Charles Van Doren (1926–2019)
Author of How to Read a Book, Revised and Updated Edition
About the Author
Charles Lincoln Van Doren was born in Manhattan, New York on February 12, 1926. During World War II, he served with the Army Air Forces. He received a bachelor's degree from St. John's College and a master's degree in mathematics from Columbia University in 1949. After studies at Cambridge show more University in England and the Sorbonne in Paris, he started teaching English at Columbia in 1955 and received a doctorate in literature there in 1959. From November 28, 1956 to March 11, 1957, he appeared on the NBC quiz show Twenty-One. He won a total of $129,000. He appeared on the cover of Time magazine and signed a $150,000 contract to appear on NBC shows for three years. As rumors and skepticism over TV quiz shows being fixed arose, he insisted that he had not taken part in any deceptions. However, on November 2, 1959, he told congressional investigators that the shows had all been fixed, that he had been given questions and answers in advance, and that he had been coached to make the performances more dramatic. He lost his job at Columbia, NBC canceled his contract, and he pleaded guilty to second-degree perjury and received a suspended sentence. He became an editor and a writer. He took a job with Encyclopaedia Britannica and eventually became a vice president in charge of the editorial department. He retired in 1982. He wrote several books including The Joy of Reading and A History of Knowledge. He died on April 9, 2019 at the age of 93. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
Image credit: Quiz show "21" host Jack Barry turns toward contestant Charles Van Doren as fellow contestant Vivienne Nearing looks on/photo by Orlando Fernandez: New York World-Telegram and the Sun Newspaper Photograph Collection (Library of Congress)(LC-USZ62-126813)
Works by Charles Van Doren
The Joy of Reading: A Passionate Guide to 189 of the World's Best Authors and Their Works (2008) 130 copies
Great Treasury of Western Thought: A Compendium of Important Statements and Comments on Man and His Institutions by… (1977) — Editor — 112 copies
Webster's Guide to American History: A Chronological, Geographical, and Biographical Survey and Compendium (1971) — Editor — 48 copies
How to Read a Book {video} — Author — 9 copies
Growing up in the Wild West 7 copies
Growing Up on a Clipper Ship 1 copy
Associated Works
Best-In-Books: Twilight for the Gods / 20,000 Miles South / Rascals in Paradise / Lincoln's Commando / Bermuda (1957) — Contributor — 4 copies
Tagged
Common Knowledge
- Legal name
- Van Doren, Charles Lincoln
- Birthdate
- 1926-02-12
- Date of death
- 2019-04-09
- Gender
- male
- Nationality
- USA
- Birthplace
- New York, New York, USA
- Place of death
- Canaan, Connecticut, USA
- Places of residence
- Cornwall, Connecticut, USA
Cortona, Tuscany, Italy - Education
- Columbia University (MA ∙ PhD)
St. John's College (Annapolis ∙ BA) - Occupations
- editor
- Relationships
- Van Doren, Mark (father)
Van Doren, Carl (uncle)
Van Doren, John (brother) - Organizations
- Columbia University
NBC
Encyclopædia Britannica
Twenty-One (NBC Quiz Show)
Members
Reviews
Lists
You May Also Like
Associated Authors
Statistics
- Works
- 21
- Also by
- 2
- Members
- 9,516
- Popularity
- #2,524
- Rating
- 4.0
- Reviews
- 85
- ISBNs
- 61
- Languages
- 9
- Favorited
- 1