The most influential and one of the most distinguished American historians of the period between World War II and the Vietnam War, Richard Hofstadter epitomized the cosmopolitan, intellectual culture of the New York of his time. A vigorous exponent of cultural pluralism, internationalism, and secular modernism, Hofstadter's historical writing helped to define the mood and commitments of an era. His history, which often had a cutting edge, spoke to a wide audience and cast light on contemporary concerns while it sharply recast historians' views of the American past. A man of strong commitments, acerbic wit, and remarkable critical intelligence, Richard Hofstadter was also one of the gentlest of men. Admired by friends, colleagues, and students for his personal civility and unpretentious charm, Hofstadter attained in his maturity an intellectual poise, personal integrity, and literary grace that reflected a lifetime of disciplined thought.

Hofstadter's scholarship was remarkable in its...