The Believer’s mission is to introduce readers to the best and most interesting work in the world of art, culture, and thought—whether that means literature, painting, wrestling, philosophy, or cooking—in an attractive vehicle that’s free from the bugbears of condescension, mustiness, and jargony obfuscation. Its content (including essays, interviews, comics, poetry, and reviews) offers fresh perspectives from editors Heidi Julavits, Vendela Vida, and Andrew Leland. Each issue includes the popular columns “Stuff I’ve Been Reading,” by Nick Hornby; “What the Swedes Read” (a look at Nobel Prize-winners), by Daniel Handler; and “Real Life Rock Top 10,” by Greil Marcus. The July/August Music Issue includes a free CD of new music curated for the magazine, the March/April Film Issue includes a free DVD of otherwise unreleased films, and the November/December Art Issue includes a free, always-changing bonus item.

The Believer is a monthly magazine where length is no object. There are book reviews that are not necessarily timely, and that are very often long. There are also interviews that are very long. We will focus on writers and books we like. We will give people and books the benefit of the doubt. The working title of this magazine was The Optimist.