Leo Rosten
Leo Rosten
Full Name and Common Aliases
Leo Calvin Rosten was a renowned American writer, humorist, historian, and educator. He is also known by his pen name, Leon Lewis.
Birth and Death Dates
Born on October 11, 1905, in Warsaw, Poland (then part of the Russian Empire), Rosten passed away on September 21, 1977, in New York City.
Nationality and Profession(s)
Rosten was a naturalized American citizen. Throughout his life, he excelled as a writer, humorist, historian, and educator. He held various positions, including professor at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and Columbia University.
Early Life and Background
As a young boy, Rosten witnessed the Russian Revolution in 1917, which led to his family's move to America. His family settled on New York City's Lower East Side, where he grew up surrounded by the vibrant Jewish community of Manhattan's east side. Rosten's childhood experiences would later influence his writing and historical accounts.
Major Accomplishments
Rosten made significant contributions as a writer, historian, and educator:
He authored more than 30 books, including _The Education of HYMAN KAPLAN_ (1937), which became a classic in American literature.
Rosten was an accomplished historian, with notable works such as "Hollywood: A Guilt Trip" (1964) and "Those Angry Days: Roosevelt, Congress, and the Coming of War, 1940-1941" (2013).
He worked as a professor at several prestigious institutions, including UCLA and Columbia University.
Notable Works or Actions
Rosten's writing spanned various genres, from fiction to non-fiction. Some notable works include:
The Education of HYMAN KAPLAN*: A humorous novel that satirizes the Jewish-American experience in the early 20th century.
Hollywood: A Guilt Trip: A historical account of Hollywood's Golden Age and its impact on American society.
Impact and Legacy
Rosten's work had a profound impact on American literature, history, and culture. His writing style was characterized by wit, humor, and deep insight into the human experience:
Rosten's legacy as a writer and historian is still celebrated today.
His commitment to education and his role as a professor have inspired generations of scholars.
Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered
Rosten's quotes are frequently referenced due to their wit, humor, and insight into the human experience. He remains widely quoted for his:
Wit: Rosten was known for his clever wordplay and humorous observations about life.
Insight: His writing often revealed a deep understanding of human nature and society.
Overall, Leo Rosten's remarkable career as a writer, historian, and educator has left an enduring legacy in American literature and culture.
Quotes by Leo Rosten
Leo Rosten's insights on:
The writer wants to be understood much more than he wants to be respected or praised or even loved. And that perhaps, is what makes him different from others.
If God lived on earth,” goes a sardonic Yiddish saying, “people would knock out all His windows.
In the dark colony of night, when I consider man’s magnificent capacity for malice, madness, folly, envy, rage, and destructiveness, and I wonder whether we shall not end up as breakfast for newts and polyps, I seem to hear the muffled cries of all the words in all the books with covers closed.
Machines certainly can solve problems, store information, correlate, and play games – but not with pleasure.
If at first you don’t succeed, before you try again, stop to figure out what you did wrong.