Abstract

An individual writes a book or a series of books. A few people read and appreciate what is written. The vast majority never reads the author's work or, if they do, misunderstand it. Consequently the author remains unknown or misread in his own lifetime. Decades pass and eventually his writings are uncovered by another generation living in a different context and facing a new set of socio-cultural problems. The author's oeuvre then undergoes a re-evaluation, and the author himself may even gain what he never had while he was alive: a reputation for being a meaningful and significant thinker.

This process has happened numerous times in history though not much attention has been paid to it.