Anti-Intellectualism in American Life is a landmark work of cultural history that won the Pulitzer Prize in 1964. In this incisive and wide-ranging study, Hofstadter traces the deep roots of suspicion toward intellect and expertise in the United States, from religious revivalism and populist politics to the rise of mass media and consumer culture. Far from being a recent phenomenon, he shows how anti-intellectual currents have long shaped American public life, often clashing with ideals of reason, education, and critical thought. Both an exploration of history and a mirror to the present, this book remains a vital and unsettling classic for anyone seeking to understand the enduring tension between knowledge and populism in American society.
