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The True Believer

Thoughts on the Nature of Mass Movements

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“Its theme is political fanaticism, with which it deals severely and brilliantly.” —New Yorker

The famous bestseller with “concise insight into what drives the mind of the fanatic and the dynamics of a mass movement” (Wall Street Journal) by the legendary San Francisco longshoreman.

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. 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.

Called a “brilliant and original inquiry” and “a genuine contribution to our social thought” by Arthur Schlesinger, Jr., this landmark in the field of social psychology is completely relevant and essential for understanding the world today as it delivers a visionary, highly provocative look into the mind of the fanatic and a penetrating study of how an individual becomes one.

Philosophy Political Science Politics & Government Psychology Psychology & Mental Health Social Psychology & Interactions Social Sciences Society Sociology Violence in Society Dwight Eisenhower New York
All stars
Most relevant
Powerful book, one that needs revisiting and studying - one listen is not enough. Narration clear but flat - OK for on the go.

As relevant today as ever

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It feels more like a list of notes in a bullet journal than a coherent book

Dull

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