John Kenneth Galbraith - author & ambassador

About

John Kenneth Galbraith (1908-2006) was one of the world's best known economists whose eloquent and internationally recognized writings on economics, public policy and culture helped shape the identity of the modern United States and 20th-century American liberalism. He was a professor at Harvard University for decades. He spent long summers in Newfane, VT for more than 30 years and frequented the Moore Free Library which reserves a special shelf for the dozens of books he wrote the quintessential analysis of the Great Depression -The Great Crash - and The Affluent Society, both of which were bestsellers from the 1950s through the 2000s. He also wrote hundreds of magazine articles and several novels. He served in the administrations of four presidents and was US Ambassador to India under the Kennedy administration. He received the WWII Medal of Freedom in 1946 and the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 200 for his public service and contributions to science. His sons Peter and Jamie Galbraith are important writers and continue to use the family home and contribute to local dialogue through the local Windham World Affairs Council which continues an annual lecture in honor of their father. In the first segment, learn more about John Kenneth Galbraith from Joyce Marcel. In the second segment, his son Peter Galbraith shares insights on writing he learned from his father, who he says viewed himself primarily as a writer, and the elder Galbraith shares advice with us.

Research & Production

SEGMENT 1:
Community Researcher/Script/Narrator: Joyce Marcel
Producer/Editor: Lissa Weinmann
End story voice: Randolph Holhut

SEGMENT 2:
Narrator: Peter Galbraith
Producer/editor: Lissa Weinmann

Voice of John Kenneth Galbraith: 'Intellectual Journey: Challenging the Conventional Wisdom, A Conversation with John Kenneth Galbraith' from Conversations with History, Department of International Relations, University of California, Berkeley, with Harry Kreisler, March 27, 1986.

Music:
Segment 1: Elevated by Neil Cross / Storyblocks
Aphotic Undercurrent by Lance Conrad / Storyblocks

Ongoing Development and Involvement:
As a community-created project, we encourage ongoing dialogue, questions, and engagement. If you would like to be involved in future developments, have information or a perspective that could deepen others' understanding of this topic, please contact us.

Pictured above: American Ambassador to India, John Kenneth Galbraith and First Lady Jaqueline Kennedy in New Delhi