Arthur Koestler Quotes

A collection of quotes by Arthur Koestler.

Arthur Koestler was a Hungarian-British author and journalist, born on September 5, 1905, in Budapest, Hungary. He is best known for his thought-provoking works on politics, science, and psychology. Koestler studied at the University of Vienna before becoming a journalist and joining the Communist Party. However, disillusioned with the party's methods, he turned against communism and became an outspoken critic of totalitarian ideologies.

Koestler's most renowned novel, "Darkness at Noon," published in 1940, depicts the struggles of an older Bolshevik revolutionary during the Soviet purges of the 1930s. It is considered an important and influential work in examining the ethics of political revolution. Koestler's experiences working as a war correspondent during the Spanish Civil War also greatly influenced his writing.

Throughout his career, Koestler delved into diverse topics, including philosophy, evolution, and the nature of human creativity. He is widely recognized for his interdisciplinary approach to writing, often blending fiction and non-fiction elements in his works. "The Act of Creation," published in 1964, explored the parallels between scientific and artistic creativity.

Arthur Koestler's life was marked by his intellectual curiosity, political activism, and challenging of conventional wisdom. He wrote over thirty books, spanning a wide range of genres, leaving a lasting impact on the literary and intellectual community. Koestler died on March 3, 1983, in London, leaving behind a remarkable legacy as a prolific and thought-provoking writer.