Lester Gilbert Crocker

Background

Lester Crocker was born on April 23, 1912, in New York. He was the son of a real-estate lawyer. Lester changed his surname from Krakower for Crocker.

Education

Lester Crocker graduated from New York University, where he got a Bachelor of Arts in 1932 and a Master of Arts in 1934. He also received his Doctor of Philosophy from the University of California in 1936. Besides, Lester earned a Certificat de Literature Française from the University of Paris in 1933.

Career

Shortly afterward the education, Lester Crocker started his career as an educator. His first academic position was as an assistant professor of Romance languages at Wittenberg University in 1937-1939.

Then, during the 1940s, Lester Crocker also taught languages at Queens College and Sweet Briar College, while his work was interrupted. He spent four years as a director of the production at Eastern Sound Studios in New York.

The 1950s found Lester teaching at Goucher College in Baltimore. Besides, he served as a research scholar at the University of Paris in 1954-1955. He then moved to Case Western Reserve University, where Lester taught and was a chair of the department of Romance languages from 1960 to 1963, dean of the graduate school from 1963 to 1967, and dean of humanities from 1967 to 1971.

The end of his career he spent at the University of Virginia. Lester Crocker was a Kenan Professor of French from 1971 until his retirement as a professor emeritus in 1980. Lester was also a chair of the French department and general linguistics at the University of Virginia from 1971 to 1977, and since 1980 he became a professor emeritus. In 1975-1976 Lester Crocker was a visiting professor at the Paris-Sorbonne University.

As a scholar, he was known for his writings on Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Denis Diderot, and the Marquis de Sade, and he was the author of such influential books as The Embattled Philosopher: A Biography of Denis Diderot and the two-volume Jean-Jacques Rousseau. On French philosophy, in general, he had a lasting impact in academia with his books An Age of Crisis: Man and World in Eighteenth-Century French Thought and Nature and Culture: Ethical Thought in the French Enlightenment. Other books by Lester Crocker include Rousseau's Social Contract: An Interpretive Essay and Diderot's Chaotic Order: Approach and Synthesis.

Achievements

• Lester Crocker was widely known as an educator. He taught in such universities as Wittenberg University, Case Western Reserve University, and the University of Virginia. At Virginia, he was promoted to a professor emeritus.
  
  As a scholar, Lester Crocker was a noted scholar of eighteenth-century French literature and Enlightenment philosophy. He was well known for his insightful interpretations of the writings of Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Denis Diderot, and the Marquis de Sade.

Works

More photos

• book

  • Diderot's Chaotic Order

    (The book examines Diderot's approach to aesthetics as a h...)

    1974
  • Histoire d'Une Révanche

    (A book is written in French for the beginner French stude...)

    1992
  • Two Diderot studies 1952
  • Enlightenment studies in honour of Lester G. Crocker 1979
  • An Age of Crisis 1959
  • Nature and Culture 1963
  • Rousseau's Social Contract 1966
  • The embattled philosopher: A biography of Denis Diderot 1954
  • Jean-Jacques Rousseau 1968
  • Jean-Jacques Rousseau: The Prophetic Voice 1973

Membership

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  In 1969-1971 Lester Crocker was the president of the American Society for 18th Century Studies.

  American Society for 18th Century Studies , United States

• 

  Lester Crocker was a chairman of philosophical approaches to literature in 1977.

  Modern Language Association , United States

• Société d'Histoire Littéraire , France

• 

  Phi Beta Kappa , United States

• 

  Athenaeum , United Kingdom

• In 1971-1975 Lester Crocker was the president of the International Society for Study of 18th Century.

  International Society for Study of 18th Century

Connections

Lester Crocker was married to Billie Danziger on February 16, 1934. They had two children: Roger and Leslie Joyce.

Wife:

Billie Danziger

Son:

Roger Crocker

Daughter:

Leslie Crocker Snyder

Leslie Crocker Snyder is an American lawyer and former judge.