the nature of mass movements by jonah s. Jun 18, 2003 the twentieth anniversary of the death of eric hoffer, in. Thoughts on the nature of mass movements was written by eric hoffer 19021983, a very unconventional man and a freethinker. Listen to the macat analysis of eric hoffers the true believer. The true believer hardcover january 1, 1951 by eric hoffer author. A mass movement is a form of social, economic, or religious movement where a. A rising religious movement is all change and ex perimentopen to new views and techniques from all quarters.
The son of alsatian immigrants to the united states, he was born in new york city. Eric hoffer, the true believer, 1951 it is probably true that business corrupts everything it touches. The true believer and the nature of mass movements duration. A moral and social philosopher, eric hoffer was a sheer genius who is today regarded as one of the most important thinkers of the 20 th century. Completely relevant and essential for understanding the world. Hatred is the most accessible and comprehensive of all the unifying agents. Even though the entirety of the heavenly host descended upon me telling me something other than what the.