Aldous Huxley

Date of Birth: July 26, 1894

Zodiac Sign: Leo

Date of Death: November 22, 1963

Biography

Aldous Leonard Huxley was born on July 26, 1894, in Godalming, Surrey, England. He was an English writer and philosopher, best known for his novels including “Brave New World,” a dystopian work published in 1932. Huxley’s literary career spanned over four decades, during which he wrote novels, essays, poetry, and screenplays. His works often explored themes of dystopian futures, human potential, and the effects of technology on society. Huxley was the third son of the writer Leonard Huxley and his first wife, Julia Arnold. He was educated at Eton College and later at Balliol College, Oxford. Despite suffering from a debilitating eye condition that left him partially blind, Huxley graduated with first-class honors in English literature. Throughout his life, Huxley was deeply interested in spiritual and philosophical subjects. In the later part of his career, he became known for his exploration of psychedelic substances, which he detailed in his influential work “The Doors of Perception” (1954). Huxley spent much of his later years in the United States, particularly in California, where he continued writing and exploring his interests in mysticism and consciousness. Aldous Huxley passed away on November 22, 1963, the same day President John F. Kennedy was assassinated.

5 Interesting Facts about Aldous Huxley

1. Huxley was almost completely blind for a significant part of his life due to an illness he contracted at age 16.

2. He was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature seven times but never won.

3. His novel “Brave New World” was initially banned in several countries, including Ireland, for its controversial themes.

4. Huxley was a pacifist and was involved in various peace movements throughout his life.

5. He was a mentor to Timothy Leary, the famous advocate of psychedelic drugs in the 1960s.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from Aldous Huxley

1. “Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored.”

2. “Experience is not what happens to a man; it is what a man does with what happens to him.”

3. “After silence, that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music.”

4. “There are things known and there are things unknown, and in between are the doors of perception.”

5. “That men do not learn very much from the lessons of history is the most important of all the lessons of history.”

Highest Net Worth Achieved

While specific figures about Aldous Huxley’s highest net worth are not well-documented, it is estimated that he achieved a modest net worth by the time of his death, primarily through his successful writing career.

Children

Aldous Huxley had one child, a son named Matthew Huxley, born in 1920 to his first wife, Maria Nys. Matthew Huxley became a well-known epidemiologist and anthropologist.