David W. Noble
Encyclopedia
David W. Noble is a professor of American Studies
at the University of Minnesota
. He is an historian of American intellectual trends and thought, and is a historiographer.
Professor David Watson Noble was born on March 17, 1925. David was the youngest of four children. Raised on a dairy farm in Princeton, New Jersey
, David saw first hand how the depression hurt families. His family farm was foreclosed on during the depression. David briefly served in the army during World War II, but was honorably discharged because of an injury that he received. Thanks to the GI bill, he earned his undergraduate degree from Princeton University
. David then went on to complete his doctorate from the University of Wisconsin–Madison
. He began his teaching career at the University of Minnesota in 1952. First David was a faculty member of the History Department, but later in his career he transferred over to the American Studies Program.
David Noble has written a number of books: The Paradox of Progressive Thought, 1958, Historians Against History: The Frontier Thesis and the National Covenant in Historical Writing since 1830, 1965, The Eternal Adam and the New World Garden, 1968, The Progressive Mind, 1981, The Restless Centuries: A History of the American People, (with Peter Carroll), 1973/1979, The Free and the Unfree: A Progressive History of the American People, 1992/1997/2001 (with Peter Carroll), Twentieth Century Limited: A History of Recent America, 1980, (with Peter Carroll and David Horowitz), The End of American History: Democracy, Capitalism and the Metaphor of Two Worlds in American Historical Writing, 1880-1980, 1985 and most recently Death of a Nation: American Culture and the End of Exceptionalism, 2002.
David is currently researching for a book on globalization. He has published over 250 articles and book reviews. The University of Minnesota began annually presenting the David Noble Lecture Series at the Minnesota History Museum in Saint Paul in the spring of 1996. The octogenarian professor is still teaching, however, he is planning to retire after the spring of 2009. He has mentioned to his students that one of his claims to fame is that he “delivered milk to Einstein’s house when he was a boy.” Another claim to fame is that he had his phone tapped by Army Intelligence and the FBI during the Vietnam War
.
David lives in an extended family household with his wife, his daughter and her husband, two of his grandchildren and a couple of honorary family members. He states that he lives in an extended family because, "[he] rejects the culture of modernity and identifies with traditional cultures".
American studies
American studies or American civilization is an interdisciplinary field dealing with the study of the United States. It traditionally incorporates the study of history, literature, and critical theory, but also includes fields as diverse as law, art, the media, film, religious studies, urban...
at the University of Minnesota
University of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system and has the fourth-largest main campus student body in the United States, with 52,557...
. He is an historian of American intellectual trends and thought, and is a historiographer.
Professor David Watson Noble was born on March 17, 1925. David was the youngest of four children. Raised on a dairy farm in Princeton, New Jersey
Princeton, New Jersey
Princeton is a community located in Mercer County, New Jersey, United States. It is best known as the location of Princeton University, which has been sited in the community since 1756...
, David saw first hand how the depression hurt families. His family farm was foreclosed on during the depression. David briefly served in the army during World War II, but was honorably discharged because of an injury that he received. Thanks to the GI bill, he earned his undergraduate degree from Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
. David then went on to complete his doctorate from the University of Wisconsin–Madison
University of Wisconsin–Madison
The University of Wisconsin–Madison is a public research university located in Madison, Wisconsin, United States. Founded in 1848, UW–Madison is the flagship campus of the University of Wisconsin System. It became a land-grant institution in 1866...
. He began his teaching career at the University of Minnesota in 1952. First David was a faculty member of the History Department, but later in his career he transferred over to the American Studies Program.
David Noble has written a number of books: The Paradox of Progressive Thought, 1958, Historians Against History: The Frontier Thesis and the National Covenant in Historical Writing since 1830, 1965, The Eternal Adam and the New World Garden, 1968, The Progressive Mind, 1981, The Restless Centuries: A History of the American People, (with Peter Carroll), 1973/1979, The Free and the Unfree: A Progressive History of the American People, 1992/1997/2001 (with Peter Carroll), Twentieth Century Limited: A History of Recent America, 1980, (with Peter Carroll and David Horowitz), The End of American History: Democracy, Capitalism and the Metaphor of Two Worlds in American Historical Writing, 1880-1980, 1985 and most recently Death of a Nation: American Culture and the End of Exceptionalism, 2002.
David is currently researching for a book on globalization. He has published over 250 articles and book reviews. The University of Minnesota began annually presenting the David Noble Lecture Series at the Minnesota History Museum in Saint Paul in the spring of 1996. The octogenarian professor is still teaching, however, he is planning to retire after the spring of 2009. He has mentioned to his students that one of his claims to fame is that he “delivered milk to Einstein’s house when he was a boy.” Another claim to fame is that he had his phone tapped by Army Intelligence and the FBI during the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
.
David lives in an extended family household with his wife, his daughter and her husband, two of his grandchildren and a couple of honorary family members. He states that he lives in an extended family because, "[he] rejects the culture of modernity and identifies with traditional cultures".