Pulitzer Prize General Non Fiction Winner
Anti-intellectualism in American Life
by Richard Hofstadter
Summary
An influential study that traces the historical roots of resentment and suspicion toward intellect and expertise in American politics and religion. It remains a key text for understanding American cultural divisions.
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Historical Context & Significance
Written as a response to the McCarthyism of the 1950s, Hofstadter sought to explain why American democracy often views "experts" and "eggheads" with deep suspicion.