Arthur L. Herman
Arthur L. Herman is an American historian and author known for his extensive research and writings on historical themes, particularly those related to the British Empire and major political figures. Born in 1956, he holds degrees from the University of Minnesota and Johns Hopkins University, where he earned his PhD in history. Herman's notable works include "Joseph McCarthy: Reexamining the Life and Legacy of America's Most Hated Senator," "To Rule the Waves: How the British Navy Shaped the Modern World," and "Gandhi and Churchill: The Epic Rivalry That Destroyed an Empire and Forged Our Age," the latter of which was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in 2009.
Throughout his career, he has served as a professor and lecturer at various institutions, including George Mason University and Georgetown University. In addition to his writing, Herman is a respected speaker, frequently engaging with audiences at the Smithsonian and other venues. His work has been recognized for its insightful analysis of historical events and figures, highlighting their relevance to contemporary society. He resides in central Virginia with his wife, Beth Marla Warshofsky.
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Subject Terms
Arthur L. Herman
Historian
- Born: 1956
Contribution: Arthur L. Herman is an American historian and author. His 2008 book Gandhi and Churchill: The Epic Rivalry That Destroyed an Empire and Forged Our Age was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize.
Background
Arthur L. Herman was born in 1956, the son of Professor Arthur L. Herman of Stevens Point, Wisconsin, and his wife. Herman earned a BA degree in history with a minor concentration in classical literature from the University of Minnesota. He then attended Johns Hopkins University, where he earned both an MA and a PhD in history.
Career
From 1990 to 2000, Herman was an associate professor of history at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia. He also served as a visiting assistant professor of history at Georgetown University in Washington, DC, from 1991 to 1992. His first major book, Joseph McCarthy: Reexamining the Life and Legacy of America’s Most Hated Senator, published in 2000, was a comprehensive biography of the life and work of the notorious former US senator. The next year he published the book How the Scots Invented the Modern World: The True Story of How Western Europe’s Poorest Nation Created Our World & Everything in It.
Herman’s 2004 book To Rule the Waves: How the British Navy Shaped the Modern World is regarded as one of the seminal histories on the impact of the Royal Navy on the British Empire. In it, Herman related the stories and exploits of British sailors and military leaders as they expanded, fortified, and defended one of history’s largest empires. The book’s focus offers particular attention to the differences and similarities of the British naval empire to that of present and past empires; the naval empire differed from past empires because of its lack of reliance on contiguous land masses. Herman also set forth the broad strategic goals of the British navy and their potential contemporary use by American geopolitical strategists. To Rule the Waves was nominated for the Mountbatten Prize, awarded annually to works of literature that raise public awareness to maritime issues.
Herman’s academic interest in the historical impact of the British Empire continued with his 2008 book Gandhi and Churchill: The Epic Rivalry That Destroyed an Empire and Forged Our Age. In the book, Herman offered an in-depth analysis of the disparate upbringings of the two men and the intricacies of their rivalry, asserting that their political battle for India laid the groundwork for all future conflicts between social uprisings and governing powers. The book was lauded as book of the year by both Kirkus Reviews and the Washington Post and was a finalist for the 2009 Pulitzer Prize for general nonfiction.
Other notable books by Herman include Freedom’s Forge: How American Business Produced Victory in World War II, named by the Economist magazine as one of the best books of 2012; Douglas MacArthur: American Warrior (2016); and 1917: Lenin, Wilson, and the Birth of the New World Disorder (2017). In 2021, Mariner Books published his work The Viking Heart: How Scandinavians Conquered the World.
In addition to his prolific writing, Herman is a respected speaker and academic lecturer on historical topics. Since 1990, he has been a frequent guest lecturer at the Smithsonian’s Campus on the Mall. He has also been a visiting scholar at the American Enterprise Institute, a conservative think tank concentrating on government and public policy; he is also a senior fellow at the conservative Hudson Institute.
Impact
Herman's work is regarded as an important reminder of the connection between history’s major confrontations and contemporary developments in the role of government in society. His arduous research has been credited with shedding new light on the issues as well as the characters who played such a crucial role in the development of the Western world.
Personal Life
Herman married Beth Marla Warshofsky in New York City in 1987. The two reside in central Virginia.
Bibliography
Andrews, Fred. “American Industry as War Hero.” New York Times 3 June 2012: 5. Print.
“Arthur Herman.” National Review. National Review Online, n.d. Web. 25 July 2013.
“Columnists: Arthur Herman.” New York Post. NYP Holdings, n.d. Web. 25 July 2013.
Goode, Stephen. “Herman Sheds New Light of McCarthy.” Insight on the News 7 Feb. 2000: 36–40. Print.
Sincere, Richard. “On D-Day Anniversary, Historian Arthur Herman Recalls WWII Industrial Effort.” Examiner. Clarity Digital Group, 6 June 2012. Web. 25 July 2013.
"The Viking Heart: How Scandinavians Conquered the World." Kirkus Reviews, 1 June 2021, www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/arthur-herman/the-viking-heart/. Accessed 20 Sept. 2024.