Daniel Horowitz Knihy

The book explores the evolution of American and European writers' perspectives on consumer culture from 1950 to 1972. It highlights a shift from outright condemnation to a more nuanced critical appreciation, examining how these writers challenged cultural hierarchies and moralistic views. By focusing on the symbolic processes of communication among individuals and groups, the work delves into the complexities of consumerism and its implications on society.

Exploring the transition from the 1950s to the 1960s, the narrative blends personal memoir, collective biography, and cultural history. It delves into the social and political changes experienced by a specific, privileged generational cohort, offering insights into the dynamics that shaped this pivotal era. Through individual and shared experiences, the author sheds light on the factors that contributed to the cultural upheaval of the 1960s.

Exploring the responses of notable American writers to post-World War II prosperity, the book delves into themes of consumer culture and societal values. It begins with Lewis Mumford's advocacy for "democratic" consumption during wartime and culminates in an analysis of President Jimmy Carter's "malaise" speech from 1979. Throughout, Daniel Horowitz presents a spectrum of perspectives that reveal a complex ambivalence toward the burgeoning consumerism of the era, highlighting the cultural and philosophical debates of the time.

Focusing on Betty Friedan's early life and career, this biography reveals that her commitment to feminism was shaped by experiences beyond her portrayal as a discontented housewife. Daniel Horowitz utilizes extensive research, including Friedan's own papers, to explore her formative years in Peoria and her activism during college and as a writer for radical labor journals. By placing Friedan in a broader cultural context, the book challenges traditional views of "second wave" feminism and uncovers connections to its historical roots.

The book explores the transformation of housing in America over twenty years, influenced by significant events like the Great Recession and the COVID-19 pandemic. It integrates various historical perspectives to reveal how these crises have reshaped American perceptions of home, highlighting the broader economic structures and inequalities at play. Through this lens, it examines the evolving purpose of housing in society and the cultural implications of these changes.

Focusing on the beliefs of Yeshayahu Leibowitz, this book explores the ideas of a prominent twentieth-century scientist, philosopher, and scholar in Jewish thought. Despite being an orthodox Jew, Leibowitz challenged traditional views by rejecting the concept of divine intervention in both nature and history. The text delves into his philosophical stance, providing insights into his unique perspective on faith and existence, making it a significant exploration of his thought process and theological implications.

Happier? provides the first history of the origins, development, and impact of the shift in how Americans - and now many around the world - consider the human condition. This change, which came about from the fusing of beliefs and knowledge from Eastern spiritual traditions, behavioral economics, neuroscience, evolutionary biology, and cognitive psychology, has been led by scholars and academic entrepreneurs, in play with forces such as neoliberalism and cultural conservatism, and a public eager for self-improvement. Ultimately, the book illuminates how positive psychology, one of the most influential academic fields of the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries, infused American culture with captivating promises for a happier society.

Hannah Arendt est une universitaire décédée en 1975 mais qui demeure une référence en matière de philosophie politique. Réputée - mais aussi controversée - pour ses travaux sur la judéité, le totalitarisme et la modernité, son oeuvre est une contribution importante à l'entendement du vingtième siècle, période qui, pour la première fois dans l'histoire, a marqué le genre humain tout entier. Adolf Eichmann, l'un des artisans de la Solution finale, fut capturé en 1960 en Argentine par les services secrets israéliens pour être traduit un an plus tard devant un tribunal à Jérusalem. Hannah Arendt sollicita le magazine américain New Yorker de rendre compte du procès, et ses articles finirent par être compilés sous la forme d'un ouvrage intitulé Eichmann à Jérusalem.