Walter Boughton Pitkin (February 6, 1878 – January 25, 1953) was an American author and university professor. He taught at Columbia University for 38 years, and he authored more than 30 books, including the 1932 best-selling book, Life Begins at Forty.
Walter B. Pitkin | |
|---|---|
| Born | February 6, 1878 Ypsilanti, Michigan, U.S. |
| Died | January 25, 1953 Palo Alto, California, U.S. |
| Education | University of Michigan |
| Occupation(s) | Author, professor |
| Spouse(s) | Mary Gray Katherine B. Johnson |
Biography
editPitkin was born on February 6, 1878, in Ypsilanti, Michigan.[1][2] He graduated from the University of Michigan in 1900, and he attended the Hartford Seminary before studying in Europe at the Sorbonne University, Munich University and Berlin University.[1][2]
Pitkin and his wife Mary Gray had five sons: Richard G., John G., David B., Robert B., and Walter. The elder Pitkin later married Katherine B. Johnson. They resided in Los Altos, California.[1] Pitkin died on January 25, 1953, in Palo Alto, California, at age 74.[1][2]
Career
editPitkin was a lecturer in philosophy and psychology at Columbia University (1905–09), and professor in the Columbia University School of Journalism (1912–43).[3]
Pitkin authored more than 30 books over the course of his career,[2] including Life Begins at Forty (New York, Whittlesey house, McGraw-Hill, 1932) and The Psychology of Happiness. His A Short Introduction to the History of Human Stupidity was translated into fifteen languages. Pitkin was a member of the New Realism school in philosophy, writing on its relation to biology.
Works
edit- How To Write Stories (1923)
- The Art Of Rapid Reading (1929)
- The Psychology Of Happiness (1929)
- A Short Introduction To The History Of Human Stupidity (1932)
- Life Begins At Forty (1932)
- More Power To You! (1933)
- Let's Get What We Want! (1935)
- Capitalism Carries On (1935)
- Making Good Before Forty (1939)
- On My Own (1944)
- The Best Years: How to Enjoy Retirement (1946)
Source: [4]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c d "Walter B. Pitkin Is Dead; Write 'Life Begins at 40'". Lansing State Journal. January 27, 1953. p. 24. Retrieved February 6, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c d "Walter Pitkin, Famed Writer, Dies in Palo Alto". Oakland Tribune. January 26, 1953. p. 4. Retrieved February 6, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Entries in the Dictionary of Modern American Philosophers". Archived from the original on August 20, 2008. Retrieved 2008-10-12.
External links
edit- Works by Walter B. Pitkin at Faded Page (Canada)
- Works by or about Walter B. Pitkin at the Internet Archive