Phosphore - Without Hors Series

Our school library got this magazine, and I used to spend one of my free periods reading it. It deals with current issues and has excellent reviews and lists. It also has great profiles of celebrities and other issues of teen interest, but still deals with current events and hot topics in the news.

Casa Facile

I buy CASA FACILE for years on the stand in the INTERNATIONAL NEWS stores in NYC. Used to cost $2.50/issue until about 2 years ago when the price went up to $2.95, now it's $3.50. I do not see any deal in subscription for $5.70/issue, where is the saving?? Besides the high subscription price tag, there is nothing bad about CASA. It's a practical home improvement magazine with a load of good ideas for both interior design professional and a creative homeowner. Do not look for a traditional style in this magazine, it's 90% contemporary with an occasional article on antiques or style mix and match. Think Better Home and Garden Italian style. Quality of issues varies, but I gave it 4 stars anyway as some remodeling ideas I've got from this unassuming magazine brought me several returning customers.

Shambhala Sun (1-year auto-renewal)

"Shambhala Sun" has a beautiful lay-out, and is filled with words of wisdom from ancient and contemporary Buddhist thinkers. It features articles and interviews from people like Alice Walker We Are the Ones We Have Been Waiting For: Light in a Time of Darkness, Jon Kabat-Zinn Arriving at Your Own Door: 108 Lessons in Mindfulness, Thich Nhat Hanh Peace Is Every Step: The Path of Mindfulness in Everyday Life and many others. One author in particular had an influence on me and how I think about relations and even politics, and that is Jack Kornfield After the Ecstasy, the Laundry: How the Heart Grows Wise on the Spiritual Path. I used to work as a security guard and had the opportunity to listen to a presentation he gave on "The Roots of Buddhist Psychology" (available from Sounds True audio). He revealed all sorts of counter-productive habits of mind we find ourselves in, or that we've been put in by a very manipulative corporate media Manufacturing Consent Noam Chomsky and the Media. For me, Buddhism isn't just a spiritual practice, but something that can assist in bringing on progressive social change, exemplified by the many Buddhists who are engaged activists. We hear a lot about the Christian Right and its political power, but the Buddhist Left (among other progressive denominations) is quietly revolutionizing how we perceive the world and encouraging kindness, which is a radical proposal in what can be a mean world.

See Turning Wheel magazine for more on Buddhist political action.

Regularly recognized by Utne as one of the best magazines in its field, "Shambhala Sun" will appeal to both serious Buddhist practitioners, and those with a vague interest.

See also:

Buddhism for Mothers: A Calm Approach to Caring for Yourself and Your Children

Discovering Buddhism

Money, Sex, War, Karma: Notes for a Buddhist Revolution

This magazine is great, and I look forward to receiving every 2 months. Great articles, book reviews, authors, stories, etc. Highly recommend for anyone interested in the buddhist or generally mindful path. Gives great insight into multiple traditions as well.

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I have just received my first copy of the Shambhala Sun, and although I am not completely through readying it yet, I am completely in love with this magazine. It is so knowledgeable and has something for everyone. The photography is beautiful and even the advertisements, which do not take up the entire magazine, have a reason to be read. I am more than happy that I chose this magazine and I will be renewing it too. The most important things is that there is something detailed in it about Buddhism and the Dahli Lama that affects you personally and something you did not know that you can learn and live with and apply to your life immediately.

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Named for the mythical (?) and mystical kingdom in the East, Shambhala Publications is known for bringing some of the greatest and sometimes most obscure philosophical writings of Mankind to the attention of the general public. As part of its Dharma mission, the company markets several web portals and periodicals, among which this is the best-known.

SHAMBHALA SUN presents us with some of the best Buddhist writing available today. I have watched this magazine mature into an eminently readable publication as it has shifted its primary focus away from dry scholarly and pedagogical articles written by University Professors of Oriental Studies and obscure Vajrayana mountain hermits to the more immediate concerns of Western Buddhists---like how to maintain your practice in the face of an interaction with an obnoxious sales clerk; or how to be "in the moment" with digestive troubles: "The Sh***y Monk," a recent article, reflects SHAMBHALA SUN's movement away from self-importance.

The scholarly and pedagogical articles still do appear, albeit written with a lighter hand. Information on the neurological changes caused by meditation and information on little-known aspects of Sri Lankan Buddhism no longer cause me to develop glazed eyes and a sudden desire to find the ecstasy in the laundry.

Does SHAMBHALA SUN have shortcomings? Well, in my opinion, a few:

It has become the self-appointed promoter of the emerging "Mindfulness" movement, an academically-sanctioned whitebread-and-jelly form of meditation practice sans spirituality now becoming the new darling of Corporate America.

Like "Green," "Mindfulness" permits companies to appear to be interested in the human concerns of their employees while co-opting workers into accepting even less autonomy. Soon, meditation, or at least sitting on your arse quietly, may become a job pre-requisite for health benefits. But without allowing for a spirit of internal inquiry, it really is just sitting on your arse.

SHAMBHALA SUN is also slick and full of ads and promotions for meditation retreats and other expensive products. I know ad space pays the bills, and I like money as much as any capitalist can, but the nakedly exploitative nature of some of the ads is troubling. Chogyam Trungpa, the founder of Shambhala, wrote a seminal work named CUTTING THROUGH SPIRITUAL MATERIALISM, and I have to wonder what he would think of the Dharma practices of Ford Motor or the "Geshe Lama Gogolak Awareness Retreat of Telluride Colorado (only $10,000 per day, minimum twenty days)."

Having made these objections, I will quickly add that these issues are raised by way of promoting awareness among potential subscribers, not as a critique of the magazine itself. People can and do benefit from Mindfulness training, retreats, and practice aids. SHAMBHALA SUN itself is hardly responsible for the hijacking of meditation practice into the corporate culture. Also, the magazine only runs ads, it doesn't judge them. Thus, insofar as this reviewer goes, none of this costs the SUN a star.

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I have read many different Buddhist magazines over the years, and Shambhala Sun stands out in taking a fresh new look on the traditions. Where many other magazines might talk about meditation basics or a history of a famous person, Shambhala Sun is interviewing Buddhists with tattoos who swear and who bring Buddhism into inner city environments. The same issue had a look at the blogging firestorm that erupted around Tiger Woods, his infidelities, and his statements about Buddhism.

Yes, there are the articles on the Dalai Lama, there are reviews of recent books that touch on the Buddhism world, and there are the typical pages and pages of advertisements. I really wish magazines didn't have to be so densely populated with ads. Do they really need *that* many in order to pay their basic bills?

For me, I'm taking off one point because while many of the articles are interesting, they're more newsy than practical. I do enjoy learning about Buddhism in other parts of the world, but I can do that online fairly easily. I am hoping with the magazine to get more of a direct, helpful way to improve my own practice.

Still, a fairly minor complaint, and if you're keen to learn about the various ways Buddhism is changing and growing as it spreads into untouched nooks and crannies of our world, this magazine is the one which will cover it.

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Humanist

The HUMANIST is published bimonthly by the American Humanist Association. A recent issue contains articles, book reviews, editorials, news and Letters to the Editor. The subjects include such topics as the commercialization of society, multilateralism, nuclear weapons, the Just War Doctrine and the environment. Some of the contributors are Ralph Nader, Gregory D. Foster, Douglas Mattern and Eugene B. Kogan.

I am definitely not a humanist but I still enjoy reading this publication for its alternative viewpoint. It is highly readable and contains very little waste.

I have received three issues of the Humanist as of this review. I have read most of the articles in two of the issues, and am currently working my way through the third. Inside every cover of the magazine is the following definition of humanism, "Humanism is a rational philosophy informed by science, inspired by art, and motivated by compassion. Affirming the dignity of each human being, it supports liberty and opportunity consonant with social and planetary responsibility. Free of theism and other supernatural beliefs, humanism thus derives the goals of life from human need and interest rather than from theological or ideological abstractions, and asserts that humanity must take responsibility for its own destiny." Not surprisingly, I would say that the articles I have read fall nicely in line with this definition.

The magazine covers many different topics. Here are the titles of a few articles that I particularly enjoyed: "Moving from a War Economy to a Peace Economy," by Mary Beth Sullivan; "The Bible According to Thomas Jefferson," by Peter Carlson; "Going Anti-Postal," by Michael I. Niman; "Black Churches and Blue-Eyed Jesuses," by Sikivu Hutchinson; "Biblical Scholarship and the Right to Know," by Bart Ehrman; and "Terra Instabilis: Are we Headed toward a New World Disorder?," by Jon Harrison. As you can see, there is a wide array of topics covered. Each issue also has worthwhile book reviews.

I particularly enjoyed the article about the Postal System. The author, Dr. Michael I. Niman, who is a professor of journalism and media studies at Buffalo State College, makes the point that the Founders looked at the Postal System as fostering democracy, as it offered cheap rates to publishers. In other words, it aided in providing free speech. He goes on to say that we are one of the only countries that does not subsidize our Postal Service. We stopped subsidizing the Postal Service under President Reagan's tenure. Dr. Niman advocates the Postal System offering a reasonably priced internet service, which would be similar to the reasonably priced service it provides with first class mail. He makes the case that there are things that can be done to make the USPS profitable again. The reason I liked this article is because it introduced me to ideas that I had never been exposed to before, nor would have thought of on my own.

Another article that I thought was exceptional is entitled, "Terra Instabilis: Are We Headed toward a New World Disorder?" by Jon Harrison. He looks at the predominantly economic crises in Europe, China, the Middle East, and the U.S. He looks at the specific problems that each of these regions face, and how these region-specific problems could impact the whole, since there is such economic interdependency in the global economy. I particularly like what he says about the problems the U.S. faces. He says, "The economic dilemmas America now faces are politically driven. That is to say, past political choices---to run up massive deficits, to encourage consumption over investment, to impose a free trade regime on a playing field tilted against the United States---have landed the country in its current economic situation." I could not agree more. Unless these specific trends are reversed, I think there is little hope for our country's future. With respect to "free trade" he says, "Both parties adhere slavishly to the current free trade regime, which has devastated U.S. manufacturing...." My overall point about this article is that he questions issues, issues like "free trade," in a way that is rarely done in the major media.

Overall, I am glad I subscribe to the Humanist. In all likelihood, I will renew my subscription. I find it to be worth reading.

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Brutus Magazine

I read this magazine for more than 10 years now. Though it's in Japanese, and my limited Japanese language skill cannot aid me to fully understand all the text, I find it the best and most interesting magazine focusing on modern living and design innovation. Especially it becomes more international in the recent years in terms of content and vision.

Other than having a theme, it features and covers almost every aspects of today city life thoughtout every issue. From fashion to dining, entertainment to culture, even achitecture and technology, you'll be amazed how the working team do their research so diversely and deeply.

On top of all the fulfilling and updating content, it also shows a very unique and lively layout design. It's particularly good for graphic designer as inspiring reference.

Again, I think it has already stepped out of its own country/bountry and will very soon reach an important position in the global magazine market.

Boys Life

I was surprised at the low reveiws for this magazine and had to write to say that my three boys (ages 10 to 14) fight over who is going to read it first when an issue arrives. We've not subscribed to any other magazine that my boys are as enthusiastic about.

This magazine is a great one. My son (age 7) looks for it in the mailbox and when it arrives he reads it cover to cover. He particularly likes the section about scouts saving their leaders or scouts helping scouts. It is an interesting book. It has badges you can earn at times and hints and helps and advice for a variety of scouting type activities and events.

Enjoy.

Well worth the money.

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My 8 year old son is obsessed with this magazine. He spends a good portion of his free time scouring over his new & back issues. It really keeps his attention & keeps him quiet! He always gets so excited when a new one comes. Well worth the $ if you have a boy who likes scouting.

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This is my 9 yos first year of Cub Scouts (Webelos), and we were all very excited for this new opportunity. I went ahead and ordered Boys Life when I registered my son for scouts, looking forward to a monthly magazine that would reinforce the Scout values. I am very, very disappointed. The amount of advertising is disturbing. It seems that for every 1-2 pages of content there is an equal (if not more) amount of advertising. The few articles that I've read have been interesting, but not at the expense of over-exposure to pop culture and media. Shame on you, BSA, for failing to reinforce the values that your organization promotes during den and pack meetings. One look at this magazine, and the values I see promoted are consumerism and video gaming. This will be the last year that I waste $24 on this magazine.

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This magazine is inundated with advertising. The few articles that do exist are saturated with trend ideals and sparcely include the moral values that the Boy Scout organization is said to imply. I am disappointed that the BS organization is willing to be associated with such junk, and supports yet another venue for exploiting funds from its particpants.

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Advertising Age

FYI, as of Feb. 2010, it's $50 cheaper to just subscribe from the adage website.

Advertising Age gives you a birds-eye view of what's happening in the world of advertising and marketing. A good amount of news, trends, and other information is packed into dozens of small blurbs, sidebars, and page-long articles. While I enjoy the content, I have two complaints. The physical format is in-between a newspaper and magazine meaning it is printed on glossy paper and staple bound on the left edge, but it is large and floppy. The other annoying feature is the number of articles that start on the first few pages but are continued somewhere in the back.

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Diapason

My kid has had an interest in pipe organs since before there were any permanent teeth. This magazine is very informative and he thoroughly enjoys reading it.

Moment (1-year auto-renewal)

"Moment" is an excellent magazine. It discusses many various issues that concern the modern Jew; politics, culture and -of course -religion. Often the magazine will discuss controversial issues (with reader imput) so you can get the "scoop" on the latest debates.

I especially appreciate that fact that "Moment" does not take a specific position on issues; the magazine is very good at providing the viewpoint from the perspectives of all types of Jews.

I have read 'Moment' occasionally over many years, and this in the hope of enriching my knowledge of the Jewish world. There have been articles and features which I have found useful. But on the whole the Magazine does not seem to me to be in a class with 'Commentary' or even 'Midstream'. I would say my reaction to it has been by and large lukewarm. I also believe it could be much more forthright and positive in regard to Israel.

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Moment Magazine does not only appeal to Jews, but it appeals to everyone who enjoys reading engaging, thought-provoking stories about culture, religion and politics. Moment's stories showcase how great journalism can be. The magazine teaches, inspires and captivates its readers in a way that most other publications cannot hope to do. Moment is fantastic and absolutely a must-read for all!

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I look to Moment Magazine to get a sense of Jewish issues. They offer a wide range of articles about Jewish politics, culture, and religion. Moment makes Jewish life exciting, and always finds quirky angles. They also offer an excellent range of viewpoints on all these topics. Particularly on Israel, they are able to convey the complexities of the state with all its strengths and problems.

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Redbook (1-year auto-renewal)

Just canceled my subscription, after a year-and-a-half. Unfortunately, for my tastes and lifestyle (40s, married, business owner, no children). I think Redbook is trying to be too well-rounded. I used to love this magazine (especially back in HS and college), but now it seems like it trying to appeal to too many audiences at once...a few pages of Cosmo-style sex-related articles, a few pages of Women's World-style life-threatening articles, a few pages of Healthmagazine "you too can have abs of steel" articles, and way too pages of Parent's Magazine-style articles. The only thing I found myself enjoying was the "Most Embarrassing Moments" feature. I think that a magazine with an article about "Red Hot Sex Kissing Games" a few pages away from an article about "Kids Get Dry Skin Too" is not focused enough. On top of this (and perhaps because of it), it seemed as though most of their articles only touched the surface of any one topic, -all headlines and captions, no substance. I think Vanity Fair, Jane, or Marie Claire might be a better choice for those who want a more focused magazine that delves into its topics more thoroughly.

This magazine should be handed out for free, I am not surprised currently going for $3 because it is basically only full of ads. Out of a bulky 225 pages to browse, ony 25 pages of articles, out of which only 10 pages of interest to me....I would definitely not renew my subscription in 9 months!!!

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I enjoyed reading this magazine when I was raising my children because it had something of interest to almost everyone in the family. When the kids were at school, I especially liked putting my feet up and settling down with a cup of hot tea while reading the few short fiction stories that were featured in each issue.

I was disappointed when the publishers went "with the flow" and discontinued the short fiction a few years ago, but I continued to read it for the other interesting features.

As the kids grew up and situations changed, I quit reading magazines so much and lost myself in my true love--reading novels. Thus, Redbook was lost somewhere along the way.

Recently, when I saw Redbook in Amazon, it was like seeing an old friend ... an old friend showing more "cleavage," to be sure. But, regretfully, that's the signs of the times. On a whim--I ordered a subscription. The price was right, and I haven't regretted my decision.

Some reviewers have complained because they think Redbook tries to appeal to too many sections of society, but I find that a plus. I like learning about things other generations and cultures find of interest.

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I use to read this magazine back in the eighties and I remember that I had enjoyed it. Recently I decided to subscribe to a few women's magazine,this being one of them.Upon receiving the first issue I could see this wasn't the same magazine I remember.Every other page is an advertisement.No wonder it's only $8.00 for a subscription they don't have to pay any staff,there are little to no articles.Very disappointed, I should have picked up a copy at the supermarket first to check it out before subscribing.Oh well, at only $8.00 it isn't a huge lost, but once the subscribption runs out I will not be renewing.I can recommend Good Housekeeping, Ladies Home Journal, and I was pleasantly surprised by an improved Family Circle.

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I was annoyed that this magazine seems to equate "mature woman" with "has kids". I enjoy the realistic fashion tips and advice, and I get annoyed with Cosmo's teenage attitude, but I'd like to see more about careers to balance out the "how to be a mom who does it all" sections. And yes, I'm not kidding...there's a regular section on being a mom who does it all.

This mag will appeal to those who are in the mom/work category. Those of us who do not have kids but are still "grown up" will be a little left behind.

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Trapper & Predator Caller (1-year)

This magazine comes out every two months and has very good hunting, calling, and trapping tips and strategies and their fur price charts are on the same level as Fur Fish and Game.

You won't find any kind of compromise in The Trapper & Predator Caller. This unapologetic "news" magazine has three fundamental goals:

1. To deliver "how to" material on traps, trapping, furbearers, and predator calling. A recent editorial was titled "Disposing Evidence: it's important to be discrete when getting rid of carcasses" (Dec. 2010, p. 6).

2. To serve as a bulletin board for state trapping associations. Many state trapping associations use the T&PC to publish the minutes of their business meetings, report on the success of their conventions, advertise fur sales, and rant against the antis.

3. To advertise products and services relating to trapping and predator calling. There are ads galore.

If this is want you want, then this is what you'll get! American Trapper, the official publication of the National Trappers Association, has more information on state, national and global issues affecting trapping and the fur markets.

If you want to learn about trap refinements and alternatives, you won't find them in this magazine.

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Everything I wanted in a trapping magazine and it gets passed on to others to read. Will renew again when time comes.

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So, there is actually a magazine out, that discusses how to cruelly catch our fellow living souls, in painful traps, where they linger for days in pain, get eaten alive by other wildlife, or get their heads chopped off by the trappers who then stuff them and admire their kill?

This is why 'evolution' remains a theory, not a fact.

That neanderthals, to this day, trap and murder innocent souls, and get excited about it, shows that evolution is still a work in progress.

What a disgraceful waste of paper this is. It isnt worthy of being a substitute for toilet paper.

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Islands (1-year auto-renewal)

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!

I'm a canadian girl (picture snow-filled childhood) currently living in Seattle (picture gloomy, dark, rain filled days --10 months of the year). Until 3 years ago, my husband and I were living in the virgin islands, and before that, I spent several years in Trinidad. Imagine my sunshine withdrawl. Sometimes I think we truly must be crazy to have left. This magazine is a regular fixture in our bathroom, and I practically stalk the mail man, waiting for it's arrival each month. While I can't afford a real tropical vacation every time I need one, Islands gives me a great quick-fix, allowing me a glimpe of the island life I dream of one day returning to. With stunning photography and wonderfully written island profiles covering every corner of the globe, this is the best subscription I've ever ordered. I'm hooked for life. The only reason I didn't give it five stars was because there are (in my econo-travelers opinion) too many advertisements for high-priced resorts.

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This is the only magazine I subscribe to I love it because it has wonderful timeless images of places and people which simply exude calm, chill, beach bum latitude attitudes. There's little cultural or political commentary here; these destinations are described and presented simply as perfectionist's paradise which may not be reality, but it makes me want to hop on a plane and go. Photography is top notch and there is a section at the end of every issue giving travel details for each island described (including local costs, times, and places to stay and eat.

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The photography is fantastic. I love the shots of tropical islands, clear blue sky, soft white sands, palm trees, and crystal ocean water. Basically, paradise on display. Period. Unfortunately, everything else about the magazine is disappointing: The articles are junk, usually full of random babble which provides no real insight into searching, planning and executing a vacation. The advertising is marginally better, but the options are all limited. I can (and do) get more useful information from my travel agent, discount travel magazines & brochures, word-of-mouth, and the internet.

I thought this magazine would be a great "virtual" vacation every time it arrived in the mail. The problem was that it only lasted about 15 minutes, the amount of time it took to read through the entire mag. The one claim to fame, however, for Islands magazine is that it introduced me to my honeymoon destination, the South Pacific, many years ago. Even with this, though, the most useful information was found on the internet.

For about $15/year, this isn't a bad deal. But, if anyone knows of a magazine with Islands' photo quality, and useful articles, please post.

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This magazine is in part a magazine of dreams. If you have ever dreamed of getting away to an island paradise, then this magazine is for you. All of the articles and photographs are of island destinations. Enjoy your taste of paradise! This magazine covers islands in every part of the world including Hawaii and the South Pacific islands.

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Fine Gardening

Fine Gardening is a magazine packed with information for the serious and sophisticated gardener. It's articles and departments provide careful consideration of aesthetics and design. There can be found in one issue a range of ideas to adapt to the skill level of the gardener. For the beginner there is instruction on designing container gardens for the summer or for the serious garden architect there is detailed instruction on building waterfalls.

For those who just love to drool, a multitude of pictures are provided within each issue. One can imagine planting a jungle and completely transforming one's front yard with articles such as "Front Yard Gardens Make a Strong First Impression." The magazine presents a wide variety of gardening styles to choose from, natural, cottage and more formal designs.

Each edition is broken down between Departments, the monthly columns and articles which vary from edition to edition. Departments include Tips, Garden Architecture, Working Gardener, Praiseworthy plants. Basic, Container Gardens, Master Class, Reviews, and Q & A. The departments are packed with information for the serious and neophyte gardener. A recent issue had information on such issues as solar greenhouses the fertilizing benefits of a thundershower, composts, pests, pronunciation of Latin names and garden follies.

Each edition abounds with interesting and creative articles for the reader. Counting the articles in a recent edition revealed that there were nine articles which provided detailed information, lovely photographs and garden diagrams. They range from information about Fritillaries, old roses, building rustic garden structures, adding purple to the garden, circular elements, designing outdoor places to entertain. and evergreen hollies.

If you are serious about gardening or if you are just beginning and want an instructional tool that is tasteful and informative this is a magazine for you.

I love, Love, LOVE this magazine. It is the perfect combination of technique, design, and inspiration every issue. If you are a beginning gardener, you cannot do much better than study this magazine. If you are an experienced gardener, you will learn something new every issue.

This is one of the few gardening magazines that covers the US West -it is different out here, and they know it. It is rare that you will read in any of their articles, "If it has not rained this week..." which is always a sign to Californians that the article does not apply to us.

One of my favorite features is the semi-regular tool essays. It must be a guy thing, but I really enjoy their tool expert explain the proper way to use a tool. Since I started paying attention to his advice, my back has stopped aching so much at the end of a garden day, I know how to keep my shovels sharp (you would not believe what a difference this makes), and I gave away the leaf blower -there is a real peacefulness to raking leaves that you will never achieve with the Devil's hair dryer.

However, I think the best feature is the tips from other readers. I have learned so many clever things from other gardeners volunteering their suggestions -one person suggested putting vegetable scraps in a blender jar (it's airtight, so it won't smell) and when it is full, just whizz the stuff and pour onto the compost hear. That tip alone has paid off in my compost pile being active year round. I turn to this section first every time.

It is a great magazine, you won't regret subscribing.

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I do landscape design and landscape maintenance professionally, and this is the only magazine I'd recommend to clients. As another reviewer noted, The American Gardener is also a fine publication if you are very serious about plants, but for most readers, Fine Gardening best walks the line between accessability and having great information.

I have been a subscriber for eight years and have kept every issue. The information on the spine is clear and so you can easily find that elusive article you remembered and wanted to refer to, without pulling out every issue and having to look at the cover.

As a professional, I find the in-depth articles on different kinds of plants really helpful. It is neat to focus on say, all the different kinds of Forsythias around, so you can really compare the varieties available and know all of your options if you would like to plant one. They usually have six or more photos of the different varieties, with each photo highlighting an important aspect of the plant's habit, foliage, or bloom, plus a few photos of the plants used in a garden, so you can see what kinds of textures and colors the plant works with.

The articles on landscape design are by well-respected professionals and offer a wonderful balance of intellectually interesting discussion and gorgeous photos. They don't always tell us exactly which plant is which in each photo, so that would be a drawback to the new gardener who isn't familiar with a number of plants, but they usually only neglect to name the plants when the photo is trying to illustrate a design concept. I think they find a good balance between urban gardening/ gardening in small spaces, and gardening in a more country or spacious setting.

They also have articles on seasonal care (and as a reader for eight years, I haven't found any articles that are overlap or repeats), articles on broader topics like groundovers for shade or grasses in the garden (in which they usually include a large and useful list of plants, organized by foliage and flower color, size, sun needs, zone, etc), and profiles on the latest tools, books and other gardening needs.

I have read a lot of gardening magazines over the years and Fine Gardening is by far the best. The language is simple yet the ideas are not dumbed down. Most other magazines have huge amounts of distracting advertisements, and Fine Gardening's are related to gardening, useful, and not too prolific.

Recommended.

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I read all the reviews especially the earlier ones saying how wonderful the expert advice is. It must have changed since those reviews were written. I started receiving editions a few months ago.

The photos are still beautiful and it has good tips from users; but I found errors that even I recognize and I am no expert. Wrong names for plants, misspellings... but what disappoints me the most is the content seems to be 'crowd sourced,' largely from readers and not so much from experts.

I want to learn about plants that I didn't know about for different seasons and conditions, so I was surprised that it did not have a section for plants that are in season for the West (California), but covers the rest of the country in some detail: Southwest, Rocky Mountains, Southern Plains, Northern Plains, Mid-West, Southeast, Northeast. What happened to West and Northwest?

I found the ads interesting and they give me ideas to decorate my garden elegantly, although having checked some of the vendors, their prices seem high. Maybe they're targeting designers?

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I have subscribed to FINE GARDENING for several years, and the only real problem I've encountered is where to house back issues. I have also subscribed to a number of other "gardening" magazines, most of them dropped after the initial subscription period. The exceptions have been THE AMERICAN GARDENER (my favorite gardening magazine) and FINE GARDENING.

Want information on design? You will find many ideas in FG but few are within the reach of the average pocketbook or space permitting. However, unlike other magazines I could name, FG does not limit it's coverage to landed estates or huge houses in Atlanta or Savannah, but covers homeowners all over the US in "regional" features, so occasionally urban gardens are covered.

A nifty thing about FG is that each spine indicates the contents, so as I look though my "stacks" I can find almost any topic covered. For example, the February 1995 issue featured "Hillside Gardens". "Ferns". "Garden Diaries" and "Vines". FG also includes several knowledgeable garden writers on its editorial board.

The downside for FG and many other gardening magazines is that over the years, the text of regular features and articles has been substantially reduced, while the number and size of photos associated with the articles as well as those of advertisers has increased (30 percent of the pages is covered with advertising in the current issue of FG).

If you are seeking first-hand experiences and not "McNuggets" sponsored by gas-guzzling garden tools, you will find fewer and fewer of them in most of the more comercial garden magazines (mags without a "botanical" society-based sponsor).

I am a great fan of photos, but photos have their downside too. I have been gardening a long time so I can look at a photo and usually identify the plants shown...but can every reader do this? Unfortunately, too many of the copy editors know nothing about gardening, thus, too often, the captions they have overseen for photos are misleading. FG does a pretty good job of avoiding this problem, but AG is the best.

The AMERICAN GARDENER tends to include essays by home gardeners (many in urban areas with small yard issues) rather than focusing on the travails of designers working on landed estates or home owners with comparatively large spreads (how many of us have a few dozen acres to "garden"?

AG also favors organic practices and reflects this in its advertising (the current January/February 2006 issue includes articles on "Earth-friendly weeding techniques" as well as "A Plant Buff's Guide to Plant Sales" and a side bar examining top "weed" problems in regional areas).

AG is very plant based and conducts "performance trials" of various new plant introductions, so you can benefit from the "on-the-job" hands-on experince of horticulturalists working at River Farm (HQ of AG) in the Eastern US (Alexandria VA), as well as learn about recent research by plant scientists from all over the US.

THE AMERICAN GARDENER is published by the American Horticultural Society and is the PBS of the gardening world -comprehensive, in-depth, and earth-friendly (some advertisement but it does not overwhelm--about 12 percent in the current issue, and most of it on behalf of small and/or earth-friendly organizations).

If you can only afford one gardening magazine join the American Horticultural Association and receive their monthly magazine. If you can afford more than one, FINE GARDENING is also a good bet.

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Blue & Gold Illustrated

This company delivers the issues chronically late when they arrive at all. No issues have been received for three weeks despite renewal having been paid months ago. Completely usesless for keeping up to date with current football season. Not worth the price. A complete rip off. This was a gift subscription for a 90 year old ND alum, and he is very disappointed in the low quality service.

When I purchased the Blue & Gold magazine for my husband it stated that the magazines may not start arriving for 8-12 weeks. That really concerned me as he is an avid ND football fan and wanted to get the early news before the games started. I went ahead and purchased the subscription on July 23 with much hesitation. The first issue arrived about three weeks later and my husband is very satisfied with this purchase. Next year I will order earlier just to make sure he gets the magazine in August.

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WHEN MY HUSBAND RECEIVES AN ISSUE HE IMMEDIATELY SETS TIME ASSIDE TO READ IT. SOMETIMES HE WILL SPEND OVER AN HOUR GOING OVER SPECIFIC INFORMATION. IT DOESN'T MATTER IF HE IS TIRED OR NOT HE WILL READ PART OF THE MAGAZINE IMMEDIATELY. AFTER READING ALL HE WANTS WHICH MAY TAKE A DAY OR TWO HE WILL SHARE IT WITH OTHER MEMBERS OF THE FAMILY AND CALL SOME FRIENDS TO INFORM THEM OF WHAT HE READ. I WISH THE MAGAZINE CAME EVERY MONTH, IT BRINGS SO MUCH JOY TO MY HUSBAND

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I have had a sudscription to B&G off and on my whole life. Most recent, I had a subscription over the past 2 years. I love the content of the newspaper, but it never came on time. during the season I would get my issue a week late. The 1st half of the issue is previewing that weeks game, making half the issue useless to me.

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I ordered a magazine a few weeks ago and he won't receive my gift til late April. I wish I had known that before I oredered.

Early American Life

The best magazine choice for those interested in period furnishings, decor, and culture, and wishing to emulate the same today. This is not a magazine about jacuzzis but about history. In addition to interesting and inspiring features, Early American Life is a forum for artisans to advertise their skills and wares, equally valuable to readers.

This magazine never seems to run out of interesting articles with wonderful accompanying pictures. It's always fun and enlightening to pour over its contents.

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My mother subscribed to EAL for years and I recently came across an old copy and realized how much I had enjoyed the magazine. When I discovered that it was still being published I subscribed and the first issue just arrived this week. It is still a delightful magazine for the those interested in by gone ways and antiques.

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New York Spaces

New York Spaces may be a somewhat pricey magazine; but it's got quite a bit to it. The most recent issue features diverse articles that range from how to remodel a townhouse built in the 1850s to homes in "hip" Hoboken, New Jersey and even homes that are located in "the center of the art world." There are briefer articles pointing out new homes in Long Island City, New York, too. Although you might initially mistake this publication for being somewhat pretentious, New York Spaces is a very good home decorating magazine.

The articles are both timely and well written so that people can understand what on Earth the authors are talking about; and they have great graphics and photos as well. The quality of the paper on which the magazine is printed is rather good; and the cover is bound well, too. I was especially impressed with the article entitled "1850s Modern" which displays just how well you can transform a rather old home into something hip, cool and very sophisticated.

There's one minor objection that I do have: The magazine has many, many advertisements. This can be a bother if you're trying to learn from reading articles; but on the other hand the magazine advertisements display furniture and artwork very well. The displays in the advertisements are great for giving you ideas for decorating your own home. In a time when things are financially tough, you could skip hiring a professional decorator and take ideas from the ads themselves to design your home yourself.

Some of these featured homes may be pricey; but don't let that deter you. It's amazing just how much you can accomplish by getting decorating ideas from this magazine and buying very similar but less expensive things that accomplish your decorating goals.

Overall, New York Spaces is a solid decorating magazine for people who want to indulge themselves in trendy, "hip" homes. And why not--after all, you only live once! I recommend this magazine for people who want very sophisticated decorating ideas especially if they want to decorate their homes themselves.

Marine Corps Times

After 30 years of service my husband likes to know what is going on in the Corps. And since he is a member of the Marine Corps League of Pierce County, Washington, he passes them on to those who want to see how the Corps is doing. Thank you so much, you have frightened his days.

Decibel

This is my favorite magazine right now. This is the magazine that I always get excited about when it comes in the mail. Decibel is obviously written by people who are big music fans in general, but love extreme metal music. These are the people who can see a lot of music journalists for the wankers they are and that bands like Slayer, Carcass, Jesu, and Converge deserve as much, if not more respect than popular bands like Talking Heads, Nirvana, and Radiohead.

One of the best things about this magazine is how it covers all genres and eras. They'll do a profile of some obscure grindcore or doom metal band or a band that is just doing something entirely new. And they do cover stories on popular older bands like Iron Maiden, but then they'll do a cover story on bands that might not be that popular, but are still some of the best out there, like Pig Destroyer and Pelican. So they try to have something for everyone here. There's some good articles for people who aren't huge metalheads and plenty of stuff here for people that want to dig a little deeper. But what they don't do, at least not for a while now, is do cover stories on popular bands that just kinda suck. Their cover story on Trivium has become a joke among the magazine's readers and writers and doesn't look to be something that will be repeated.

Reviews are usually well written. They're not afraid to give out a couple of 9's to the albums that deserve them each month. These, as well as pretty much everything else in the magazine, are usually written with a lot of humor, but you can still tell these are people who genuinely love this music. Also they review a lot of different stuff. You might see Cannibal Corpse, Jesu, Queens of the Stone Age, and even really inventive heavy hip hop like Dalek in the same issue.

The magazine's most popular feature is probably the Hall of Fame. This is an article in each issue where they induct a classic album into their Hall of Fame by interviewing every band member involved in the making of it. The interviews are usually really informative and often include some funny anecdotes.

Another good article is Call and Response where they send seven mp3s labeled only by song title to a different musician and ask for their opinion on them. This usually leads to musicians just totally trashing other bands, sometimes bands they're friends with. Other times, it shows you just how insanely knowledgeable some of these guys are about these bands.

Anyway, this review is already going on pretty long, but there are so many things I like about this magazine. There's always some interesting articles and it's always turning me onto good music. And it's pretty funny too. Check it out.

This Mag is the best out there in my opinion for extreme metal lovers. The deal I recieved for suscribing was awesome! money well spent.

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Love the reviews and different suggestions for bands they have in the magazine. I like reading about the album reviews because it helps me get a view about new bands and bands I've never heard of before. Flexidiscs are cool if you have a player for them, nice add-on that makes this magazine unique. Basically if you like metal and lots of it, your $30 a year is safe with these guys.

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I've been looking for a good music magazine for a long time and i've finally found it! Decibel features awesome bands on a monthly basis. Just been warned you won't find any Velvet revolver or slipknot in its contents, and that's a good thing! Decibel writes about bands worth finding more about and who aren't just the flavour of the week. It has good articles and it's also very well put together and visually pleasing. I eagerly await getting the new issues every month. If you're a music lover you need to buy a copy of decibel, because you won't be dissapointed.

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Decibel has made me believe in magazine again. I'm like a 3 year old that just got home from the toy store when my new issue of Decibel comes. I can't wait to read it and see what obscure bands I've never heard about will be in there, and also interested in the cover stories on some of the best in Metal. Along with in-depth interviews, Decibel Hall of Fame, reviews that are of great quality, and what seems to be an unstoppable writing output, I will subscribe to this magazine as long as its around.

Charlotte Magazine (1-year auto-renewal)

Charlotte Magazine has improved greatly during the 4 years I've lived in Charlotte. My impression 4 years ago was that the articles didn't have much depth and covered the local area with an almost marketing like view of Charlotte (everything's great here!). It just didn't present balanced and critical content as you would find in a great city magazine such as the Washingtonian. Fortunately, during the last 4 years the magazine has improved and now the articles have depth and demonstrate critical thinking and balanced views; which you won't find in the shallow and barely literate Charlotte Observer. The still have a little way to go, but they've made great progress in the quality of the publication, which is why I subscribed. The "event's" section is good for mainstream actives and covers quite a large number of events. Their coverage of unique, local retail shops and restaurants is also very good. If you live in Charlotte or plan to move here, I recommend you subscribe.

I only gave the magazine 4-stars because I wasn't sure what constituted a 5-star magazine. I bought the magazine because I am interested in learning about Charlotte and the State of North Carolina in general. For that, the magazine is great. Plenty of articles of information, and the pictures are fantastic. This is a very high quality magazine and if you're interested in learning about the culture of Charlotte, this is a great place to start. I've only had one issue delivered so far, but it was chock full of info, including a listing of DRs. in the are that you might need. Of course, the emphasis is on "what to do and see in Charlotte", but the magazine goes way deeper than that and provided just about everything you need to learn about the area.

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This magazine always has great content and covers what I'm looking to stay informed about. I reccomend this magazine to anyone looking to stay informed in the Charlotte, NC area.

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Great magazine for those who live in the CLT and surrounding areas. Local info and great music event listing and restaurant reviews

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Love this magazine. This is a great way to buy a magazine and at a good price.

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Log Home Living (1-year automatic renewal)

I have seen the magazine before and I liked it so much. I love the houses and the decor, it is very nice. Designers are very profesional. I love the magazine!..Congratulations!

Here is a magazine about log cabins. Log Homes. The lifestyle many of us city dwellers dream of, and NOW we have our new magazine , I will have mine for 2 years.

ANd everytime I get it from my mailbox, the dreaming begins again. For Someday I may finally get my dream log home here in Northern Arizona. My Dream.

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If you own a log home this magazine gives you many great ideas. I ordered it for my brother and sister-in-law before they bought their home. At this time it gave them important features and qualities of a well constructed log home. Now that they have bought their new home it is not unusual for them to show me an idea they have seen in this magazine which they would like to change or add in their home. I ordered this for them last year and have reordered it again for this next year. It is definitely a must have if you own a log home or plan to buy one in the near future.

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STILL WAITING!!! Purchased it over a month ago and haven't gotten it yet. Is everything done by hand in these companies? Why is it taking so long??? Oh, well, I'll let you know when I know.

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American Scientist

This bimonthly magazine contains science articles written by scientists for the scientifically literate reader (primarily other scientists). W Boudville's review is, in my view, incorrect on most points. His/her claim that the American Scientist is simply the American equivalent of Nature is totally wrong. Nature is a peer-reviewed scientific journal that contains (tersely written) professional articles at the cutting edge of modern research. The American Scientist contains articles that are written by scientists but for a much wider audience, it is certainly not meant to publish latest/greatest scientific results. It is not a peer reviewed journal, and the articles are not research papers and are meant to be accessible to a wider audience. Virtually all areas of the natural and physical sciences are covered in this publication including physics, astrophysics, biology, chemistry, mathematics, geology, paleontology, psychology, neuro-chemistry and many others. There are also occassionally contributions in the fields of enginerring and architecture as well. This may sound like a real hodge-podge, but the articles are generally well written and informative. There are typically 10 or so articles in each issue as well as 10-15 book reviews. I've been a subscriber for 10+ years. Some of the articles that have been most memorable include one on the complex chemistry of the iron in African rocks and how difficult it was for ancient Africans to smelt iron, a recent article on the complex geology of the Moon and what it tells us about it's formation and early evolution, and some surprising results about the Riemann Zeta function. The level (and amount of technical detail) of the articles is well above Scientific American or Sky and Telescope for example, and it is typically assumed that the reader has at least a batchelor's degree in science or engineering. If you are broadly interested in science and want to read a wide range of interesting, technical detailed articles, this is the magazine for you.

I was a Scientific American (SA) subscriber since the early seventies but for the last eight years I have switched to American Scientist.

The writing, content, and timeliness of American Scientist is what SA used to be. I have nothing against SA but for the money I get better value with American Scientist. To sustain market share SA has had to make some compromises which may be a good thing IF it reaches a wider audience. But if you are even marginally literate in matters of science my choice would be American Scientist.

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Giving this magazine such a lofty epithet may seem a bit presumptuous, but for a non scientifically trained outsider this magazine offers a fresh and challenging look at the fast paced world of science that doesn't shy away from humor and the use of terms and ideas that may require its readers to go online and define a term. And in some cases it may inspire the reader to pick up a book on science by such greats as Hawking and Greene in order to better grasp some of the concepts dealing with time, space and atoms. This magazine isn't dumbed down. It includes well placed and efficient illustrations to help explain some of the more abstract points. It is not designed in the way popular magazinea are, in so much as they only touch upon a topic in the simplest manner and then move on before the audience is lost. Yet this magazine keeps the attention of the reader by combining explanatory notes that help people with no background knowledge have some grasp of the topic and by using humor and well written articles to clearly make their points.

For a magazine with a serious and well researched list of topics having small cartoons the likes of the New Yorker shows how comfortable this magazine is with itself. From the moment I picked up this magazine for the first time I felt like every word I read mattered and was worth my time to read. (Not true of many other magazines) American Scientist may not have the audience of Discover or National Geographic, nor is it as accessible as said titles, but for those with a true interest in science willing to challenge themselves and commit to real learning this magazine may be a perfect fit. At $4.95 it is certainly worth it to pick a copy on the news stand and try it out.

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After years of growing disgust with Scientific American (I've been a subscriber to Sci Am since 1975), I vented my frustration with SciAm by writing a scathing review on Amazon tonight. After writing the review, I perused the numerous other reviews from frustrated former SciAm lovers. Several of them recommended AmSci. I spent an hour checking out the AmSci website and I was hooked. I gave them my credit card and I am now a proud subscriber! Long live AmSci, good riddance to SciAm.

Will update this review as often as needed. The only reason I gave it 4 out of 5 stars is because AmSci has only 6 issues a year not enough! Make it a monthly and I will raise my rating to 5 stars!

[Update Feb 27, 2011]

Now that my first print copy has arrived, I am glad to report that I am very, very pleased. Sci Am could learn a lot by looking at Am Sci. The magazine is dense! There is hardly any whitespace. Photos and illustrations are not full-page, but they add essential information. The articles are satisfying, thought-provoking and rigorous. Each one is written by a real, working scientist or full professor. I actually LEARNED things from this issue, instead of (as in the case of Sci Am), fuming about errors. And the book reviews! What a delight about 6 pages of reviews! Each review was thorough, detailed, and nearly a page long.

Instead of stupid politics, there was a great essay on ethics in science.

I still wish this was a monthly! I would gladly pay twice as much for 12 issues a year.

The contrast between AmSci and SciAm is extreme. My March issue of SciAm went largely unread; I have put it on the shelf without finishing it. When my current SciAm subscription lapses, I will not renew. Instead, I plan to donate what I would have spend on SciAm to AmSci!

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American Scientist is to Scientific American as polished gold is to golden polish. The former stands out for its quality, the latter for its shine.

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