The World of Ideas

The Wilson Quarterly might be called a Readers' Digest for intellectuals. In brisk, crisply-written articles, the Quarterly surveys ideas--both current and historical--and makes often-daunting material accessible and eminently readable. The format is austere and refreshing--mostly text, with no advertising and no glossy photos. Reading the magazine is an intellectually bracing experience, like mental aftershave.
In the Autumn, 1999 issue, for example, topics covered included "Call Me Mister," which discussed the social trend of addressing everyone by their first name and its costs, and an extremely provocative view of American parenting and its negative impact on education. Both articles had me thinking intensely for weeks afterward. I found myself asking everyone I knew for their own opinions on both topics, and discussing with them what I'd read. Much more stimulating than the usual fluffy commercially-influenced product available in most other magazines.
For anyone who feels mentally bogged-down or out-of-touch, the Wilson Quarterly is truly a blast of fresh air.