COMMENTARY

Peter Burgess

Biography of Arianna Huffington

Arianna Huffington is the president and editor-in-chief of the Huffington Post Media Group, a nationally syndicated columnist, and author of thirteen books.

In May 2005, she launched The Huffington Post, a news and blog site that quickly became one of the most widely-read, linked to, and frequently-cited media brands on the Internet.

In 2006, and again in 2011, she was named to the Time 100, Time Magazine's list of the world’s 100 most influential people.

Originally from Greece, she moved to England when she was 16 and graduated from Cambridge University with an M.A. in economics. At 21, she became president of the famed debating society, the Cambridge Union.

Her books are:

* 'Third World America: How Our Politicians Are Abandoning the Middle Class and Betraying the American Dream' was published in 2010.

* 'Right Is Wrong: How the Lunatic Fringe Hijacked America, Shredded the Constitution, and Made Us All Less Safe' was published in 2008. Both a withering indictment and a hopeful call to arms, 'Right Is Wrong' makes the case that America has been hijacked from within by the “lunatic fringe” of the Right that has taken over the Republican Party –- enabled by a compliant media that act as if there is no such thing as truth and are more interested in cozying up to those in power than in holding them accountable.

* 'On Becoming Fearless....in Love, Work and Life' is Huffington's most personal book to date, offering a road map for achieving fearlessness in every aspect of life, a straight-to the point manifesto on how to be bold, how to say what needs to be said and do what needs to be done in order to find the freedom to love, lead and succeed.

* “Fanatics and Fools: The Game Plan for Winning Back America”, offers a scathing portrait of our contemporary political landscape with a bold, inspiring and practical approach to restoring America to the promise envisioned by our greatest leaders. It was published in 2004.

* “Pigs at the Trough: How Corporate Greed and Political Corruption are Undermining America,” a New York Times bestseller, was published in 2003.

* “How to Overthrow the Government,” on the corruption of our political system and the need for reform, was published in 2000.

* “Greetings from the Lincoln Bedroom,” a political satire, was published in 1998.

* “The Fourth Instinct,” on the longing for meaning in a secular world, was published in 1994.

* “Picasso: Creator and Destroyer,” a biography of Pablo Picasso was published in 1988. It was a major international bestseller, translated into 16 languages. The book was made into a film starring Anthony Hopkins as Picasso and produced by Merchant-Ivory for Warner Bros.

* “The Gods of Greece,” celebrates the power of myths as guides to forgotten dimensions of life and ourselves. Atlantic Monthly Press republished it with paintings by Françoise Gilot

* “The Woman behind the Legend,” published in 1981, a biography of Maria Callas quickly became an international bestseller.

* “After Reason,” on political leadership and the intersection of politics and culture was published in 1978.

* “The Female Woman,” on the changing roles of women, was published in 1974 by Random House and translated into 11 languages.

Huffington has made guest appearances on numerous television shows, including “Charlie Rose,” “Oprah,” “Nightline,” “Real Time with Bill Maher,” “Hardball,” “Good Morning America,” the “Today” show, 'The Tonight Show with Jay Leno,' 'The Daily Show with Jon Stewart,' and 'The O’Reilly Factor.'

She serves on several boards that promote community solutions to social problems, including A Place Called Home, which works with at-risk children in South Central Los Angeles. She also serves on the board of EL PAÍS and the Committee to Protect Journalists.