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Robert W. Merry

ロバート・ダブリュー・メリー

Robert W. Merry

Profile

Gender
Male
Born
1946-03-05 （Tacoma, Washington, U.S.）
Nationality
United States
Languages
English

Career

Occupations
Journalist, Editor, Commentator, Publishing executive
Active Years
1968-
Affiliations
American Ideas Institute (board member), Congressional Quarterly (former president & editor-in-chief), The National Interest (former editor), The American Conservative (former editor)

Education

University of Washington
Journalism
Degree: Bachelor of Arts
Period: 1964–1968
Year of Graduation: 1968
Country: United States
Bachelor's degree in Journalism
Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism
Graduate School of Journalism
Degree: Master of Science
Period: 1971–1972
Year of Graduation: 1972
Country: United States
Master's degree in Journalism

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

Taking On the World: Joseph and Stewart Alsop -- Guardians of the American Century

1996 Non-fiction / Biography / Political history

A biographical non-fiction study of brothers Joseph and Stewart Alsop and their influence on 20th-century American politics.

BiographyAmerican politicsMedia influence

Sands of Empire: Missionary Zeal, American Foreign Policy, and the Hazards of Global Ambition

2005 Non-fiction / Foreign policy

Examines American foreign policy and the hazards of missionary zeal in U.S. global ambitions.

Foreign policyAmerican historyInternational relations

A Country of Vast Designs: James K. Polk, the Mexican War, and the Conquest of the American Continent

2009 Non-fiction / History

A historical analysis of President James K. Polk, the Mexican War, and American territorial expansion.

U.S. historyMilitary historyPresidential studies

Where They Stand: The American Presidents in the Eyes of Voters and Historians

2012 Non-fiction / Political history

Compares perceptions of American presidents by voters and historians and examines changing evaluations.

Presidential studiesHistorical evaluationPolitical science

President McKinley: Architect of the American Century

2017 Non-fiction / Biography / History

A biographical study of President William McKinley and his role in shaping the American century.

BiographyU.S. historyLeadership studies

Decade of Disunion: How Massachusetts and South Carolina Led the Way to Civil War, 1849-1861

2024 Non-fiction / History

Explores how Massachusetts and South Carolina contributed to the path toward the Civil War between 1849 and 1861.

Pre-Civil War historyRegional politicsAmerican history

Bibliography

  • Taking On the World: Joseph and Stewart Alsop -- Guardians of the American Century (1996)
  • Sands of Empire: Missionary Zeal, American Foreign Policy, and the Hazards of Global Ambition (2005)
  • A Country of Vast Designs: James K. Polk, the Mexican War, and the Conquest of the American Continent (2009)
  • Where They Stand: The American Presidents in the Eyes of Voters and Historians (2012)
  • President McKinley: Architect of the American Century (2017)
  • Decade of Disunion: How Massachusetts and South Carolina Led the Way to Civil War, 1849-1861 (2024)

Style & Themes

Literary Style
Fact-based nonfictionEvidence-supported analytical proseBiographical narrative
Recurring Motifs
Presidential studiesForeign policy and military historyAmerican national mission and its consequences

Legacy

Robert W. Merry has contributed as a journalist, editor, and author to the understanding of American presidential studies and foreign policy through decades of reporting and multiple historical works.

Trivia

  • Born in Tacoma, Washington in 1946.
  • Served three years in the U.S. Army, including two years as a counterintelligence special agent in West Germany.
  • Earned a B.A. in Journalism from the University of Washington (1968).
  • Earned a master's degree from Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism (1972).
  • Worked for The Denver Post, The Wall Street Journal, Congressional Quarterly, and served as editor at The National Interest and The American Conservative.
  • Author of multiple books on American history and politics (at least six).
  • Serves as a board member of the American Ideas Institute.