Benjamin Haile DeMott (June 2, 1924, Rockville Centre, New York – September 29, 2005, Worthington, Mass.) was an American English professor and cultural critic. The author of more than a dozen books, DeMott was known for his cultural criticism in popular magazines and a trilogy, The Imperial Middle: Why Americans Can't Think Straight about Class (1990), The Trouble with Friendship: Why Americans Can't Think Straight about Race (1995), and Killer Woman Blues: Why Americans Can't Think Straight about Gender (2000).[1]

He wrote glowingly of Otis Redding, the Beatles' "Blue Jay Way" and "the supergorgeous Mantovanian Motown Sound", while mocking Marshall McLuhan and Mary Ellmann.[2] One of DeMott's last pieces was a scalding dissection of the 9/11 Commission report that appeared in Harper's Magazine in 2004.[3] His final piece, "Battling the Hard Man: Notes on Addiction to the Pornography of Violence", was published in Harper's in August 2007.[4]

DeMott taught English at Amherst College for more than 40 years.

DeMott was survived by Margaret, whom he married in 1946, and their four children.

References

http://www.firstofthemonth.org/the-uses-of-benjamin-demott-part-1/

http://www.firstofthemonth.org/the-uses-of-benjamin-demott-part-2/

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