The Ordeal of Change

Although Eric Hoffer wrote in the sixties, his observations have remained timeless and spot on for truth. I highly recommend this short, terse book for anyone. His other books are equally fasinating and provide great insights. That Eric Hoffer was a longshoreman who writes well and profoundly is another added benefit for all those who suffer under the delusion that wisdom comes only from an ivory tower. I made this purchase now only because all my copies of Hoffer had been aged, torn, coffee stained and suffered from years in a back pocket and needed replacement. You can take the forty years of reading I have gotten as sufficient testimony as to its worth.

This writer is a deep thinker. I'm glad I found him. One of his other books: "The True Believer" is a must read. A person with certain magnetic personality qualities gets a large following. The followers end up getting manipulated in some way. He builds an organization of officers who do his bidding. The crowd of followers are of a certain personality type. They don't think for themselves. This phenomenon has been repeated many times over thousands of years. It is striking that these crowds of followers have the same characteristics of every other crowd. They don't follow because of some message or promise from the leader, they follow because they are just unthinking followers.

Eric Hoffer's several books on human nature, the effects of changes on a society, the nature of fanaticism and belief, are some of my favorite books. After 60 years from their publication they still ring with an eerie truth today. Only the characters on the public stage differ now.

Although he thought this to be his best book, I as others do not. I believe his best book to be "The True Believer" as do many others. That is not to say you should read it, it is really a good corollary, and as such, a must read.

I liked this book very much. However, the "True Believer" was the first book I read by Hoffer and that is a much more groundbreaking work. All if his work is insightful

Hoffer never ceases to amaze with his insightful comments about life in America. He writes about Cold War events but the commentary seems as contemporary and relevant to 2016 as it could be. This was an "accidental read," for no reason in particular. However, I have a substantially deeper understanding of the current US Presidential Primary brouhaha than I previously believed possible. Hoffer doesn't sugar coat anything, and you might not like the understanding you gain, but you WILL increase your understanding; if that makes you uncomfortable, he has succeeded admirably.

Mr. Hofer, a self-educated man and one of the most interesting people you will encounter was brilliant by the observationst in this book which,interestingly enough he cosidered his best work although he won recognition from President Eisenhower for a different work on mass movement and change.

This guy understood the causality for groups like the Tea Party almost 60 years ago. Some parts (e.g. references to the Cold War) are a little dated, but the basic principles that he explains never change.

AWESOME

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Hoffer's writing is clear and enjoyable to read. He views humans from below and understands us deeply. His ideas are presented with the authority of experience.