Rudolf Franz Flesch (8 May 1911 – 5 October 1986) was an Austrian-born naturalized American author (noted for his book Why Johnny Can't Read), and also a readability expert and writing consultant who was a vigorous proponent of plain English in the United States.
In the United States, Flesch became a graduate student at Columbia University, where he earned a PhD in Library Science.
Flesch lived for most of his life with his wife and children in Dobbs Ferry, New York, a village in southern Westchester county.
[2][3] Not long after finishing his graduate degree, in 1955 he published what became his most famous book, Why Johnny Can't Read: And What You Can Do About It.
In Lite English: Popular Words That Are OK to Use No Matter What William Safire, John Simon, Edwin Newman, and the Other Purists Say!