Hazlitt was also the most important public intellectual within the Austrian tradition of Ludwig von Mises, F.A. Hayek, and Murray N. Rothbard, all of whom he credited as primary sources in economics. He wrote in every important public forum of his day, most prominently the Nation, the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times (frequently headlining the powerful book review section), the American Mercury, Century, the Freeman, National Review, Newsweek, and many more. His every article is unfailingly poignant, provocative, and learned. At various points in his career, he was among the most influential literary critics, editorialists, and financial writers in the country, as a biography of his life and influence would easily demonstrate. For example, Hazlitt's review of Ludwig von Mises's first book to be translated into English made Socialism an instant classic in this country. His review of F.A. Hayek's Road to Serfdom led Reader's Digest to publish the condensed version that catapulted Hayek to fame.

Mr. Hazlitt — journalist, literary critic, economist, philosopher — was one of the most brilliant public intellectuals of our century. He was born on November 28, 1894, and died on July 8, 1993, at the age of 98. In his final years, he often expressed surprise that Economics in One Lesson had become his most enduring contribution. He wrote it to expose the popular fallacies of its day. He did not know that those fallacies would be government policy for the duration of the century.

Hazlitt also wanted to be known for his other contributions, which include a novel, a trialogue on literary criticism, two large treaties on economics and moral philosophy, several edited volumes, some sixteen other books, and countless chapters in books, articles, commentaries, reviews. He once estimated that he had written 10 million words and that his collected works would run to 150 volumes.

Excerpted from "A Biography of Henry Hazlitt" by Llewellyn H. Rockwell Jr.