John Finley’s era of humanism at Harvard

John H. Finley, Jr. (1904-1995) was described as “the living embodiment of Harvard” and under his long tenure the Eliot House dormitory became known as “more Harvard than Harvard itself.” As a professor, Finley reshaped American education during the Second World War to unify an increasingly diverse country and to inoculate against the rise of domestic authoritarianism. But his greatest legacy might be as house master, particularly his mentorship of his residents and students, many of whom would become defining names in American culture, politics, and business.

The Master of Eliot House tells the story of Finley's life and times. A double biography of sorts, it follows the arc of the twentieth century through a single building through which so many of the key figures passed through, either as students or as distinguished guests. Co-written by Nelson W. Aldrich, Jr., a former editor of The Paris Review and resident of Eliot House, and Constantine Archimedes Valhouli, the book draws from archival materials and extensive interviews to bring alive the world of mid-century Harvard, and to highlight how the changes which began in the Second World War continue to shape our world today.