Henryk Hoffmann was born, raised and educated in Poznań, Poland. Upon his graduation from Adam Mickiewicz University with an MA in English Philology, he worked as an English teacher, translator and interpreter in several institutions, including his alma mater, the Polish Academy of Sciences and his self-owned firm. Since his immigration to the USA in 1992 he has taught Latin, German, English and History, first in North Carolina and then in Pennsylvania. He is the author of five reference books-"A" Western Filmmakers: A Biographical Dictionary of Writers, Directors, Cinematographers, Composers, Actors and Actresses (McFarland, 2000, 2008), Western Film Highlights: The Best of the West, 1914-2001 (McFarland, 2003, 2009), Leksykon gwiazd kina amerykańskiego (A Biographical Dictionary of American Movie Stars, Agencja Producentów Filmowych, Warsaw, 2006; written in Polish in collaboration with his daughters, Beata and Katarzyna), Western Movie References in American Literature (McFarland, 2012) and Four Hollywood Legends in World Literature: References to Bogart, Cooper, Gable and Tracy (BearManor Media, 2016); and one memoir-Ironies, Coincidences and Absurdities in My Ordinary Life on Both Sides of the Atlantic (Higher Ground Books & Media, 2019). Hoffmann's professional honors include the Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition (2000) for his first book, a two-time inclusion in Who's Who Among America's Teachers (Educational Communications, 2002 and 2005), an entry in Contemporary Authors (Thomson Gale, 2005) and an Honorary Diploma from the Polish Federation of Film Societies (on its 50th Anniversary, 2006). At present Hoffmann works at Perkiomen School in Pennsburg, PA, where he teaches Latin and German. He is an active member of the Western Writers of America and lives, with his wife Betsy, in Lititz, PA.
Henryk Hoffmann's recent work, The Careers of Burt Lancaster and
Kirk Douglas as Referenced in Literature: A Study in Film
Perception, proves - like his previous volumes - that the author is
an excellent film historian and a perceptive film critic. In this
study, Hoffmann aims to show that Burt Lancaster and Kirk Douglas
rank not only among America's most respected movie stars but also
that they have become iconic figures who are surprisingly often
referred to in many literary works, including genre fiction as well
as works by major American authors such as Updike, Pynchon or
DeLillo. The author has managed to find references to the two
actors and the movies featuring them in over 150 literary works,
which shows that the cultural impact the two movie stars and their
films have made is very significant. Hoffmann's study, however, is
much more than a reference book as it gives the readers a lot of
interesting information on the two actor's impressive film careers.
It also includes many remarks on the interrelations between film
and literature. Despite its largely encyclopedic character,
Hoffmann's study might prove interesting not only to film
specialists but also to those readers who today remain fascinated
with Lancaster's and Douglas's artistic creations.Prof. Dr Hab.
Jerzy Durczak
Maria Curie-Sklodowska University, Lublin, Poland
This book is an invitation to enjoy the aesthetic pleasures offered
by films and literature. Two iconic figures of American film
industry Burt Lancaster and Kirk Douglas left us a legacy - a
treasure trove of the American experience, values, and culture,
including their artistic achievements. The reception, appreciation,
interpretation, as well as functions and uses of these phenomena in
modern American and partly foreign literature, is the main object
of Henryk Hoffmann's investigation.
The author shows an extensive and impressive knowledge of American
film and literature and especially, the interrelations between
them. The remarkable collection of data includes over 60 films and
150 literary works of more than 120 authors. The approach of this
project is referential-analytic; that is, the body of collected
literary references is analyzed in terms of their contextualized
functions. Significantly, the structure, organization, and
presentation of the analysis are clear and easily accessible, even
for a general reader.
This book offers invaluable insights into what is important for the
creators of modern American culture and what they import from film
to literature and the other way around. Henryk Hoffmann's work is a
significant contribution to the research on enculturation and
cultural influence. It should inspire scholarly projects related to
the two areas of study. In addition to its undeniable educational
value, this book will certainly encourage the reader to see the
magnificent and memorable films as well as read at least some of
the books that refer to them. Prof. Dr Hab. Roman Kopytko
Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, Poland
Henryk Hoffmann's new book is yet another stellar achievement from
a scholar of great scope, painstaking work ethic and undiminished
passion. By focusing on two icons of 20th century American manhood
(Burt Lancaster and Kirk Douglas) and showing how their cultural
presence was both shaped and reinforced by literary references to
their work, Hoffmann shows his deep understanding of American
culture -- as well as illuminates its often-overlooked aspects.
[...]Dr Michal Oleszczyk
"Artes Liberales" Department, University of Warsaw, Poland
 |
Ask a Question About this Product More... |
|
