The Portable Hannah Arendt (Penguin Classics) [Paperback]

Hannah Arendt (Author), Peter Baehr (Contributor)

Book Description

Series: Penguin Classics | Publication Date: July 29, 2003

Although Hannah Arendt is considered one of the major contributors to social and political thought in the twentieth century, this is the first general anthology of her writings. This volume includes selections from her major works, including The Origins of Totalitarianism, Between Past and Future, Men in Dark Times, The Jew as Pariah, and The Human Condition, as well as many shorter writings and letters. Sections include extracts from her work on fascism, Marxism, and totalitarianism; her treatment of work and labor; her writings on politics and ethics; and a section on truth and the role of the intellectual.

Edited by Peter Baehr.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Peter Baehr's anthology is a gem made up of 33 selections supplemented by his highly competent introduction, a chronology covering the major events in Hannah Arendt's life, and a basic bibliography. Arendt's erudition and incisive brilliance are well represented throughout. Passages include lengthy excerpts from her major books (The Origins of Totalitarianism, The Human Condition, On Revolution, and Eichmann in Jerusalem), shorter excerpts from Rahel Varnhagen and The Life of the Mind, eight essays (four from Between Past and Future, one from Men in Dark Times, and two not previously available in book form), a University of Chicago lecture, her famous television interview with Guenter Gaus, four letters (two to Karl Jaspers, others to Mary McCarthy and Gershom Scholem), and a brief journal entry (on Heidegger "the fox"). Ever sensitive to the limitations of anthologies, particularly for the work of thinkers like Arendt, Baehr has managed to effectively convey the feel of Arendt's conscientious yet combative thinking through his selections and arrangements.

Arendt burst upon the world literary stage in 1951 with The Origins of Totalitarianism and a Saturday Review cover photo. She understood totalitarianism as an unprecedented phenomenon, identifying several elements that fused into it and analyzing totalitarian movements and rule. The success of Origins led to prestigious lectureships and 25 years of fiercely independent writing and teaching. She proved knowledgeable about philosophy as well as history and politics, fluent not only in English and German (her beloved "mother tongue") but also in French, Greek, and Latin. This precocious German Jewess had devoted her college years to studying philosophy, theology, and Greek (with Heidegger, Jaspers, Husserl, and Bultmann!), but the Nazi rise to power compelled Arendt to focus on politics, especially the Jewish question. From the '50s until her death in 1975, Arendt developed and publicly defended controversial views, including her report on the Eichmann trial and her coinage "the banality of evil"; her opposition to integrationist busing and to affirmative action hiring in universities; and her version of (classical) republicanism, rooted in her radical understandings of human action and the dignity of politics. All these views and more find expression in this collection. Of late, Arendt's fame has been rekindled by revelations of her love affair with Heidegger. Now, as we approach her birth centenary (2006), this Portable provides newcomers and faithful admirers alike a marvelous package of Arendt's writings. --Richard Kenney --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

Hannah Arendt (1906-1975) was born in Hanover, Germany, and came to the United States as a refugee from the Nazis in 1940. A philosopher and political theorist, she held several academic posts, most notably at the New School for Social Research beginning in 1967.

Peter Baehr teaches in the department of politics and sociology at Lingnan University in Hong Kong.

Product Details

• Paperback: 575 pages
• Publisher: Penguin Classics (July 29, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0142437565
• ISBN-13: 978-0142437568
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 5.1 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #66,812 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Hannah Arendt (1906-1975) taught political science and philosophy at The New School for Social Research in New York and the University of Chicago. Widely acclaimed as a brilliant and original thinker, her works include Eichmann in Jerusalem and The Human Condition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

58 of 59 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Superb introduction to a great mind., October 8, 2000

By 

R. B. Bernstein "R. B. Bernstein, Adjunct Pro... (Brooklyn, New York USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Portable Hannah Arendt (Viking Portable Library) (Paperback)

Hannah Arendt (1906-1975) was one of the great thinkers of the twentieth century. She was equally at home in philosophy, political theory, and history, and blended all three disciplines in her pursuit of integrity in political thought and action. This fine book is perhaps the single best place to begin to get to know her thought and work. The introduction is first-rate -- clear, accessible, yet intellectually rigorous, respectful of Arendt while critical. The choices of readings -- both complete and self-contained essays and extracts from larger books such as ORIGINS OF TOTALITARIANISM, EICHMANN IN JERUSALEM, and ON REVOLUTION -- are excellent. The annotations don't get in the way and are of much aid to the reader. The bibliography of works by and about Arendt is excellent. All in all, this is a superb addition to the VIKING PORTABLE series.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent resource for both old and new readers of Arendt, October 19, 2009

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LR - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Portable Hannah Arendt (Penguin Classics) (Paperback)

While this volume intends to introduce Arendt to new readers, those familiar with her writings will find some choice morsels scattered among the excerpts from her better-known works. Of these, I particularly enjoyed her analysis of enforced segregation, her startling letter to Gershom Scholem (in which she responds to his criticisms of EICHMAN IN JERUSALEM), and her conception of a wartime (World War Two, that is) Jewish army. After reading these and other pieces, you will, I think, understand why so many hail her as a truly monumental figure. Simply put, this thinker is impossible to pigeonhole: a scholar who was at home in journalism, a critic of totalitarianism who was no leftist, a supporter of Israel who did not hesitate to address its flaws, a political philosopher who balked at that label.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars great starting place to read one of the most brilliant thinkers of the 20th century!, June 26, 2009

By 

Robert W. Smith "Robert Smith, Ph.D." (Virginia, USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Portable Hannah Arendt (Penguin Classics) (Paperback)

i like most of the penguin classics. this book, which includes a sample of her letters, books, articles, and speeches, is very thoughtful. the introduction was, as the previous reviewer suggested, scholarly, respectful yet, at times, engaging. she is, indeed, a political - historian - philosopher, regardless of her own denials. astute observations at times, among the very finest i've ever read. but, then, there are other times in which she just seems to gloss over the premise, analyze the process, and reach fallacious conclusions because, perhaps, the premise never even occurred to her? i don't know. it's not consistent with the rest of her brilliant work. she seemed to start out in germany very strong willed but her tenacity seemed to peter out over the decades. maybe we're all like that, huh? i've never found any of her writings for which i would proffer anyting other than an A+. this work comes highly recommended for anyone with an interest in philosophy, political theory, history, jewish studies.