Nat Hentoff was an American author, journalist, music critic, and civil liberties advocate. He wrote for a variety of publications, including The Village Voice, The New Yorker, Down Beat, Jazz Times, and The Wall Street Journal. He was also the author of more than 30 books, including novels, non-fiction works, and biographies. He was known for his strong support of civil liberties and free speech, and was a vocal opponent of censorship. He passed away in 2017 at the age of 91.