Customer Reviews

The American Idea: The Best of the Atlantic Monthly

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"The American Idea" anthology represents compiled writings of the times by major writers and thinkers in the Atlantic Monthly magazine over a period of 150 years. The contributions by writers like W.E.B. Du Bois, Albert Einstein, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Helen Keller, Ernest Hemingway, John F. Kennedy, William Langewiesche serve to paint a more meaningful portrayal of our history than those publisher written tomes used in our schools.
The Atlantic Monthly and its editor Robert Vare should be applauded for compiling this important anthology! If one wants to really appreciate the evolution of our country, "The American Idea" should become the new standard for understanding our true history as seen by these important writers and reporters of the time.

This anthology is a valued treasure, as it covers, in context, the most salient, if not the most momentous events and times in American and world history: From arts and letters, to science and engineering, to politics and philosophy, to domestic and international conflict and problems, the Atlantic Monthly has been on the scene with the best ideas and the best writers, since its inception in 1860.

This volume is the magazine's 150th anniversary present to itself. One and a half centuries later this magazine is still going strong. It is the only subscription that I allow to be automatically renewed. It is also one of the few remaining magazines that I subscribe to in which the content and the writing have not been seriously "dumbed down."

The normal weekly magazines such as "Time," "The U.S. News and World Report," and "Newsweek" have been so "dumbed-down" that their content is insulting and their writing is almost embarrassing. Not so with Atlantic monthly. And the uniform quality of these articles across a century and a half in this book are proof of the pudding.
Nearly everything here, spanning 150 years is a collector's item. My only regret is I do not have this book in electronic form so that I could access the articles online.

Most of the serious and famous thinkers are here, and almost all of the groundbreaking articles of American journalism are here. Many have been turned into award winning books: such as the article that led to Nick Lehmann's award winning "The Promise Land," and Robert Kaplan's earthshaking "The Coming Anarchy."

A member of my hall of fame: Fifty stars!

An absolutely beautifully edited collection of some of the best writing Americans have produced. Readers can get lost for hours in this volume or pick it up and read one selection and feel they have truly enjoyed their time with this book. Thank you Atlantic Monthly

I bought my first copy a year ago because I am a great fan of the Atlantic monthly. I have been reading that magazine for ten years. I kept dropping my jaw as I worked my way through this collection. There are so many famous writings that were first published in this magazine! I really feel like I get a clearer picture of our country since the time of the Civil War, when the Atlantic Monthly began publishing.

I feel it's so important, that I bought six more copies to give away as holiday gifts this year.

For anthropologists, historians and regular citizens who wonder what makes America tick, be sure to check this one. Why do Americans believe what they believe? Why do they think they are "special?" This anthology of 150 years of some of America's best writers provides a rare, revealing "mirror." Anthropologist Edward T. Hall repeatedly said that for Americans, rather than so much emphasis on understanding other cultures, it is far more important to first understand our own, and that is not easy. We live in an isolated universe stemming from our unusual historical foundations as well as our geographical location - a giant island province. We tend to think we are "normal" and the rest of the world is a bit odd but, folks, hate to tell you, we are just about the only ones on the planet who see it that way. Causes serious problems with foreign policy for starters. This would make an excellent read for high school and university studies as well.