Arianna Huffington

Arianna Huffington "is a nationally syndicated columnist and author of ten books. Originally from Greece, she moved to England when she was sixteen and graduated from Cambridge University with an M.A. in Economics. At twenty-one she became President of the famed debating society, the Cambridge Union.

"In 2003, she ran for governor as an Independent in California's recall election. Her populist grassroots campaign was widely praised for putting the media spotlight on the corrupting influence of special interest money on American politics.

"Her first book, The Female Woman, on the changing roles of women, was published in 1974 by Random House and translated into eleven languages. In 1978 she published After Reason, a book on political leadership and the intersection of politics and culture. Her biography of Maria Callas: The Woman Behind the Legend, published in 1981 quickly became an international bestseller. Her fourth book, The Gods of Greece, celebrated the power of myths as guides to forgotten dimensions of life and ourselves, and has been republished by Atlantic Monthly Press, with paintings by Francoise Gilot.

"Her biography of Pablo Picasso, Picasso: Creator and Destroyer, published in 1988, was a major international bestseller, translated into sixteen languages. The book was reissued by Avon Books to coincide with the release of a feature film based on the book, produced by Merchant-Ivory for Warner Bros. and starring Anthony Hopkins as Picasso. In 1994, she published The Fourth Instinct on the longing for meaning in a secular world. Her seventh book, Greetings From the Lincoln Bedroom, a book of political satire, was published in 1998 by Crown. How To Overthrow The Government, on the corruption of our political system and the need for reform, was published in 2000 by Regan Books (Harper Collins).

"Her New York Times bestseller, "Pigs at the Trough: How Corporate Greed and Political Corruption are Undermining America", was published in 2003. Her latest book, "Fanatics and Fools: The Game Plan for Winning Back America" (April 2004), offers both a scathing portrait of our contemporary political landscape and a bold, inspiring, yet practical approach to restoring America to the promise envisioned by our greatest leaders.

"During Campaign '96, Arianna teamed up with Al Franken to provide political coverage for Comedy Central during the Republican and Democratic conventions, as well as on election night. She and Franken also appeared in a point-counterpoint segment, Strange Bedfellows, for Politically Incorrect...

"She serves on several boards that promote community solutions to social problems, including A Place Called Home that works with at-risk children in South Central Los Angeles. She also serves on the Board of Trustees for the Archer School for Girls, the advisory board of the Council on American Politics at George Washington University, and the board of the Reform Institute that works on campaign and election reform issues."

"She serves on several boards, including EL PAÍS, PRISA, the Center for Public Integrity, and the Committee to Protect Journalists."

In January 2014 "Arianna Huffington and the billionaire investor Nicolas Berggruen... announced the launch of World Post, a comment and news website that looks set to become a platform for some of the most powerful people on the planet. Inevitably, the World Post will be launched at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, this month. Many of its contributors including former British prime minister Tony Blair, Microsoft’s Bill Gates and Google’s Eric Schmidt are regulars at the annual jamboree for the world’s most connected people. Many are also advisers to the Berggruen Institute, the billionaire investor’s nonpartisan policy think tank."

Her sister is Agapi Stassinopoulos.

Affiliations

 * President and editor-in-chief, Huffington Post Media Group
 * Cofounder, Americans for Fuel Efficient Cars
 * Director, Committee to Protect Journalists
 * Honorary Board member, Drug Policy Alliance
 * Advisory Board, Renaissance Weekend
 * Advisory Board, The White House Project

Criticism

 * Lauren Collins, "The Oracle: The Many Lives of Arianna Huffington", The New Yorker, October 13, 2008.

Related Sourcewatch

 * Omega Institute
 * Betsy Morgan
 * Bernard Levin - former partner who explored the mysticism of Insight training with her. "(Insight was founded by the spiritual leader John-Roger, with whom Huffington has remained affiliated."
 * Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh
 * Ann Getty - close friend
 * author of “The Fourth Instinct: The Call of the Soul" and “On Becoming Fearless”
 * Michael Huffington