Robert Darnton, born in New York City in 1939, built a career bridging the divide between classical historical scholarship and the digital evolution of libraries. A product of Phillips Academy, Harvard, and Oxford, he established himself as a central figure in the history of the book, analyzing how information circulated through eighteenth-century France.
Academic Foundations and Early Career
After graduating from Harvard in 1960, Darnton traveled to Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar. He earned his doctorate in 1964 with a thesis on radical propaganda prior to the French Revolution. His professional trajectory began in journalism at The New York Times, followed by a tenure at the Harvard Society of Fellows. In 1968, he joined the Princeton University faculty, eventually becoming the Shelby Cullom Davis Professor of European History.
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Darnton earned recognition for works such as The Great Cat Massacre, which examined French cultural history through unique episodes. His research focuses on the mechanics of enlightenment, publishing, and censorship. He received the Leo Gershoy Award in 1979 for The Business of Enlightenment and the National Book Critics Circle Award in 1995 for The Forbidden Best-Sellers of Pre-Revolutionary France. He remains an active scholar, publishing numerous volumes including The Revolutionary Temper and The Writer's Lot.
Leadership in Library Science and Digital Access
Transitioning to library administration in 2007, he served as the director of the Harvard University Library until 2015. During this time, he championed the democratization of knowledge, co-founding the Digital Public Library of America and developing digital archives such as Colonial North America: Worlds of Change. His efforts were recognized with the National Humanities Medal in 2011, reflecting his commitment to making information accessible to the public.
Fast facts
- Born: 1939, New York City
- Education: Harvard University, University of Oxford, Phillips Academy
- Field: History of the book, 18th-century France
- Key Position: Director of Harvard University Library (2007-2015)
- Notable Book: The Great Cat Massacre
- Major Award: National Humanities Medal (2011)
- Memberships: American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Academia Europaea
- Languages: English, French
Questions readers ask
What is the primary focus of Robert Darnton's historical work?
He specializes in the history of the book and the dissemination of information in 18th-century France.
Did Robert Darnton work in journalism?
Yes, he was a reporter for The New York Times between 1964 and 1965.
What major digital project did he co-found?
He co-founded the Digital Public Library of America.
Achievements
- Knight of the Legion of Honour
- Notable work: The Great Cat Massacre