New York Intellectuals Reader

In the early 1930’s in a small alcove at City College in New York a group of young, passionate, and politically radical students argued for hours about the finer points of Marxist doctrine, the true nature of socialism, and whether or not Stalin or Trotsky was the true heir to Lenin. These young intellectuals went on to write for and found some of the most well known political and literary journals of the 20th century such as The Masses, Politics, Partisan Review, Encounter, Commentary, Dissent and The Public Interest. Figures such as Daniel Bell, Nathan Glazer, Sidney Hook, Susan Sontag, Dwight MacDonald, and Seymour Lipset penned some of the most important books of social science in the mid-twentieth century. They believed, above all else, in the importance of argument and the power of the pen. They were a vibrant group of engaged political thinkers and writers, but most importantly they were public intellectuals committed to addressing the most important political, social and cultural questions of the day. Here, with helpful head notes and a comprehensive introduction by Neil Jumonville, The New York Intellectuals Reader brings the work of these thinkers back into conversation.

"That famous alcove at the City College of New York where, in the 1930s, students met and argued the merits of Marx, chose between Trotsky and Stalin, pondered the future of socialism, and laid the intellectual foundations for the second half of the 20th century, is restored in this remarkable collection. The names are familiar--Sidney Hook, Alfred Kazin, Irving Kristol, Hannah Arendt, Dwight Macdonald, Paul Goodman, Lionel Trilling, Clement Greenberg, Norman Podhoretz, etc.--and the subjects remain contentious and pertinent. Neil Jumonville, a historian at Florida State, provides the pertinent biographical data, and completes the definitive portrait of these remarkable essayists, to whom we are all indebted." -- Philip Terzian, The Weekly Standard, June 25, 2007 - July 2, 2007, BOOKS & ARTS Vol. 12 No. 39"A specialist on the New York intellectuals, Jumonville provides a terrific, albeit brief introduction to thie important collection of several of the group's noteworthy essays. The public intellectuals sought to reach a broad audience, transcend disciplinary boundaries, and grapple with significant contemporary issues. ... " -- CHOICE March 2008 Vol. 45 (R.C. Cottrell, California State University) , "A specialist on the New York intellectuals, Jumonville provides a terrific...introduction to this important collection of several of the group's noteworthy essays. (The New York Intellectuals) sought to reach a broad audience, transcend disciplinary boundaries, and grapple with significant contemporary issues." "Recommended." -Choice

Neil Jummonville is the William Warren Rogers Professor of History and Chairperson of the Dept. of History at Florida State University. He specializes in U.S. Intellectual History with an emphasis on post WWII liberalism and American Studies. He is the author of two previous books and is currently working with Routledge author Kevin Mattson on a book of essays on the current state of liberalism.