Clifton Fadiman
Clifton Fadiman – Life, Career, and Famous Quotes
Delve into the life and legacy of Clifton Fadiman (1904–1999), the American writer, editor, anthologist, and radio/TV intellectual. Explore his biography, career highlights, famous quotes, and enduring influence.
Introduction
Clifton Paul “Kip” Fadiman (May 15, 1904 – June 20, 1999) was a towering presence in mid-20th-century American letters: an editor, anthologist, essayist, broadcaster, and advocate for the world of reading and ideas.
He is perhaps best known as the genial host of the radio quiz show Information, Please! (1938–1948), a program that blended wit, erudition, and popular curiosity.
Yet that radio persona was only one facet of his contribution. Over decades, Fadiman edited books, compiled anthologies, wrote essays, contributed to The New Yorker, and shaped the reading habits of a generation. His legacy resides in his voice as a “guide to the wisdom of others.”
Early Life and Family
Clifton Fadiman was born in Brooklyn, New York City on May 15, 1904, to Russian-Jewish immigrant parents.
His father, Isadore Fadiman, was a pharmacist (druggist) who immigrated to the U.S. around 1892; his mother, Grace (born Mandelbaum), worked as a nurse.
Intellect and curiosity were in his blood: Fadiman was a nephew of psychologist Boris Sidis and a first cousin of child prodigy William James Sidis.
As a child, he was reportedly a voracious reader—he read widely and deeply from an early age, absorbing the classical and literary canon.
Youth, Education, and Intellectual Formation
Fadiman entered Columbia College (Columbia University) and was part of the Class of 1924, though he graduated in 1925 due to financial constraints. At Columbia, he was contemporaries with notable scholars and writers like Jacques Barzun, Mortimer Adler, Lionel Trilling, Whittaker Chambers, and others.
He also studied under the eminent poet-scholar Mark Van Doren, who remained a lifelong friend and influence.
After graduating, from 1925 to 1927 Fadiman taught English at the Ethical Culture High School (later Fieldston School) in the Bronx.
These years grounded him in pedagogy, literature, and the ethos of public intellectual engagement, all of which he would carry into his later roles as editor and broadcaster.
Career and Achievements
Publishing & ing
Soon after teaching, Fadiman joined Simon & Schuster as a book editor. He reportedly brought with him a folder of “a hundred ideas for books” to his interview, displaying both ambition and literary imagination.
While at Simon & Schuster, he played a key role in launching Whittaker Chambers’ translation of Bambi from German—a project that became unexpectedly successful.
In 1933, Fadiman became the book review editor for The New Yorker, a position he held until 1943.
He also served long-term on the Book of the Month Club, helping to curate selections for readers across the country—a role he held for over 50 years.
Over his lifetime, Fadiman was associated with over 90 works (as author, editor, compiler, or contributor) spanning essays, anthologies, children’s literature, introductions, and prefaces.
Some of his best-known edited or compiled works include:
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Fantasia Mathematica (1958), an anthology combining mathematics and literature.
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The Mathematical Magpie (1962), a companion collection of essays, cartoons, poetry, and ephemera tied to mathematics.
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Lifetime Reading Plan (1960), conceived as a reading roadmap for lifelong learners.
He also edited many general anthologies, children’s collections, and prefaced classic works with introductions elucidating their relevance to modern readers.
Radio & Broadcasting
In May 1938, Fadiman took the helm of the radio quiz show Information, Please!, which ran until June 1948.
The format: listeners submitted questions, and a panel of intellectuals (including Franklin P. Adams, John Kieran, Oscar Levant) responded; Fadiman moderated with a blend of intellect, wit, and graciousness.
Fadiman also contributed to Metropolitan Opera radio broadcasts (1949–1960), offering commentary and in-intermission interviews with opera singers.
Television & Later Broadcast Work
In 1952, Information, Please! was adapted for CBS television for a short run (13 weeks) as a summer replacement show.
His longest-running TV show was This Is Show Business (initially This Is Broadway) on CBS, from July 1949 to March 1954, with a revival in 1956. The show combined music, performance, and intellectual commentary.
He also filled in as host for the game show The Name’s the Same on ABC for its last 11 weeks in 1955, and substituted for What’s My Line? host John Daly in 1958 for two weeks.
In his later years, even as his eyesight failed, he continued to contribute to literary culture by reviewing manuscripts and dictating his thoughts—a testament to his dedication.
Honors & Recognition
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Fadiman received the Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters from the National Book Foundation.
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In 1969, he was awarded the Clarence Day Award by the American Library Association.
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He also held roles as Chief orial Adviser to the Book-of-the-Month Club and was on the editorial board of Encyclopædia Britannica.
Historical Context & Significance
Fadiman’s career spanned eras in which mass media (radio, then television) became vehicles for intellectual culture. He inhabited a cultural niche bridging “highbrow” and “mass” — bringing literature, ideas, and erudition into the homes of everyday Americans.
He embodied what midcentury America valued in a public intellectual: wit, breadth of knowledge, elegance of speech, and the ability to converse with both scholars and general audiences.
His anthologies—especially on mathematics and literature—also reflect a time when the boundaries between disciplines were more fluid, and editors and thinkers took seriously the task of making connections across fields.
In a period of rapid technological and cultural change, Fadiman stood as a stable intellectual figure who promoted reading, conversation, and cultural literacy as anchors for democratic life.
Legacy and Influence
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Fadiman influenced countless readers through his anthologies and editorial work, shaping reading habits across generations.
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His role on Information, Please! made him a household name; his style of combining knowledge and humor set a template for intellectual broadcasting.
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Though many of his books are now out of print, his Lifetime Reading Plan and the anthologies remain references for readers and educators.
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His daughter, Anne Fadiman, became a respected writer and essayist, extending his literary lineage.
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His career is often cited as a model of the “public intellectual”—someone who can sustain serious engagement while remaining accessible to wider audiences.
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The memoir The Wine Lover’s Daughter by his daughter helps revive interest in his life, revealing both his strengths and frailties.
While his name may not be as widely recognized today, his voice and influence still echo in how intellectuals engage with public culture.
Personality, Style & Talents
Fadiman was known for his polished style, ease of conversation, humorous asides, and wide cultural range.
He prided himself on being a “guide” rather than a torchbearer—a steward of collective intelligence, curiosity, and literary taste.
His manner in broadcast and writing combined graciousness, self-effacement, and erudition. He often deployed puns, wordplay, and literary allusions in his moderating and essays.
In later life, as his vision failed, he continued working—listening to tapes, dictating reviews, and staying intellectually active—a testament to his dedication.
He also harbored a modest insecurity about his place in cultural hierarchies—this is made vivid in his daughter’s reflections in The Wine Lover’s Daughter, where he sometimes felt on the margins socially despite his intellectual prominence.
Famous Quotes of Clifton Fadiman
Here are several of Fadiman’s witticisms and reflections that capture his outlook on reading, culture, and life:
“When you reread a classic, you do not see more in the book than you did before — you see more in you than there was before.”
“For most men life is a search for the proper manila envelope in which to get themselves filed.”
“A book is the only place in which you can examine a fragile thought without breaking it.” (attributed in many collections of quotations with attribution to Fadiman)
“The test of a good reading is that you come away feeling less alone.” (often cited in collections of literary quotes)
“What would it be like, one day, to walk into a library and have every book read to you in order of importance — what a profoundly interesting list that would be.” (quoted in essays about reading and futurism)
These lines reflect his belief in the spiritual and transformative power of books and the deep interior life of the reader.
Lessons from Clifton Fadiman
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Be a bridge, not a gatekeeper
Fadiman’s mission was often to connect readers to ideas—not to exclude but to invite exploration. -
Cultivate wide curiosity
His anthologies and editorials showed that disciplines enrich one another: mathematics, literature, music, philosophy—all converse. -
Honor the reader’s inner life
He understood that reading is not passive but active, an interior dialogue with text—and that it shapes identity. -
Persistence matters
Even when his eyesight failed, Fadiman continued working. The love of ideas outweighed physical limitations. -
Humility among erudition
His style was marked by graciousness and generosity of tone—even as he deployed vast knowledge, he preferred not to dominate but to lead gently.
Conclusion
Clifton Fadiman was more than a literary figure or radio host—he was a cultural interlocutor, a voice that invited people to read, think, and converse. His legacy lives in the many books he shaped, the readers he inspired, and the model he offered of an intellectual life that is both serious and generous.
If you're curious to explore his writing, I recommend starting with Lifetime Reading Plan and his anthologies Fantasia Mathematica or The Mathematical Magpie. And for a more intimate portrait, The Wine Lover’s Daughter offers a daughter’s view into the man behind the public voice.