Walter Benjamin

Peter E. Gordon teaches social theory and philosophy at Harvard University. His books include Migrants in the Profane: Critical Theory and the Question of Secularization and A Precarious Happiness: Adorno and the Sources of Normativity. He lives in Cambridge, MA.

“A short, serene volume. . . . Gordon avoids treating his subject in allegorical terms, in part because Benjamin always resisted conscription into a story larger than his own.”—Anahid Nersessian, New Yorker“Gordon doesn’t belabour the tragedy of Benjamin’s death. Instead, he writes the life, and explains why his subject remains of value through works of striking critical insight.”—Stuart Jeffries, Financial TimesFinancial Times, “What To Read in 2026““Gordon puts a welcome emphasis on the Jewish theological strand of Benjamin’s thought.”—Rory O’Sullivan, Irish Times“This fine and concise biography by Harvard professor Peter E Gordon is a beautifully written corrective.”—Matthew D’Ancona, New World“A beautifully written biography that is particularly valuable for readers not already familiar with Benjamin’s life and work but also a pleasure to read for others more conversant with his writings.”—Klaus Neumann, Inside Story“Gordon . . . offers a concise overview of the most important pre-war critic.”—Ben Hutchinson, ‘Summer books of 2026’, Times Literary Supplement“By reading Benjamin’s own texts against the grain of the hagiography that has come to surround him, Peter Gordon unwinds the myths, and in the most learned and informed fashion, gives us back the human being.”—Susan Buck-Morss, CUNY Graduate Center and Cornell University