title: GQ: Different From the Past, but Still Okay

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GQ magazine has been around for a long time and, like other men's magazines, it has changed over the years. In an effort to attract more readers, GQ has spiced up some of its articles with more sex and it is common to find a scantily clad female on the cover- a place that used to be reserved exclusively for men. This isn't to say that the articles have suffered greatly from the changeover. There are still several good articles in each issue of GQ, combined with a few too many articles about relationships.

When GQ is at its best is when the magazine is talking politics, entertainment, and/or culture. I have read many interesting political articles in GQ, ranging from topics like homeland security to men's rights when it comes to abortion. The entertainment articles are also quite good and the GQ team can be counted on to deliver some good, frank discussion about movies, books, movies, Hollywood celebrities, etc.

GQ used to seem a little more fashion oriented than it is today. There are still several fashion related articles in each issue but the difference is that the GQ of today contains articles in a wider range of topics than in the past. This is fine by me, because the fashion articles rank low on my list of reading priorities. I would much rather read, say, an article that debates the efforts to ban smoking than an article about buying the right shoes to wear in a business casual workplace.

Many magazines skimp when it comes to reading material but not GQ. You get your money's worth with this magazine. Each issue is the length of a book, with anywhere from 250 to 350 or more pages per issue and from 25 to 30 different featured articles, departments, and monthly columns to read (combined). This makes for a lot of reading. Even of you take the advertisement space into account, there is still plenty to read in each issue. It also means that, whatever your fancy, you should find something interesting to read every month.

Overall, GQ is a good magazine for men and it contains some decent entertainment news, political analysis, and fashion tips. It is aimed at men in their early thirties and while I don't like it as much as similar publications I still think GQ is a decent magazine. Its long length makes it easily worth the low cost and with so much reading material, there is something for everyone in each issue. What others have said is true: It isn't the magazine it once was. But there is still enough of the good stuff to recommend this publication.


title: Antiques Magazine is Good, but not for Everyone

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Antiques Magazine is a publication made for antique lovers and history buffs and its pages are loaded with photos of artistic paintings, handmade goods, rare pictures, and other items of similar nature. It is a magazine for those who love antiques and also those who consider themselves historians since many articles deal with historical collections of art and antiques.

This magazine is overflowing with antique goods and information. The articles contained in this magazine are intended to be visually stimulating in some cases, educational in others. They offer history lessons on the art that was popular during a specific era, a glimpse into an art collection at a museum, and more. The articles are meant to stimulate the interests of those who already like this subject and they often provide a means to learn more, to discover places to see or purchase some of the featured works, and to develop an appreciation for the craftsmanship that went into making these items.

Antiques Magazine is a publication dedicated to creative art and history but one thing that isn't very creative is the titles of the articles. This might surprise some readers at first, but the editors at Antiques decided to get straight to the point in the naming of the featured articles rather than try to be creative. The features thus have titles like "The Eating Utensil Collection", "Spanish Culture in Art", etc. Each title points out exactly what the article covers, leaving nothing to the imagination.

The writing in Antiques is certainly good and well- edited. But I'm afraid that many readers will find the articles a little boring. They describe things well and they usually offer a good history lesson. But they lack spark and readability. I have tried to read some articles in this magazine and found my eyelids getting heavy and my thoughts drifting to other subjects. This is why I generally stick with the pictures when I glance at Antiques Magazine. I don't bother reading because most of the material doesn't keep my interest.

Overall, Antiques Magazine is an okay publication and unless you have a deep interest in antiques and their history, you will likely become bored quickly if you try to read the articles. But the pictures in Antiques are often very interesting. Even if you have little interest in reading a magazine like this one, the photos alone make it worth an occasional look.


title: Your Guide to Improvement

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If you are the type of golfer who wants to improve your putting, your swing, your choice of equipment, or anything else golf related, then Golf Tips is the magazine for you. This magazine, unlike other golf publications, dedicates almost all of its pages to improvement. Most every golfer wants to get better over time, and Golf Tips is one of the few publications available that focuses all of its contents on self improvement.

As far as the advice goes, Golf Tips is a good magazine and it tries to cover several different aspects of the game in the same issue, so readers can find a relevant article that relates to their own problems. Maybe your problem area is putting. If it is, there is likely a putting article someone in the current issue. Another person might be having trouble perfecting his/her swing and if so, there are plenty of helpful articles that include diagrams so readers will know exactly what to do.

Other magazines include diagrams to illustrate proper maneuvering of the hands and body when swinging a golf club but Golf Tips takes this a step further. It includes not only picture depicting the right way to do it, there are also pictures showing what not to do. With some of these, Golf Tips will make sure the casual reader knows which photo depicts the wrong way to swing by showing a red circle with a line through it (same symbol seen on certain traffic signs), superimposed over the picture. With an illustration like this, there will be no doubt in the golfer's mind what he/she is not supposed to do.

Overall, Golf Tips is a good magazine for someone whose primary interest is improving his/her game. There are other magazines that include some instruction on the game, but Golf Tips concentrates most all of its pages in this area. I prefer a more balanced golf magazine like Golf Digest but I can see how Golf Tips could come in handy. The advice is written like a pro, and it covers something about many different problems in each and every issue.


title: Wired for the Modern World

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Wired is a semi- interesting magazine that blends together articles about technology with those on politics, culture, and more. This magazine is aimed at a diverse audience but it generally caters to those who are technology savvy and like to keep up with the latest world events.

Wired dedicates most of its pages to the discussion of electronics and other technology and computer nerds form a large percentage of the magazine's core subscribers. Articles about digital cameras, high definition televisions, internet marketing, and other like topics can be found in every issue. These articles often present unique angles on common problems and concerns in the world of high tech.

What makes Wired interesting is the fact that it includes other articles on other subjects- topics that one normally would not associate with a technology magazine. It is common to find articles about popular culture, politics, and other topics and they sometimes seem out of place. One minute you're reading an article about PDA's and the next minute you're reading an article about the war against Iraq. It's a little weird but it also makes for a nice change of pace as you read.

Another interesting fact with Wired is that it changes its authors more frequently than other magazines. The magazine has a few regulars but it likes to shuffle the writers around each month. This can be good and it can result in articles that present new and different perspectives each month. But it also means that the magazine is a little uneven and can sometimes include articles that do not communicate the way they should. I can recall reading several articles that left me scratching my head, wondering why the editor didn't make additional changes so that the articles were clearer.

The departments in Wired cover a large percentage of the space in every issue and they exceed the total length of many other magazines' department sections. The departments (with the exception of one) occupy the first two- thirds of each issue. The monthly featured articles are found near the end of each issue. This layout is different from other magazines that mix the departments and monthly features together. With Wired, the departments and featured articles are kept separate.

Overall, I like Wired as a whole and the political articles rank as my favorite part of each issue. The magazine jumps around from topic to topic and the authors change more frequently than other magazines; two facts that could make Wired a little too scattered for certain readers. Some of the articles are not the best written I have ever seen but Wired is still a good enough magazine to recommend. It keeps readers current on technology, politics, business, and entertainment with a reputation for being modern and hip.


title: Boating Adventures and Buying Advice

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Boating Life is a publication about boating adventure and recreation and it dedicates most of its pages to boating enjoyment, product reviews, equipment reviews, and general advice. In many ways, this magazine is like a buying guide for boats. Not only does it contain many pages of product reviews, it also includes many featured articles that focus on the specifics of different boats (speed capability, length, miles per gallon, etc.), making it a good choice for reading material for those who are in the market for a new boat.

Besides acting as a selling agent, Boating Life is also a magazine about adventure and it is common to find articles about specific bodies of water and how best to enjoy them; tales of long adventures on large lakes; and popular events around the nation where the best views are often those from a small water- going vessel. These rank among my favorite articles in each issue because they are more personal in nature and they get your imagination running.

One thing I like and respect about Boating Life is that, unlike many other boating magazines, it keeps things on a realistic level. That is, it doesn't devote the majority of its pages to boats that only the rich can afford to buy. It offers reviews and advice on a wide range of boats, from an inexpensive fishing boat designed for two to a large expensive yacht that can hold ten or more guests. I don't mind reading about these more expensive boats from time to time, but they are more fantasy than anything. With Boating Life, there are many pages of ordinary boats that anyone can afford.

Boating Life is a nice magazine overall and it makes a good choice for people who are in the market for a new boat or for those who already own a boat and want some advice on how best to maintain them and how best to enjoy them. Boating Life offers good reviews and facts about specific boats and, along with the adventure articles, it makes a good choice of magazine for the boating enthusiast.


title: Bridging the Gap Between Hispanics and Americans

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Latina is a cultural magazine designed to appeal to the modern, trendy Hispanic woman who resides in the USA. This magazine features a mixture of entertainment, fashion, and practical advice on topics ranging from personal finance to family life and its primary audience is young woman, both married and single.

This magazine is designed with the female consumer in mind but there are several departments and monthly features that offer more widespread appeal. Latina Life, for example, is a collection of articles in each issue that contains many relevant articles offering good reading that will appeal to a broad range of people. Here, the reader can find articles about money, health, fitness, travel, and other subjects that most anyone can relate. In addition to this, it is common to find articles that focus on specific Latina women (both celebrity and non- celebrity) who have overcome adversity. These are often the best articles in each magazine because they often present inspirational stories where a challenge or difficult circumstance was overcome. These articles offer good reading that can apply to anyone regardless of age or gender.

Most of the remaining featured articles in Latina are geared in the direction of strictly feminine topics and I tend to skip over these when I read. These articles talk about things such as manicures, hair styling, clothing selection, and other things that are intended for the female market. But in spite of the limited appeal, there is one thing that men will like: The photos. These articles about women and their fashion options are usually accompanied by plenty of pictures of hot Latin babes making them worthy of a look or two.

Advertisements are common in this magazine and one interesting fact is that part of the ads are written in Spanish. This is only true, however, of the ads- the articles themselves are all composed in English. This surprised me when I first read Latina because I always thought the magazine contained English and Spanish in equal or nearly equal quantities and that Spanish was used in some of the featured articles. This isn't true, and while Latina does try to bridge the gap between Hispanic and American differences it is obvious that Latina assumes its readers already know a good deal of English.

Latina contains a large amount of reading material that has little or no relevance to men but it redeems itself by including a good deal of articles that can appeal to anyone. There is an emphasis on stories relating to Latin women who have achieved success and overcome barriers and these are usually Latina's best articles. The personal touch is nice and the reading is inspiring. But most of the magazine is geared toward women and for this reason most men will not rate Latina very highly. I'm going to rate this publication with a small recommendation nonetheless because I can see its value and I can understand how the female market would enjoy this magazine.


title: Enticing Photos and Great Articles

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Coastal Living is a professionally- made magazine with lots of enticing photographs, personal stories, and general advice on making the most out of life on the coast. The emphasis in Coastal Living is on waterfront property and the events and entertainment that often take place in cities with a large coastal area.

Much of what you read in Coastal Living pertains to better- known waterfront areas in the United States. Such popular destinations as Boston, Miami, New York, Long Island, California, Cape Cod, South Padre Island, and other tourist- oriented places comprise a large portion of the featured articles in this magazine. Many of these places (like New York City) have very expensive waterfront property than can often be next to impossible to buy. But these areas also include lots of tourist activities, which is why they are so frequently highlighted in this magazine.

Besides the well- known destinations, Coastal Living also includes a good number of featured articles on lesser- known places. Many of these lack the fast- pace and the extensive nightlife of the more popular destinations, but they also offer better deals on property and an opportunity to get away from the chaos of the larger cities. Such places as the Delaware coast, Michigan, Ohio's Lake Erie coast, and others are often very quaint and interesting. Also, they offer property that is far more reasonable in price and is often within the affordability range for many buyers.

Much of the properties you see and read about in Coastal Living are quite expensive. But remember- the majority of the homes are on major coastlines, so you can't expect to find them for selling for a low cost. These are high- demand, low supply properties and they vary greatly in price, but they are all expensive. In a popular area, these homes can sell up to the tens of millions of dollars. But in less popular areas, you can sometimes find some bargain prices on waterfront property. For example, Coastal Living has highlighted many Great Lakes properties that are priced very close to the overall U.S. average. They are not as cheap as most areas of the inner cities, no. But they are priced within the reach of many families.

The emphasis in Coastal Living seems to be on properties- both main residences and vacation properties that are adjacent to a major coastline. But there are other items promoted for sale besides property. And much of this other merchandise is also quite costly. In the "Currents" section, for example, it is common to find things like lawn furniture, cufflinks, fancy pitchers, and other things selling for many times the usual price. Most of it is intended for those who want a little bit more and are willing (and able) to pay the price.

Coastal Living is a personal magazine. Most of the stories involve families and couples who enjoy the coast. They share with the reader such things as how they keep their homes protected from the sea, what they do for entertainment, how they like to decorate, and why living on the coast means so much to them. Photos of families and couples often grace the pages of these types of articles, giving them a friendly, domestic feel.

Most of what you will find in Coastal Living relates to the United States coast. There is only an occasional article about other coastal areas, like those of Mexico, the Caribbean, and other places. True, you will sometimes find an article about Hawaii or Alaska. But for the most part, Coastal Living tries to keep its journalism concentrated on places that lie within close proximity to the majority of Americans.

Overall, Coastal Living is a very good magazine for people who enjoy vacationing on the coast, finding entertainment on the coast and, of course, living on the coast. The photography and presentation are excellent and it's interesting to read about the big- city life on the coast as well as some of the more "unknown" destinations. It provides great reading and a useful reference for people who already live on the coast or who are interested in purchasing waterfront property.


title: Lots of Photos and Ads, Little Content

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Interview is definitely a different type of magazine for me- someone who usually reads business and travel mags- and it's not quite what I expected. With a title like "Interview" I read my first copy of this magazine anticipating pages and pages of nothing but interviews. It turns out that interviewing is the main focus of the magazine, but it's not the only one. There is substantial space given to fashion, movies, and other areas, too. Some of these columns are worth an occasional look, but they failed to grab my attention. The writers seem to play it safe, and that includes the interview section. They don't ask many daring or controversial questions. They keep it simple, asking questions about an entertainer's latest album or movie, without delving much into their personal lives.

Interview has many general annoyances. My greatest complaint is the advertising and the arrangement of the contents. About half of the pages in each issue are covered with ads, with fashion, liquor, beer, and hair care items providing the bulk of the advertising revenue. The ads are everywhere, with the majority in the front pages of each issue. The table of contents is buried, and I find this very frustrating. The contents starts with the interviews for that specific issue on one page, then a few pages later, proceeds to the remainder of the contents, which is the regular monthly features. What's annoying is that you have to search for the table of contents. It varies from one issue to the next, falling somewhere in the first half.

Interview also varies greatly in length. Some issues are as short as 80 pages while others are more than 200 pages long. The shorter issues use staples for binding while the longer issues are bound in a more professional way, minus any metal.

This magazine centers on entertainers, fashion, music, and the like. You won't find any interviews with politicians, businessmen, etc. Interview sticks strictly to entertainers, and that includes the regular monthly columns. You won't find a column about the business side of the music industry or film industry. You will find only articles about the stars themselves.

Interview's only saving grace is the photography. It would make a nice gift for those who enjoy fashion and who like looking at pages and pages of men and women modeling fancy clothing. But in many ways, the photos are overemphasized and there isn't enough substance to the magazine. The articles are very shallow with more eye candy than reading material.

Overall, Interview is sloppy and cluttered with too many ads to make it worthwhile reading material. My subscription was free, and I'm thankful that it was. Besides a few nice photos for clothing, there isn't much to make this magazine worth the cost.


title: Clean Male Entertainment

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Cigar Aficionado is a surprising magazine that I have been enjoying now for the past six months. I rarely smoke cigars or any other form of tobacco so when I first heard about this magazine I was naturally skeptical. I wasn't expecting much because due to my limited experience with smoking and the fact that I have limited knowledge about cigars. I figured this magazine would make its way into my `magazine mound' in the corner of my living room- a place where I toss most of the dozens of periodicals I receive each month.

But after paging through the first issue, my opinion of this magazine changed drastically. The reason?- Cigar Aficionado is not strictly a magazine about cigars, like I assumed it would be. It is actually an entertainment magazine that devotes the majority of its pages to a wide range of topics like sports, cars, travel, fashion, and other like subjects. In one issue, you can read about all sorts of varied topics with article titles like "Best Ski Resorts", "Winning at Poker", "The New Face of Sports Management", etc. This caught me completely by surprise and I'm sure I'm not the only reader out there who felt this way when he/she read this magazine for the first time. Its title leads one to conclude that it is strictly about cigars but that isn't the case at all.

My favorite parts of this magazine are the travel and drink sections. I like to partake in an occasional beer and I love to travel so I naturally gravitate toward these two sections. But even in the areas where I wouldn't normally have much interest I have found myself attracted to the articles anyway, thanks to the quality writing and photography. One such feature that I find myself accidentally enjoying is "Profile"- a two or three page monthly feature that casts the spotlight on a celebrity who enjoys puffing on a good cigar. The celebrity (who can be anyone in sports, television, movies, or music) will talk about his/her career and the smokes he/she enjoys the most.

Even though this is a multi- faceted entertainment magazine, cigar lovers will enjoy the ratings and buying guide information found in each issue. The magazine's own panel of experts blind tests each of several dozen smokes in each issue and then assigns a rating from zero to one- hundred points. The cigars are then sorted by category in descending order based on score, complete with tasting notes on each; the size; and the price. At the end of the ratings, you will find the same list organized by country of origin followed by another rating list called "Connoisseur's Corner" that includes more ratings of unique smokes. The only thing that could make this section better is more buying information. There is no web site, phone number, or other contact information provided. All you have is the name of the cigar and the price. It's up to you to find the cigar if you want to make a purchase.

This magazine's subtitle is "The Good Life Magazine for Men". As such, there are only a few articles to be found that will interest the majority of women. Even the interviews (and the profile section) are usually written about men and from a man's point of view. About the only thing missing from this magazine is sex. That's right- you will find all sorts of things that are of interest to men in this magazine except for the most important one of all. I guess the editors of Cigar Aficionado decided that there are already enough magazines that cater to man's natural animal instincts and they concluded that devoting the space in each issue to other indulgences was sufficient.

Overall, Cigar Aficionado is a very good magazine about entertainment. It costs more than other magazines but it is also much longer than most, with some issues approaching 350 pages. It offers a wide range of articles about living the good life, with excellent photography and entertaining writing that will appeal to the majority of men in all age groups.


title: Give Me the Details

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Details is a mildly interesting magazine that is geared toward men of various ages and lifestyles. The main group that Details aims to capture is the 17 to 35 year- old male but there are articles in each magazine that could be appealing to men of many different ages, mostly in the middle to upper income groups.

Some things about Details quickly set it apart from other magazines. One difference is the "departments". Most magazines have departments, but instead of talking about the same things each month, these departments vary in their content (the only exceptions being "Know- Tell" and the "The Details"). Each one contains similar stories from one month to the next, but with different subtitles, helping to make each issue a little fresher than it would otherwise be.

As far as the writing goes, Details offers a great deal of diversity for a magazine. Yes, it is generally focused on things of interest to men, but it covers a very broad range of interests. You can find articles in this magazine on such diverse topics as the death penalty, raising kids, buying a new coat, setting up an internet business, breaking up with a girlfriend, or purchasing the best vodka. There are articles geared toward single men and married men, as well as younger men and middle- aged men.

I like some of the articles found here but there is one problem I have with the writing in Details. It is common to find eye- catching headlines on the cover of Details that tempt you to find out more. This is nothing new and most every magazine does this. But the problem is that many of these eye- popping stories fail to keep you amazed when you read them. Take for example an article in a recent issue. On the front, it reads "Is Your Wife a Bad Mom"? It sound like an engaging, intellectual read. But once you find the article and take in its 1,000+ words, you quickly discover that there is little or no substance. Basically, it simply tells men that accusing your wife of being a bad mom is a risky undertaking that could hurt her feelings. That is it. There is no intellectual analysis or quotes from studies; only the bottom line conclusion that mothers generally don't like to be called incompetent by their husbands. Other headlining articles in this magazine lead to similar disappointment.

The writing in this magazine is on the edge and very blunt. It is common to find several four- letter words in many of the articles and while this doesn't bother me at all, I know that some readers will consider it too raw, too edgy, and too explicit. Details writers have no problem telling it like it is, and this can be both good and bad depending on one's perspective.

Besides the language, some parts of this magazine could offend certain readers; namely the "Anthropology" page at the end. This closing "article" is meant to be humorous, but some readers will not see it that way. I don't know if it has always been this way, but what "Anthropology" does is show a person or multiple people and then asks the question "Gay or ______". For example, I have seen titles like "Gay or Best Friends?", "Gay or Cowboy?", "Gay or Neo Punk Rocker?", and others. With each of these, there is a diagram of sorts with arrows pointing to different clothing and bodily features and short comments about each one. Basically, it is asking you to think about these different attributes of the person or people in the picture and then decide if the way they dress, look, and act makes them gay. I find this silly and immature, but I can see how some readers would find it insulting. I don't know if Details has always done this or if the Anthropology page has been different in the past. But this is how it has been in every issue I have read and it needs to be changed.

Advertisements claim about sixty percent of the pages in each issue of this magazine. They cover products like liquor, cars, electronics, cigarettes, fragrance, etc. Even though this magazine covers lots of different things, the item most often featured in the advertisements is clothing. The magazine seems to have a penchant for high fashion and it devotes more pages to expensive clothing than anything else. And each issue often has its own unique smell, thanks to all of the cologne samples. You can flip through the pages and find several samples in each issue, with many of the latest and trendiest scents from the biggest names in cologne.

Overall, I am torn between liking or not liking Details Magazine. I like some of the articles on food, drink, politics and the like. But I don't necessarily like the shallow fluff that is often substituted for an intellectual discussion and I can understand how some readers would find certain aspects of this magazine insulting. This magazine is deserving of only about two and one- half stars which I will round up to three stars and give a small recommendation. Some will like this magazine and some will not. It's all a matter of what you like to read about and whether or not you can handle a magazine that pushes the envelope.


title: Sunset Fills You With Visions of the Western U.S.

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Sunset is a magazine dedicated to the people, culture, and lifestyle of the American west. This magazine divides its space among many different topics, such as food and entertainment, travel, recreation, gardening and more.

I have been reading this magazine for about six months now and there are several things about it that make it worthwhile. The thing that stands out the most are the photographs, and I'm not talking about just the stunning scenery one normally associates with the West (like the National Parks or the coastline). Even the ordinary pictures are striking. In the Gardening section, for example, it is common to find pictures of family homes that have beautifully landscaped yards full of blossoming flowers and colorful plants. In the Home & Design section, one can find nice photographs of home interiors, showing different designs and furniture.

One of the most unique qualities of Sunset is the fact that it is published in five different editions. There is a specially designed issue for the Northwest (Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Alaska, and British Columbia), Northern California (Northern California and the majority of Nevada), Southern California (Southern California and Hawaii), The Southwest (Arizona, New Mexico, and the Las Vegas area of Nevada), and Rocky Mountain (Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, and Utah). This is a nice idea and it's one that other magazines should consider emulating. Based on where you live or where you have an active interest, this will be the region that your issue spends its pages covering. My subscription is for the Northern California region, so I am treated each month to articles about places like San Francisco, Sacramento, Reno (Nevada), Lake Tahoe, etc.

One of the specialties of this magazine is food and it is common to find recipes throughout every issue. There is a special section set aside for food, but one can expect to find food articles and recipes everywhere as they read. Even the cover page of each issue features a food dish. And as you might guess, the featured recipes are generally those types of cuisine normally associated with each specific region of the west, with plenty of generic recipes thrown in to make sure everyone has something to cook.

One of the specialty sections of this magazine that I like is the "Value Vacation"- a subsection of Travel & Recreation. This section highlights a specific place to travel and then offers a day by day breakdown of things to do and places to see, with the cost for each itemized so you know exactly what to expect. The highlighted city or tourist area can be anyplace in the west and isn't limited to the region that your issue covers. This section is nice because it lets you see in black & white what it will cost for a few days of budget entertainment. It reminds me of some of the television programs shown on the Travel Channel.

Advertisements cover about 40 to 50 percent of the pages of each issue and they are often found in bunches in the front and back and on alternating pages for much of the rest of each issue (typical for most magazines). The ads can center on all sorts of different things. Because this is a combination travel/culture/food/entertainment/home & garden/living magazine, the ads cover a wide range of products and services, from laundry detergent to credit cards to cat food.

Overall, Sunset has proven itself an enjoyable magazine. I don't live in the western United States but this region is my favorite part of the country, so it makes sense that I would find something of value in this publication. I like the photography, the personal stories, the gardening and decorating ideas, and most other aspects of this magazine. If you're dead set in your ways and refuse to read about anything that deviates from your Eastern, Southern, or Midwestern lifestyle, then you may not like Sunset. But for the majority of people, Sunset has much to offer with pages and pages of eye- catching pictures and friendly articles about life in the American West.


title: Wine Reviews, News, and More

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Wine Spectator is a good wine magazine that seeks to keep the reader informed about new wine products, wine facts and education, and wine events. This magazine is published 17 times per year, so it is available often enough that most wine lovers will have more than their fill of reading material.

Most of the material in Wine Spectator deals with buying wine, and you can expect to find several rating lists in every issue. The editors of the magazine supply the majority of the wine ratings, so when you read that one wine earned 95 points and another only 80, you need to keep in mind that these ratings are from the perspective of people who have sampled hundreds or even thousands of different wines. And with each rating or analysis, there is often contact information, such as the name of the winery or web page, so that you can learn more and/or inquire on making a purchase.

To help shoppers find the wines in each issue, Wine Spectator includes a detachable card that includes the names of the different featured wines. This is a handy addition, because it eliminates the need to copy down names of wine on paper or attempt to memorize the titles. All you do is check off the wines you like on the card and take it with you to your favorite beverage store for easy reference.

Wine Spectator seems to have an obsession with lists and with outlandish proclamations. It is common to find lists like "World's 100 Greatest Pinot" or "The 50 Finest California Reds". Consumers are attracted to listings, and that is probably why the magazine gave in and made lists a regular part of most issues. And it is common to find extreme statements like "This is the best Cabernet Sauvignon on the Planet" or "Greatest German White Wine Ever". The publication does this to attract attention and sell more issues, but it could get annoying to some readers.

In spite of these few annoyances, Wine Spectator is still a good magazine. The writers at Wine Spectator are very good, very convincing, and very persuasive. They really know wine, and it comes through in their articles and recommendations. The editors articulate themselves very well and they know just the right way to describe the different brands and styles. It all adds up to a very informative magazine publication on the world of wine.


title: Bridal Guide Helps Make Your Wedding Day Complete

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Bridal Guide is a lengthy magazine designed to appeal to brides in waiting and to those women who see marriage on the horizon. This magazine is devoted to bridal fashion and to other things that are involved in making the day special and memorable. Besides the fashion, one can read about wedding planning, honeymoon ideas, photography, and other wedding- related things.

When you read a copy of Bridal Guide, what stands out more than anything are the photos. This is the main reason people read this magazine in the first place: To look at wedding attire and compare different styles. Models wearing wedding gowns are abundant in this publication and some of the bridal gowns they adorn are quite stunning. To help future brides make a possible purchase, it is common to find a phone number and/or a web site with the majority of the photos. Bridal attire is the main focus of this magazine, but there are also some pictures of grooms and of other wedding party members, with models displaying other fashions for sale, once again complete with phone number and web page.

The part of this magazine that focuses its attention on honeymoons and travel is probably my favorite part of the issue. What I like is the fact that this is one part of the magazine that can appeal/apply to anyone, regardless of marital status. These honeymoon tips and destination information provide some good reading material for the bride to be or anyone else who happens to read the magazine.

Bridal Guide is a very lengthy publication, with each issue containing around 500 pages! This is more than double the length of most other magazines and it can make the issue seem a little overwhelming at times. Also, this magazine is saturated with ads. Since the majority of the gown- clad models are, in effect, advertisements for a specific fashion brand, one can expect to find ads covering the vast majority of this magazine's pages. This could be annoying to some, but one must bear in mind that the magazine's focus is wedding planning, so excessive advertising is expected.

For young brides- to- be or bridal wannabes, this is a handy magazine to have around. It's very long, but it contains lots of fashion and wedding planning ideas to make the big day one to remember forever.


title: The Many Challenges of Business Ownership

text:
Entrepreneur magazine is one of my favorite business publications and it's the type of magazine I can count on for up- to- date information on business startups and for possible resolutions of common problems to the small business owner. A monthly publication, this magazine is designed to appeal to those who are presently owners of a small enterprise or who aspire to open their own business in the near future.

What I enjoy most about this magazine are its personal articles- stories about ordinary people like you and me who have successfully started a new business venture. These people share their success stories with the reader, offering insight on what strategies helped them reach their present level of success and what challenges they still face. The people featured in the articles are more down to earth types who own smaller companies, making the magazine more realistic and something I and others can better relate to. Many other business magazines spend too much time interviewing billionaire CEO's and others who, while they may have some interesting stories to share, live lifestyles and have problems that only someone of their stature can relate.

On the practical side, Entrepreneur contains many timely articles about common issues/problems/challenges that arise when you own your own company. Money, marketing, management, and other key topics are covered in each issue, with a regular department for these critical aspects of business ownership. In these sections, you can learn about tax law changes, legal issues with benefits, and other related topics.

Entrepreneur organizes each issue quite nicely, with colored tabs on the pages that indicate which section (money, technology, marketing, etc.) they pertain to. This makes it that much easier to sift through, to find the information you need. And there is a section titled "Sources" that helps to index the different services and companies mentioned in each issue.

Overall, this is a useful, practical magazine that can come in very handy for present business owners and for those who have an interest in proprietorship. It keeps business owners up to date with the latest changes in laws and it offers some creative solutions to the everyday problems that small businesses encounter each day.


title: Living in and Learning About America's Island State

text:
Hawaii Magazine is a very good publication for those who have an interest in America's fiftieth state. This magazine brings the world of the Hawaiian Islands to your home every month, with facts, figures, and photos taken from this island chain paradise.

One thing about Hawaii Magazine that is different from what you might expect is that it covers more than just travel. When I read this publication for the first time, I was surprised at the contents within. I always assumed this was a magazine solely about travel and tourism. While travel, resorts, and related topics are an important part of this magazine, they are not the only part. The rest of Hawaii Magazine deals with cultural and native topics. It lets you discover the people who inhabit these islands. You get to learn about Hawaiian customs, holidays, art, dress, and culture.

With the emphasis on culture, Hawaii Magazine is a learning experience. The people responsible for the publication of this magazine want readers to come away with a better understanding of what it means to be Hawaiian and to live in this island chain. They want you to think of Hawaii as more than just a nice, warm, sunny place to visit. They want you to learn about the people that inhabit Hawaii: How they dress, how they celebrate events, how they interact with others, etc.

If I had to name a few cons to this magazine, they would have to be the publications short length (less than 100 pages per issue) and its infrequent publication (every two months). Other than these negative aspects, most everything else about this magazine makes it worthwhile to read. It's an educational lesson on the people and the lifestyle of those we call Hawaiian.


title: Living and Thriving in a House Made With Logs

text:
Log Home Living is a good magazine for those who have an active interest in buying and living in a home made from logs. This publication covers everything you need to know about this type of living, from the planning of a home all the way through the financing, the furnishing, and the maintenance.

What I enjoy most about this magazine is the fine photographs found on most every page. I don't really have much interest in living in this type of home, but the photos are very appealing and enticing. Some of them are taken inside of log homes, letting you see firsthand the dividends that some attention to design can bring. Some of them are taken on the exterior, allowing readers to see the country landscape and marvel in the natural beauty.

Another nice feature of this magazine is the abundance of phone numbers and web sites for goods and services. If you find something you like, you will know exactly where to turn for more information. If you find a product or service you like that doesn't list a source, don't worry- there are some special index sections in the back with lists of products from the current issue, referenced by page number, showing the company name, phone, and web site so you can find what you like and make a purchase.

On the negative side, a magazine like this one contains LOTS of advertisements. The majority of them are found at the end of the magazine, but there are plenty of them throughout and you cannot turn more than a few pages before finding one. I would estimate that more than two- thirds of the pages have some sort of advertisement.

Since a good deal of this magazine is dedicated to furnishing, interior design, landscaping, and maintenance, there is something here to suit every home owner's needs. Even if you don't have an interest in log homes, you can still find plenty to enjoy in Log Home Living. The pictures alone make it worth a look.


title: Attention Female Shoppers

text:
This magazine is a product of CondeNet publishing and it is aimed at the younger female market, roughly from ages 18 to 30. This publication is a shopper's paradise, with more advertising than most any other magazine on the market.

I got a complimentary subscription to this magazine one day and I accepted, not only because it was free, but also because I really didn't know it was a woman's fashion magazine. With a title like "Lucky", there were all sorts of possibilities. It could have been about gambling, sweepstakes, or about getting lucky. I didn't know it was a woman's magazine, so I accepted it. And from what I can see, this magazine is one of average worth to the average person and it will appeal mostly to younger women.

Fashion covers a good amount of the magazine's 200 plus pages. Beauty tips are another important area of coverage. It is also common to see samples of different products inside the pages of each issue. Things like perfume samples, shampoo, and other things can be found buried somewhere within each copy. The coverage includes casual as well as high- class clothing and beauty products, with most of it falling at the upper end of the cost scale.

If you can tolerate the clogging of advertisements, this magazine might be a good choice for the younger female crowd that likes to keep in- tune with the latest styles and trends. Outside of that targeted market, however, I don't see much use for Lucky magazine. The photography is very good and the presentation is professional, but the magazine will likely be rated average by a large cross- section of the population.


title: Good Eats, Fine Drinks, and Having Fun

text:
Food and Wine is a pretty good magazine for those who enjoy the finer things in life when it comes to unusual cuisine and expensive fermented beverages. This publication is usually very long- over 250 pages- and its packed full of recipes, travel excursions to wine growing regions, and general facts about different varieties of wine and where to find them.

One thing about this magazine that surprised me at first is the emphasis on the food. I know the magazine is titled "Food and Wine", but my initial impression was that this would be a magazine devoted entirely to wine with occasional mention of the foods that go with wine. It isn't like that at all. The food sections and the recipes are just as important as the featured wines. Recipes are so frequent, in fact, that the magazine even has an index located near the front with all the recipes listed by food type, showing the page number to turn to for the recipe.

Besides the frequent talk about food and wine, this magazine is also dedicated to entertaining. I have heard it suggested that this magazine should change its name to "Food, Wine, and Entertainment". It would make sense, because conviviality and high- class partying are certainly an important component of this magazine.

There is one thing about Food and Wine that I wish was different. I appreciate the factual information and I like the personal touch that you find in some of the stories about winery owners, chefs, and the like. But I think Food and Wine gets a little too sidetracked from time to time in its reporting. For example, it is common to find stories that talk about subjects like home decorating. This would be fine in a magazine about home design, but I don't think it belongs in a magazine like this.

Overall, this is still a good publication. Lovers of great eats and fine drinks will enjoy it the most. It's worth taking a look, if nothing else, just for the recipes. Even if you're not a frequent imbiber of the fruit of the vine, there is still something of interest to be found in the pages of this magazine.


title: Technology and Public Policy

text:
Technology magazines are often a little bit on the boring side due to their limited appeal that makes them readable only to those who work in or have an avid interest in this field. IEEE Spectrum, however, is a little bit different. It has plenty of information on the latest advancements in technology, like other tech publications, but from a different "spectrum", if you will.

What sets this magazine apart from the rest is the personal and political topics that make their way into each issue. You can read about topics like global warming, tariffs, technology regulations, and general business ethics. These different topics are blended together with the magazine's core subject of technology and the result is a publication that is more readable than most in the tech field.

Another nice thing about Spectrum is the minimal amount of advertising. What few ads you will see are entirely related in some way to technology. You won't see an ad for a car, boat, home financing, or other product or service like you do in most every other magazine in America. This magazine sticks with technology for its ads and because of this, the few ads that exist seem even less common than they already are.

This magazine is a little shorter than other monthly publications, with each issue containing about 50 to 80 pages. This is the length I expect in a weekly magazine- not a monthly one. The publishers need to improve and expand the number of pages. A magazine this short doesn't provide enough reading material for an entire month.

Still, IEEE Spectrum is a good technology magazine. The combination of political, economic, and social topics keeps this publication from getting too dry and too technical. It makes it much easier to read than other magazines of the same genre.


title: Golf's Best Magazine Publication

text:
Golfers share many things in common and one of these is an often fanatical love for the game. For these types, nothing can take the place of heading to the nearest golf course, but Golf Digest comes very close. This magazine contains over 200 pages each month, dedicated exclusively to the sport of golf.

The things that set Golf Digest apart from the competition are the numerous articles about learning and improving your game and the personal stories and interviews. Other golfing publications attempt to help you learn, but they often get too mechanical. Golf Digest shows you how to improve your game with tips from professionals, including some of the star- studded members of the golfing elite like Tiger Woods.

Besides all the tips and tricks, Golf Digest also shows the personal side of the sport with interviews and more intimate stories about the many colorful personalities in the game. This personal dimension adds greatly to the magazine's overall appeal, providing great reading material to complement the more instructional side of the magazine.

Golfing Digest may not be as great as a day spent on your favorite golf course, but it comes close. I consider it the best publication of its kind and I recommend it to anyone with an interest in the game.


title: We were Sailing Along

text:
Are you the type who enjoys a nice excursion in a sailboat? If so, then you will probably enjoy Sail magazine. This publication is one of dozens available on the newsstands that cover the sport and hobby of sailing, but I feel its one of the best around.

What makes me feel so strongly about this magazine is the fact that the articles and advice are written by actual sailors. This magazine doesn't waste the reader's time with articles composed by so- called professional writers. Instead, it sticks with the people who know sailing better than anyone: the sailors themselves. This makes the magazine more believable and more respectable.

Sail divides its time between factual articles and ones that are more personable in nature. The factual articles cover things like how to maneuver a boat in different directions; what to look for when you shop for a new navigation device; the advantages and disadvantages of catamarans; etc. These factual stories are intended more for those who own boats and want to keep them in tip- top condition. The other articles deal with personal stories, and they rank among my favorites in each issue. These articles feature individuals and families who share their sea- going experiences with you.

Sail also has lots of reviews of boat- related products and plenty of ads in the back of each issue for shoppers who are looking for a boat. Ads in the rest of the magazine are scattered around, but they tend to stick mostly to boating and related products. The reviews are nice, but I would prefer to see more opinions from more people, to make comparisons.

Sail magazine has many great qualities, and they add up to a well- rounded publication- a magazine that I feel is the best in its field. Whether you sail for sport or for leisure, Sail magazine is probably the best of its kind. Great photography, informative articles, and personal stories place this magazine in a league of its own.


title: Learn about the World and its many Wonders

text:
National Geographic is one of the best magazines of its kind, with plenty of great photography, thoughtful articles, and diverse coverage of several different topics relating to the planet earth. Stories about wildlife, different cultures, and even environmentalism and the politics it breeds can be found on the pages within each issue.

What makes this magazine so enjoyable is the fact that it goes so in- depth in its coverage and includes stories with a personal element. When most people think about National Geographic, they usually think about the great photographs of natural wonders, exotic plants, and animal wildlife. These things are all great, but they form only part of the magazine's overall appeal. Stories about different cultures and peoples from around the world are just as good, and are usually presented in a personal way. You feel like you know the people on an intimate level when you read this magazine.

This publication contains between 120 and 160 pages in most issues, with about a dozen or so monthly departments, as well as some varied articles that change each month, but are always concentrated on nature, science, politics, culture, etc.

National Geographic is often very educational and intellectual, making it a learning device as well as a magazine for entertainment. It's one of the better, more thorough magazines on the market. Go ahead and give it a try. You just might learn something in the process.


title: It's What Men Like to Read

text:
Men's Journal is a decent magazine full of varied topics of interest to men. This magazine covers areas like sports, adventure travel, fashion and style, cars and trucks, career issues, etc. This publication directs all of its articles toward men, with an emphasis on what is most appealing to males throughout a typical week in their lives.

One thing about Men's Journal that is a little different from other men's magazines is that it doesn't flaunt women to sell its issues. In fact, there are practically no pictures of women at all in this publication- something that will be considered an asset to some, and a liability to others. This magazine refuses to play the female card and instead focuses its articles on topics that men like to read about.

Men's Journal is often obsessed with lists, and I think this is especially true in the last few years. Take a look at the cover of most issues and you will see a large, boldface advertisement for some sort of list. In one issue, it might be a ranking of the best cities for entry level jobs. In another issue, it might be a listing of the best places for young entrepreneurs. Whatever it might be, Men's Journal seems to have an infatuation with lists, probably because men like lists and it helps increase sales.

This magazine can be counted on to produce some fairly good reading, but I must warn that many of the articles are a little too simplistic, with little emphasis on intellectualism. Even the articles about politics and business are often riddled with obvious statements that most anyone would know. But overall, I still think Men's Journal is a good magazine. It is varied enough that most anyone will find something interesting to read and the price is very low.


title: Home Economics 101

text:
Family Circle is a fairly good magazine that features articles on family life, raising kids, travel, personal finance, home improvements, and more. It is primarily directed at the female population, with articles that emphasize the roles that mother's play in household management.
The articles that feature recipes and family life form the bulk of the stories in Family Circle. Less common are the articles involving personal finance and other topics. These financial articles are a nice addition, and I was surprised when I first saw them in this magazine. But potential readers should be forewarned that these articles are not very in- depth. They only skim the surface of finance, talking about such simple matters as balancing a checkbook, refinancing a home, and paying off credit card debt. You aren't going to find a story about purchasing stock options or selecting tech stocks. Family Circle keeps it simple and covers only those financial topics that are relevant to taking care of the home and daily living.
Family Circle is published 15 times per year, with a low subscription cost. It may not cover topics as thoroughly as other, more specific magazines and it can sometimes get a little repetitive from month to month. But it's a pretty good magazine overall, with tips on cooking, cleaning, fashion, raising kids, and taking care of one's home.


title: Informative Info on Social and Physical Sciences

text:
Scientific American is a good magazine for those who enjoy reading about modern science, advancement in technology and medicine, economic improvements, and anything else of a scientific nature. Each issue is about 130 pages in length and can be counted on to stimulate your intellectual curiosity.
One thing that makes Scientific American more appealing than other science magazines is the fact that it includes articles on more than just the physical sciences, like physics, chemistry, geology, etc. It also contains timely and informative articles on social sciences, like economics and politics. This adds a lot to the magazine's appeal, and it's one of the main reasons why I choose to read it each month.
One thing that might bother some potential readers of this magazine is that Scientific American does tend to present a mostly pro- government angle on the social and human interest stories that it presents. In almost every instance, the writers of Scientific American draw the immediate conclusion that only the government can possibly solve the pressing issues of the day. They don't even give much consideration to anything else. They immediately concede most any problem to the authority of the state.
In spite of the "liberal" leanings, however, I feel that Scientific American is still a very good publication to read. It includes puzzles that test your knowledge of science, book reviews on recent scientific book releases, and some good, well- written articles about science and how it relates to our day- to- day life. It's a good magazine for those who like to stay informed.


title: I Wish I was Thirteen Again

text:
Stuff is a sister publication to Maxim magazine. It is similar to Maxim in several ways. Both feature a significant share of silly articles and questionable writing abilities by the journalists who contribute to each issue. And, of course, both focus on women and sex to help them sell.
With Stuff, the reader is treated to approximately 150 pages of mindless drivel, with goofy monthly departments like "A Guy and His Stuff", which features a male celebrity who describes some of his favorite possessions, and the "Back page Activity Sheet", which features a puzzle of some sort, like a word search or maze. As you can see from these two examples, Stuff is not exactly an intellectually stimulating magazine. It is aimed at a young male crowd- even younger than the target market of Maxim.
Most guys who purchase Stuff do so for the photos of near- naked women. These photos can be found throughout the magazine, from the cover and on through to the end. The interviews with some of these celebrities are about as useless as they could possibly be, with most of the conversation in the interviews geared toward personal relationships and feelings about any number of shallow topics.
If you like to reminisce about your days in junior high school, the Stuff might be a good choice of magazines for you. But if you prefer at least an inkling of intelligence, then I recommend passing on Stuff. There isn't much substance here at all, and most of what you read will leave you shaking your head and rolling your eyes. The magazine's primary audience is the 16 to 22 age group and even many in the target group will find it idiotic. For everyone else, Stuff is a total waste of time. Almost no brainpower is dedicated to the writing of this magazine.


title: Maximum Female Fun for Young Men

text:
Maxim is a monthly publication aimed at the younger male population, aged 16 to 30. This magazine offers a few amusing tidbits each month, like jokes and unusual ways to make things. There is an occasional fashion article, and some monthly articles on electronic gadgets and music. But the primary reason why people buy Maxim and the main reason it sells as well as it does is the women.
Maxim is not really an adult magazine, like Playboy or Penthouse. Its photographs do not expose so much that they should garner an X rating. But many of them come very close. From the picture on the cover (always a young woman, often with a seductive look in her eyes and much flesh exposed) to the photos in the middle, Maxim uses sex to sell. It isn't strictly a photo- op magazine for young women. There are interviews to accompany the visual effects. But the small talk is almost always geared toward sex- how to get it, how to keep getting it for a long time, how to improve your chances to get it, how to help friends get it, how to turn women on, etc.
The photos in Maxim are enticing, and I don't think any red- blooded American male would deny this fact. But what hurts Maxim a little bit and what keeps it from gaining as much respect as it could have is the monthly dose of stupidity that comes with each issue. Much of what you find in the "How to" section, for example, is idiotic and I cannot imagine anyone taking it seriously. The "Bar Exam" feature is also bordering on stupidity, with a set of trivia questions each month about some type of useless information.
Overall, I think Maxim is at least an average magazine, in spite of its flaws. Yes, many of the articles are brainless and the humor is the type that would amuse a 12- year old. But the main reason people buy and read (or should I say look) at Maxim is the photographs of the women. With so much flesh exposed, without going to far, Maxim is a publication with a purely visual bend. You won't find much intelligence here, but you will find plenty of photos of scantily clad women, tempting your hormones with their youthful good looks and uninhibited personalities.


title: Flawless Publication for Lovers of the Great Outdoors

text:
Backpacker is an outstanding magazine for those who love to hike and also for those who enjoy paging through a magazine containing lots of enticing photographs of nature scenes. This magazine is, first and foremost, a publication for lovers of the outdoors and the sport of backpacking. But the pictures of mountains, lakes, streams, wildlife, etc., are enticing to anyone. They can quickly convert the non- outdoorsman type into a nature lover.
Besides the great pictures, Backpacker is also excellent for its product testing and for its advice and educational material. Backpacks, mountain bikes, tents, and so forth might seem like simple products, but you would be surprised at how many different varieties and options are available for this type of merchandise. Backpacker describes different items available for sale, complete with web site address and phone# so you can make a purchase, and it often conducts tests to see how the different products stack up. It also offers educational material on the sport of backpacking and general advice on such topics as food, exercise, proper nutrition, first aid, etc.
Backpacker averages between 90 and 120 pages in total length and it's published 9 times per year (three of the issues combine two months into one). It's one of the few special interest magazines I have read that has something to offer most anyone. Even if you don't like hiking, there is still a good chance you will enjoy thumbing through the pages of Backpacker, if nothing else, just to enjoy the great photography.
Overall, this is an outstanding outdoor publication. The articles, the personal stories, the advice, the photos, and the educational material all add up to a perfect magazine for anyone who loves to partake in outdoor activity or who just enjoys looking at the stunning photos. 5+ stars to Backpacker!


title: Enticing Photography

text:
Islands Magazine is a must for the travel lover. Each issue features stunning photography, articles from people who have visited various world islands, and advertisements on popular travel destinations around the globe.
The articles covered in this magazine usually focus on popular islands for travelers, like the Caribbean, South Pacific Islands, Hawaii, etc. But on occassion, the magazine features other islands, too, including those that are not as popular as tourist destinations like the Balearic Islands, Ceylon, Madagascar, and others.
There are LOTS of advertisements in this magazine, and that might not sit well with some readers who prefer more articles and less selling. But the ads are helpful to the reader because they often include bargain prices. There are also classified ads from other readers who have island vacation property to rent.
If you like to travel and you love water, then Islands magazine is a great publication to read. The photography alone makes it worth while. It will tempt you to head to the nearest travel agency and book your tropical beach vacation asap!


title: Great Magazine

text: Easy read on products accessible to the mainstream homeowner.  Some high-end also.  Includes "best of" ratings that are meaningful. Will renew.


title: Very Technical

text: The magazine is a hard read even for the serious audiophile.  Extremely technical reviewing very very high end esoteric products.  I will not likely continue my subscription even though I have a $100k home theater.


title: Five Stars

text: My great nephew loves this magazine,makes for a great gift.


title: Five Stars

text: My great niece loves this magazine and looks forward to getting it every month. It's makes a great gift!


title: Fun Read

text: Informative  being from the south I really enjoy seeing some of the recipes in the Crafts


title: Good read

text: I really like wired magazine.  Some of the articles are a little too geeky even for me mostly because they get so technical that I am somewhat lost.  But 80% of the magazine is great and I love the short stories and the new gadgets.


title: Just the info I had hoped for

text: The information was exactly what I wanted to see and the extra stories are quite informative.  I'll definitely renew when the time comes.


title: Yes

text: Great read & excellent value


title: My new favorite food magazine

text: I love food magazines and have subscribed to so many. If I were forced to choose only one, it would be Food Network Magazine.


title: Love this gossipy magazine

text:
I love this "gossipy" tabloid magazine!  It makes a nice break from serious reading.  The subscription price is much, much better than single issue prices at the grocery stores.

DOWNSIDE: delivered by USPS and have missed 3 or 4 issues. Impossible to get any resolution on mail w/o a tracking number.


title: Good read.

text: One of the best military mags around.  Always good, interesting articles and stories.


title: Five Stars

text: Wonderful!


title: There must be something better!

text: Only evening listings!  Not much info on the shows.  There must be something better!


title: we love the magazine

text: even though it is a little bit more on the expensive side, the magazin is great information and even my wife picks it up and reads it. Our family really loves it a lot


title: Had for a short time.

text:
I actually canceled this purchase before getting the 1st issue but they sent it to me anyway. I was very impressed.Great writing and a nice variety of subject matter covered in the 1 issue I received.

I'll probably reorder at some point but I have to get through a few more books:)


title: Five Stars

text: Fancy.thanks


title: Two Stars

text: Ordered magazine for my son but I am receiving a copy also. I don't golf.


title: Waste of magazine

text: I ordered this for my son. However both he and I are receiving the magazine. I don't golf. Waste of magazine.


title: This was a gift for my grandson

text: This was a gift


title: Works with the Fire HDX 8.9"

text: This works perfectly on my Fire 8.9" HDX Tablet. I love being able to click on the links and see various products or more information from an article instantly. The all access has had no problems and I am getting the hard copy of the magazine each month as well. I just pull the address label off and donate them to the local nursing home - both the nursing staff and the residents are happy to have new, current magazines.


title: Works perfectly on my Fire HDX tablet

text: I found myself reading a couple of back issues of Glamour at the hospital this past week and realized I really like this magazine. When I saw the discounted price for the all access pass and a free tote bag tossed in on Amazon, I jumped on it. The Kindle HDX version is really nice - pages swipe along swiftly and the extra content is fun and easy to access. I love that the ads have links available if you want more info right then. My shoe addiction is in serious trouble. I just bought my subscription last night and devoured the online edition - the physical magazine will arrive in a few weeks and that'll be nice to flip through and share with my neighbor.


title: Great mag!

text: For all archaeology enthusiasts. Beautiful, large magazine with lots of photos and new discoveries.


title: Great mag!

text: Great mag for the sci-fi fan! Really nicely printed and formatted. Lots of info on upcoming movies and television shows. A must for the science fiction lover!


title: Legendary magazine never dissapoints

text: Readers Digest is a legend in the magazine world. It has interesting,funny,and informative stories in each issue. Great value,highly recommend. For young and old alike!


title: One of the better magazines on TVs, Speakers, Receivers, etc.

text: I particularly like the ratings system, it's clear and the numbers keep things simple to understand.  Home Theater gives I feel good advice on what to buy, has interesting columns and so forth.  They'll occasionally cover rather esoteric high-end equipment, but they also cover things that are mid-priced.  And as these things go, they seem more honest in their coverage than most.  Stereophile, a competitor, might be a tad more technical, but the reviews there are harder to figure out, and some of the equipment so esoteric that only a millionaire would buy it (nothing wrong in covering that, sort of like a car magazine talking about Ferrari), and they get too lost sometimes on the "golden ear" aspects.  Sound & Vision is probably the closer competitor to Home Theater, they're relatively close, but I'd give the slight nod to Home Theater, they're just executing better, reviews easier to read and follow, numeric system makes it simple.


title: Thin mag and mostly for children/parents

text: First issue so thin I was shocked they would even send it out. Subscribed due to price only.Over the years I have flipped thru them at store check out line and never wanted to spend $ on one - don't have kids...don't want to read about kids issues to that extent.


title: Getting through Amazon

text: Glad that now I can get it though my Amazon, being a fan of this magazine for long time.


title: Good for Beginners!

text: Found this magazine via their Instagram page. Decided to subscribe after receiving the first issue as a gift. Great ideas and recipes and tips for vegans from beginners to those who have had this lifestyle for a long time.


title: Good Puzzles

text: This mag has lots of puzzles and that's the main reason I get it.  I enjoy all the different challenges.


title: Nice

text: Son likes! He is 6 years old and sat still for a while  to enjoy beautiful pictures


title: Time waits for no man.

text: Hotep family. I recommend the Time magazine’ because it seems like they're always on the scene and I'm sure if you've ever seen one you know what I mean. I recommend my friend you got to know the trends. Thank you for looking at my review. I hope it was helpful for you. If it is, please let me know by simply checking that helpful box below. God bless you. And may the rest of your life be the best of your life.  Baba Oran Z

user_id: AFHPJTBQYQHQXIFBAODXDAIGCGMQ


title: on time, great ideas and articles

text: Love the articles and ideas both in the actual magazine and the on-line articles also. This is my new favorite magazine. Definitely the most useful one.


title: they love them so much

text: My kids fight over these, they love them so much.  I love hearing the random facts they've learned.


title: Four Stars

text: So far so good will keep you posted


title: Love the material and articles

text: This is one of my fitness magazines. Love the material and articles. Usually pick up some new tips.


title: Pleasure To Read

text: This magazine is always up to date on the best articles and books to buy. Articles always gets to the point and always so interesting to read. Would recommend this to anyone that’s interested in poems or short stories or articles on these subjects.


title: Oprah !

text: Always enjoy reading on what Oprah has got to say . A smart woman indeed. Magazine usually has great stories with such great pics. Always looking forward to see Oprah in my mailbox.


title: Favorite!

text: Fav magazine!


title: Good magazine for men!

text: Husband loves it!


title: Waste of Time

text: Low on the "Geographic" high on the "People Magazine" . Interview with Paul McCartney...really.


title: Blah

text: I decided to get a subscription to this magazine and discovered that it's nothing but ads with a few blah recipes with obscure ingredients. What actually ticks me off the most are the stupid renewal notices! I got before I even received my first magazine. Sorry, won't be renewing it, it's all fluff and ads.


title: My favorite magazine

text: I love every issue - since the pages get fewer and the pictures get bigger, I'm beginning to wonder if everything is okay, though, and my magazines will continue to arrive!


title: Future Music

text:
This magazine is invaluable for the present-day producer.

I produce hip hop tracks and find that this particular magazine is tailored perfectly to the producer who works much with virtual instruments, plug-ins and the like.

Each month's issue also comes with a bonus CD that includes plug-in demos (often free fully-functional plugins), tutorial videos, sound samples, etc. This, for me, puts "Future Music" in a different league than other magazines.

Mags like Mix and EQ are great - covering a wider scope of music and music-for-film production, but for the producer working with a Digital Audio Workstation, "Future Music" is probably the best "get right down to business" audio magazine available.

Highly Recommended.


title: great magazine

text: really like this magazine


title: Five Stars

text: Nice magazine.  I enjoy it.<br />Update 7/10/2019  I really do enjoy this magazine I only wish it came more often and was twice as big.  I get several magazines but when this one arrives I sit down and read it all.


title: Cooking Southern style

text: Love the cooking recipes!


title: Handy Handymanmagazine

text: Love this magazine for my sweet hubby.


title: After 14 years, he STILL wants to read this......

text:
We first got this magazine when our son was 5 years old.  He could not read, so we would read it together, and it delighted him.  With lots to do from the object search (find the objects hidden in pictures), to the questions, quizzes, to the "how-to-draw" lesson featured in each issue, there was plenty to attract all ages of readers from K to , well, my son is now 19 and still reads it!
It all started with our youngest daughter becoming 5 this past winter.  Our 19 year old son found her pawing around in his hidden stash of NATURE FRIEND MAGAZINES which we had stopped getting over a decade ago.  He kept carrying on about how he wished we could get it again "for her sake".
I looked all over the internet, through every directory and in old editions of the magazine, but NATURE FRIEND seemed to have disappeared.
Then we found it here on AMAZON.COM a couple of months ago.  We got our first issue a few weeks ago and there is always someone reading it somewhere in the house- ME INCLUDED!
The quality of the magazine is greatly improved.  There is plenty to do for all ages, recipes, studies of interesting things (like where do dandelions come from and how did they get here and what do you do with them....) and interactive projects for all ages.
One of our favorite features is the HOW TO DRAW series that they still have.  Very nice lessons on drawing some kind of animal or natural thing are given.  Readers send in their best shot at it and many photos of their contributions are featured in future issues.  There is a lot packed in to this 25 page magazine- and NO ADS!
I can not rate this magazine highly enough.  We stopped getting BIG BACKYARD because this magazine offers so much more and we could only get one magazine for this year.  We are so glad to have found it again- and it has even improved!


My son loves these magazines! The subscription on Amazon takes months to receive however😕


title: For my grandson

text: I bought them for my daughter and son when they were young. Now buying for my grandson. He loves them


title: Grand daughter lives these

text: My grand daughter loves these. She takes them to school to share with friends😀


title: Nat Geo should  be ashamed

text: My Grandkids have gotten 3 copies over a 6 month period., and what they have received are very poor quality. I won't spend another penny on this worthless twaddle, and i wish there were a moneyback option.


title: Keepers

text: The articles and pictures are incredible. I bought an issue in a bookstore when I was in Japan for a while, and paid nearly as much for one copy as for the whole year. This is a fantastic buy. The only problem is what to do with them once I've read them?! Can't discard them.


title: Good for that price

text: Good one


title: Company cancelled subscription before I even got an issue

text: Love this magazine.  Have been buying it on newstands. Even though it is vegan, I can substitute "normal" ingredients or add meats.  It's great when I cook for egg-allergy friends.  The photography is stunning.  But this Amazon subscription was cancelled and my money refunded with no explanation.  Back to buying it at health food checkstands.


title: Five Stars

text: Who doesn't love Dr. Oz.  This magazine is full of great information.


title: Too religious

text: I wanted to enjoy literary essays, stories, and articles, but it seems like every issue I received this last year is packed full of a religious agenda of one variety or another.  To be sure, the themes seem to be an eclectic variety of spiritual and cultural mysticism, but the magazine never just leaves it out.  It's always a tome espousing some collection of beliefs, cultural systems, and world views that relate humanity to an order of existence using religious narratives, symbols, and sacred histories or allusions from one or another.  Everytime I read it, I feel like I'm being proselytized.


title: good intentions

text: The magazine has good intentions and worthy goals.  The photography is awful.  The layout, design and printing is so bad as to be distracting.  The writing is good for the target audience which would have to be rather good beginning readers because there's scarce little that is attractive to the non-reader (my boys are 3 and 4 so the level of writing in this magazine would need to be read to them).  With that said, the writing is neither personal nor authoritative.  You get the sense the authors are simplifying or dumbing down a more authoritative source on their subjects than themselves.


title: Confusing

text: I found the offer confusing and didn't realize I wouldn't be able to access the magazine on my MacBook. I like getting a paper copy though; I read it and pass it on.


title: Hit or miss on the recipes

text: I don't believe that people actually eat all of these recipes.  Some of them were downright weird.


title: Dec. 2015 I never received any magazines this past year.  I hope I get them this year.

text: Really enjoy the whole magazine.  Appreciate the updates for my old New Orleans recipes from my grandmother and mother.  I've given subscriptions as gifts and have received very positive responses.  Glad that I found the magazine and that Amazon offered such a good price.


title: Great Health/Fitness Magazine for Women

text: I like reading this magazine in addition with other fitness/health magazines for women. It's full of helpful articles that motivate me to work out and eat healthier. I like that they include a lot of good information instead of just full of ads. I hate paying for a magazine that just includes ads. I've been a long-time subscriber to this magazine and would highly recommend it.


title: Great informative fitness magazine for women!

text: I love how this magazine gives me great inspiring fitness information, healthy recipes as well as information on new beauty products that are available to try. I always feel inspired after I have finished reading this magazine.


title: Luxury magazine

text: Best luxury magazine.


title: Forget it.

text: This digital magazine won't download to the new (6") Fire. It loads on my older Fires. The "customer service" from the company was irrelevant, and Amazon didn't respond at all.


title: THE GO-TO CAR MAGAZINE

text: This is literally the BEST car magazine on the market. From novice to professional it is a fantastic and informative read. Each and every issue. Been reading/subscribing for years. Do yourself a favor and get this magazine!


title: Convenient form for magazine

text: I am quite pleased with the format on my Kindle.  It means I can easily carry the recipes to our vacation cottage, or when visiting family.  However, I did not get a tote bag, or any of the 6 digital cookbooks they claimed I could download, so that was disappointing...


title: Waste of paper

text: Don’t purchase should have listened to other reviews. Nothing but ads.


title: Flag-waving

text: This is a great flag-waving rah rah British quarterly. The problem I have with it is they also get religious at times in some features going on about Christianity and the church etc. As a non-Christian I find that objectionable and would rather they stick to the topic of the country, the people and all that and just an occasional mention of the church as a small part of it. Remember recent surveys show less than 17% of British folks attend church weekly, compared with over 50% of Americans. If they'd stay out of the religious stuff I'd give them 5 stars as the rest of the content is first-rate! I also take this same firm's other quarterly called Evergreen. It has the same problems but it is still worth the money as well if you are an Anglophile!


title: News on latest jewelry trends.

text:
Love reading about upcoming jewelry trends, artists, and
techniques. Information about new gem mines and interesting
gemstones. Great ideas which stimulate creativity.


title: Cultural Cooking

text: I enjoy this magazine because of the articles about families and their traditions. Some recent offerings were an article about a family who canned tomatoes for friends and family, and a heartwarming history of Thanksgiving for a family in California who combined foods of India with traditional American foods. What other magazines would have such articles? I study the sociology of food. How what we eat affects and is affected by our environment, religion, income, etc. The articles in Saveur invite you in and then delight, exceeding your expectations.


title: Roasted Banana Bars with Browned Butter Pecan Frosting

text:
I found a Cooking Light magazine from 2009 and tried their banana bars with browned butter pecan frosting. Can I say delicious (the bananas are roasted with brown sugar and butter first), but I think personally I'd about half the sugar. When they say light in this magazine they seem to mean reducing fat. So the recipe had 8.4g of fat but 35.1g of carbs . I think if they are going to say a recipe is healthier they should also reduce the sugar. So next time I'll remember how sweet the cake was and lower the amount of sugar to say 3/4 cup instead of 1 1/4 cup. Light to me at least seems to mean less fat AND sugar. I didn't play around with the recipe because I only had three bananas and couldn't afford to get it wrong on the first try. I'll try other recipes in this magazine if I find any in the future but I'll remember to pay attention to the sugar.

~The Rebecca Review


title: Positive Magazine for Good Health

text:
I was in the grocery store standing in line when I looked down and saw Dr. Oz smiling at me. I was really surprised I'd never seen this magazine before and had no idea of its existence. It turns out it is a very positive magazine with lots of tips on how to be healthier and more beautiful. It is definitely aimed at the age group of 20-50.

If you like cooking you will also enjoy some of the recipes and articles on how to prepare food. The advertising in the magazine is also not very annoying. It seems like the products advertised suit the magazine. I especially liked the section on questions Dr. Oz answers. That was informative. I'm glad I don't drink raw milk after reading his comments. There is also information on the latest health scares and what to do about them.

The issue I got also had recipes for spa products you can make at home. So I felt that this magazine was a brightly colored, appealing magazine that taught me some new things about life.

~The Rebecca Review


title: So Comforting and Magical

text:
I am just done reading the May/June issue and I must say all the stories were wonderful. I have been reading this magazine for years now since my mother-in-law has a subscription and she gives me her magazines when she is done with them. I look forward to reading this each time it arrives. I think it is perhaps my favorite magazine of all time. The stories are just so good, comforting and inspirational. You never know when an angel is going to appear in the stories but something magical always happens. As someone who was once saved by an angel when I was almost drowning I can say angels are real and they do sometimes take human form.

~The Rebecca Review


title: Excellent Stories of Days Gone By

text:
My mother-in-law has a subscription to this magazine and gives me her copies when she is done with them. The last one I read was from July/August 2011. This magazine has stories about hanging clothes on clotheslines and canning vegetables. Since I grew up overseas in Africa this magazine appeals to me since it talks about things from my childhood. I'm only 47 but it is like I lived 100 years ago. The advertisements in this magazine do seem geared for people in their 70s and beyond. What I love reading is the Wanted ads. A lot of people are looking for old friends or for items to make their lives more fun. So overall this is a pleasant magazine to read when you get a chance.

~The Rebecca Review


title: Very Interesting

text:
When I picked up this Reader's Digest that we get in the mail I was instantly intrigued by the article about who Americans trust the most. Apparently we trust Tom Hanks the most and Sandra Bullock is next. If I have to admit it I've seem many of their movies and they are usually quite good. Which proves to me that when actors and actresses have good character it shows through in a movie and makes you respect them even more. Meryl Streep and Julia Roberts also made the list. Oprah came in at number 59 which I thought was a bit shocking. I'd imagined her being way at the top of the list. Jeff Bezos came in at number 78. I trust him a lot more than most of the people on the list. So to me this was one of the most enjoyable Reader's Digest I've ever read.

~The Rebecca Review


title: Health Advice with Modern Appeal

text:
Should you try out the hotel hot tub while on vacation or try the pool instead? This magazine has excellent advice for everything from travel concerns to fitness and beauty advice.

Recipes for natural salt scrubs with buttermilk mingle with the hottest advice on commercial beauty products. Do the new stick-on manicures work? What is the newest information on cancer prevention?

Dr. Andrew Weil has a 5-minute section with holistic-health advice where he explains why Wild Alaskan salmon and blueberries will keep skin youthful. Is the air in your home as clean as it could be?

Fun product pages offer seasonal comforts. For summer you may find yourself looking up beach blankets and fans. Special sections show you how to lose weight, even when on vacation. Interesting advice on how to beat stress and why you should find ways to increase the release of oxytocin.

The only thing in the magazine of concern seems to be the advice section which I read, but take some of her advice with a big pinch of salt. If someone thinks they are suffering from an addiction, they probably are. I'm at times rather surprised by her answers that seem to lean towards a casual approach to serious life-changing situations, although she seems to give women great advice about health issues when it comes to making them feel better about breast cancer or work situations.

~The Rebecca Review


title: Artistic Design with Unique Features

text:
Spa Parties and T-shirts that say "Delish" are very much a part of Rachael's magazine complete with pullout recipe cards and travel features. The recipe cards all have shopping lists on the back, so you can grab the cards and head to the grocery store. There is also a handy recipe index organized by categories at the end of the magazine.

The Kids recipe section encourages young cooks to participate in family meals. This issue had a recipe for a delicious tuna salad with roasted red pepper and grape tomatoes. Just for Kids tips give ideas for how to juice a lemon and there are cute kid comments about the recipes.

Everyday with Rachael Ray embraces life and does it with a realistic flair. In the June/July issue, ideas for picnics include shopping lists and recipes for Melon Skewers with Orange-Lime Marinade. Roy Yamaguchi cooks at home with his family and offers recipes like Miso Cod with Buttered Mushrooms.

What I like most about this magazine is the realistic recipes complete with everyone cooking and enjoying life. The pictures are spontaneous and the series of pictures for the Ice Cream Cake are step-by-step heaven. Just when you think this magazine has everything you could wish for, an Everyday Menu Planner appears to give recipes and shopping lists. Grilled Shrimp with Cucumber Salad and Smoked Turkey Panini are must-have recipes for the summer. Peaches resting on a marshmallow meringue are perfect for dessert after the Baby Back Ribs with Jammy Glaze.

This is a magazine about cooks, chefs and Rachael's recipes. The "Ask Rachael" section gives you a chance to send in e-mails to ask Rachael about her life or to have your foodie question answered in the magazine. She also has decorating advice so now you know what to do with the shells you collected at the beach (or you could find them at Pier 1).

What is the best feature in this magazine besides the recipes? "What is in the refrigerator of your favorite Celeb?" I'm always intrigued.

If you collect cookbooks, there are many featured in this inspired magazine. The advertising doesn't seem to overtake the pages and is subtly blended in so it feels very natural and interesting.

~The Rebecca Review


title: Blueberry Pudding & Food Festivals

text:
Saveur is a celebration of authentic cuisine with everything from Food Festivals to very easy-to-make recipes, like Blueberry Pudding. While there are a few book reviews for foodies to enjoy, the writing introduces cooks to international flavors and seasonal fare. Restaurants are also a feature as are gourmet cooking essentials.

While reading you may discover a pastry shop or start to dream of making a recipe like Chicken Fried Steak. Yes, this very gourmet book has comfort food recipes as well as more complex recipes like the one for Olive Bread which actually only requires a minimum of bread making skills.

After reading this magazine I'm normally in the mood to drizzle olive oil over just about anything I'm putting in the oven. The recipe for Stuffed Tomatoes and Summer Squash had me wishing it was October again and the recipe for Fig Jam reminded me of my childhood in Africa where we had a Fig Tree in the backyard.

Saveur is filled with nostalgia, entertaining food adventures and delicious recipes. With Amazon's Gourmet food section, we can now find the ingredients to make many of the recipes in this magazine.

~The Rebecca Review


title: Modern Design

text:
"Creativity is like life insurance. If you are creative, you are never afraid, because you can design yourself out of any situation." ~Li Edelkoort

If you are interested in items like the Nissan Actic Concept Car (that has a matching trailer) or you want to discover new modern options for your bathroom, kitchen or garden, this magazine delivers.

DWELL has a variety of articles to interest the casual decorator or the seriously focused chef. For example, the April/May 2004 issue had articles on:

Home Cooking - a contractor and his three sons design a home with the kitchen at the heart of the home.

Cutting It Up - A downtown Los Angeles loft gets a makeover.

Stainless Chef - Designer John Picard finds a sanctuary with a high-tech steam oven and a hand-carved tub.

Victorian Revival - A San Franscico couple is the inspiration for a dramatic culinary renovations.

Trend Diva - Jane Szita talks about nesting and nihilism.

Other interesting articles include information on houses that become art, short reviews for books on subjects such as living in a small space.

I was intrigued by the house designed with mostly windows on page 45 and high tech enthusiasts will also love features for speakers or CD changers which are most modern.

Well, until I can afford a 9,500 buck oven, I'll keep reading and dreaming. The library in the April/May issue is to die for! Big windows and shelves galore.

Dwell is a magazine designed to inspire and inspire it did! Even some of the text is in color. The Marketplace section gives you a wealth of sources to encourage you to start on your own dream design, house or otherwise. The sourcing section also provides page by page information on sources.

~The Rebecca Review


title: Home Cooking with Creative Flair

text:
Imagine making a Beehive Cake or a Honey-Citrus Iced Tea. When looking through this magazine you need a good cup of tea and a pair of scissors. You will be cutting out a lot of recipes! In fact, I'm sitting here cutting out recipes in between typing. There are 16 pages of recipes in a "card" format.

The Favorite Meal section and Cooking for One or Two is always of interest. It shows you how to put an entire meal together and all the recipes are included.

There is also a section where you can view enviable country kitchens. Then you can learn how to make ordinary foods extraordinary. Add curry powder to chicken salad or add brewed coffee to cookie dough.

The "Men Who Run the Range" section is a series featuring men who love to cook and then you can also find out what people are eating in various states across the country. These are ideas and recipes from real cooks across America.

One time I looked in the "Does Anyone Have...?" section and found a note about a woman who was looking for specific items. After sending her a small box, she then reciprocated and sent me the most beautiful framed pressed flowers. It is a fun section where you can read about recipes people are looking for and if you have the recipe, there is an address where you can mail the item. I recently learned how to make rosemary crackers and someone is looking for a recipe for various crackers.

This magazine also has info on cooking schools all over the country. You could also be a Field Editor and share your recipes, cooking tips and other ideas with the home-office staff. You could literally end up in this magazine!

Some of the delicious recipes I've been clipping from this magazine include:

Grilled Sirloin Steak
Crispy Fried Chicken
Herbed Seafood Skewers
Chicken with Rosemary
Vegetable Cheese Tortellini
Grilled Turkey Burgers
Beehive Cake
Honey Citrus Iced Tea

Tonight I made a chicken dish with homemade stuffing and a mushroom gravy that my husband really loved. I think this magazine inspires me to cook more and I have never read this magazine without tearing out pages galore. Now I'm dreaming about the Pear Crisp with Lemon Sauce and the Raspberry Cheesecake Pie.

~The Rebecca Review