Hannah Arendt

"Young-Bruehl gives us the story of a woman so thoroughly of her time and circumstances that she epitomizes a historical moment. . . . [Her] thorough, beautifully written, erudite presentation of Hannah Arendt wisely emphasizes her signal contribution to philosophy and to political theory."—Julia Epstein, The Philadelphia Inquirer (Books/Leisure) (on the earlier edition)

“Both a personal and an intellectual biography . . . It represents biography at its best.”—Peter Berger, front page, The New York Times Book Review


“Indispensable to anyone interested in the life, the thought, or . . . the example of Hannah Arendt.”—Mark Feeney, Boston Globe


"Philosophy is concerned with two matters: soluble questions that are trivial, and crucial questions that are insoluble. Hannah Arendt always knew the difference; her critics sometimes did. In the disparity lay the tragedies and consolations of a career still sparking debate 19 years after the appearance of her most controversial book."—Stefan Kanfer, Time (on earlier edition)

"Young-Bruehl portrays the thinker's personal life and intellectual development within the context of the historical, political, and philosophical issues which informed Arendt's life and work. Insightful commentary on 20th-century philosophy, Jewish self-awareness, politics and moral thought after World War II, and Arendt's relationship to other thinkers and writers (including Heidegger, Jaspers, poets and editors) makes this a particularly well-rounded biographical study. Highly recommended for academic and large public libraries."—Library Journal (on the earlier edition)

“A story of surprising drama . . . . At last, we can see Arendt whole.”—Jim Miller, Newsweek



"In this scholarly and dramatic work, Elisabeth Young-Bruehl dramatically portrays one of the most prominent and controversial political philosophers of our time. . . . With a wealth of quotation, description, and explanation, Young-Bruehl . . . has created an intimate and powerful picture of Arendt, her work, and her world."—Lorraine Hermann, Christian Science Monitor (on earlier edition)

"Highly sympathetic [and] comprehensive. . . . Young-Bruehl has unearthed revealing new material."—Publishers Weekly (on earlier edition)

"She was a hero and a challenge: an impassioned advocate of public freedom, yet also a figure of Olympian reserve, imperious and remote. . . . Elisabeth Young-Bruehl, one of her former students, has written this first full-length biography based on extensive interviews and on her private papers. It is a story of surprising drama. . . . At last, we can see Arendt whole."—Jim Miller, Newsweek (on earlier edition)

"An exemplary biography of one of the leading intellectual luminaries among the Jews from Germany who emigrated to this country in the wake of the Nazi rise to power. . . . Equally at home is discussing philosophical issues, offering psychological reflections, and simply recounting the life struggles of an immigrant and her community, the author has shared with us a portrait that will contribute greatly to our understanding of the century through which we have lived."—from the citation for the 1982 Kenneth B. Smilen Present Tense Award for the best book in Biography/Autobiography (on the earlier edition)


"Elisabeth Young-Bruehl's Hannah Arendt is to be commended for its impressive mastery of twentieth-century central European history and its keen perception of the way events and philosophical probings coalesced in this displaced intellectual. The intimate exploration of Arendt's life and friendships illuminates the importance of her contribution to twentieth-century American thought, both through her writings and through her strong personal presence."—YUP Governor's Award citation (on the earlier edition)

Winner of the 1983 Alfred Harcourt Prize Award for Biography and Memoirs

Nominated for the 1983 National Jewish Book Award in History


"Haunting and powerful, . . . [this book is an] exemplary adventure story engaging as well the life of the mind. . . . Young-Bruehl's accomplishment is of the highest order, and all of us who either knew Hannah Arendt of are acquainted with her writings owe an enormous debt to the author."—Norman Jacobson, University of California, Berkeley (on the earlier edition)