Author Spotlight

Robert Vare


ROBERT VARE is the editor at large of The Atlantic Monthly and a former editor at The New Yorker, theNew York Times Magazine, and Rolling Stone.

Author Alert Sign Up

Random House will keep you up to date on the works of Robert Vare! Enter your email address below to enroll. Privacy Policy.


Author Bookshelf
Sort Results By:
On-sale date Title Format Price

book cover
The American Idea
Edited by Robert Vare

eBook | 688 pages | Doubleday | History; History - Essays; Social Science - Essays
978-0-307-48140-5 (0-307-48140-9)

December 10, 2008 | $22.00



“What is ‘the American idea’? It is the fractious, maddening approach to the conduct of human affairs that values equality despite its elusiveness, that values democracy despite its debasement, that values pluralism despite its messiness, that values the institutions of civic culture despite their flaws, and that values public life as...

Also available as a trade paperback.

book cover
The American Idea
Edited by Robert Vare

Trade Paperback | 688 pages | Broadway | Literary Criticism & Collections - Essays; History - Essays; Social Science - Essays
978-0-7679-2684-3 (0-7679-2684-6)

October 14, 2008 | $21.00



“What is ‘the American idea’? It is the fractious, maddening approach to the conduct of human affairs that values equality despite its elusiveness, that values democracy despite its debasement, that values pluralism despite its messiness, that values the institutions of civic culture despite their flaws, and that values public life as...

Also available as an eBook.