Modern Railways

Following Mr. Henry Posner's recommendation about this magazine (and a sample copy ordered from Ian Allen), I decided to spend the big bucks to purchase a subscription and have not been disappointed. Of course, you'll have to brush up on your British geography to understand where they are (plus the problem of them using real English instead of whatever we speak over here). This magazine does a wonderful job of demonstrating what the English expect of their passenger and freight trains with its highly illustrated articles and many news events. I would highly recommend this magazine for anyone interested in the world of railways outside North America.

Fanfares

Coming in the same size and on the same six times a year production schedule as its peer, American Record Guide, Fanfare magazine gives American classical music buyers another perspective on new releases. It also provides interviews with musicians and others in the industry, another complement to ARG's coverage of musical America.

Calling itself the magazine for serious record collectors, Fanfare's reviews are almost always longer than ARG's. Some people think the reviews tell them more; sometimes they do and sometimes they tell you more about the reviewer. It's a certainty that, with at least some Fanfare reviewers, the lengthy reviews are more about the reviewer than the music under discussion.

I think there are a number of things this magazine does well and I would say those things are these:

1. As a subscriber, you gain access to Fanfare's electronic warehouse of reviews going back to the 1980s. This is the most outstanding benefit since more than half of all "new" classical music releases are re-releases of music that's been recorded and released previously. And since only about 1 percent of new releases are an improvement on existing recordings, the ability to go back in time and see what else is out there -which is what made the Penguin Guide famous -is critical to collectors making sound purchasing judgments.

2. Fanfare gives its critics all the space they need for their reviews. This can -when the critic is incisive and direct -result in a penetrating and searching review. When one of the lesser writers is at work, it is kindly to say the literary concepts of directness and conciseness are abandoned. These reviews tend to become personal observatins and not subjective reports on the product.

3. Fanfare uses an unusual format in its opening pages that merge interviews with reviews of spotlighted recordings. This provides more in-depth coverage and opinion on these pieces -usually including lengthy direct quotes from the composer or playre -than any other publication provides.

Not everything at Fanfare is plum pudding and there are equal and corresponding negative aspects to this magazine. They include:

1. Long-winded reviewers with an agenda and, sometimes, little to say about the music. Some reviewers write about the CD in the first and last paragraph and expound on their musical knowledge (or their opinions) everywhere else. Even one of their own critics once published an epistle on how to write a review, saying many reviews seemingly act like liner notes for the music.

2. They publish a lot of letters, which is a positive and a big improvement over ARG. However, in the letters section the reviewers are given space to respond to all criticism. This tells me their work cannot stand up to criticism and the magazine does not value reader input that varies from its expert opinion. They also publish a section where the reviewers get to critique each other. For me, this is no help whatsoever and little more than a personal bashing ground.

3. Fanfare's wide one column format can be difficult for the eye to follow and may exhast the reader. Going to a two column format, like that used by ARG, would improve matters and allow the magazine to put more text into fewer pages since you get more text on the page in multiple columns than in a single column.

Another plaudit -the writing used to be pretty bad in this magazine, with flowery prose regularly substituted for informatio. I am pleased to say this has improved over the years. One reason for this, I think, is that -unlike ARG, which recruits its reviewers from universities and the musical establishment -Fanfare often recruits its reviewers from its subscription base. While a number of its critics are famous, long term music writers, a surprising number are self-taught in the art of music and/or music criticism and/or have been community practitioners.

However, in the comparison with American Record Guide, my assessment is that ARG employs some of the best music critics in the USA and Fanfare, for the most part, does not. I consistently find ARG's best reviewers include more reference recordings in their comparative reviews than Fanfare, even though Fanfare's reviews are sometimes twice as long. Also, much of Fanfare's "front end" product -the interviews with performers and recording company executives that runs through the first 100 pages of each issue -paves the way for the plentiful pages of color advertising in the magazine. Stated another way, it is the crossover from a critical guide to one that is in bed with the music industry. Advertising pays the freight, I know, and there is a price to pay for that -one ARG will not pay.

Another plaudit, especially for the Fanfare editor, is his habit of offering more than one review of an item. I once read two reviews of the Dohnanyi violin concertos that followed back to back. They could not have been more different; one praised the recording to the skies, the second recommended other recordings of both pieces. Because some of Fanfare's critics simply overdo it with enthusiasm a bit too often, in my view, this editorial device is very helpful for me.

As subscriber to both Fanfare and ARG, I find each has merit and complements the other. Each is published six times annually and they arrive at my house about the same time. Both are also available online to subscribers. I often read one, then refer to the other for elucidation. Fanfare making available its database or reviews going back to 1989 to subscribers is a big advantage over ARG, which does nothing of the sort and, instead, suggests subscribers keep all their old copies and refer to them when they want to know something. In this way, Fanfare is in the 21st century and ARG is in the 20th century.

While no critical journal is perfect, I don't think there is any question Fanfare has moved ahead of the British magazine Gramophone, whose level of criticism has declined, its level of poor writing has increased, and it has put more emphasis on world musical development and download technology than reviewing music available to readers. I would recommend this magazine over Gramophone for anyone wanting recommendations on new recordings.

Crochet World

Crochet World is more "crafty" than other crochet magazine and stays with more conservative styles in wearables. Some of the recommended yarns aren't my favorites, but you can always substitute and I sometimes re-imagine them to suit myself. If you like crochet stuffed animals, seasonal decorations, baskets, rugs, doilies, etc. this may be the magazine for you. Not my highest rated crochet magazines since I prefer more wearables and modern patterns, but this magazine has its own special niche.

I have picked up several copies of this magazine at the newstand. I have not bought one copy. The patterns in the magazine lack style. They also use rather unflattering and uncomfortable yarns (eg scratchy hairy synthetics for ponchos). I have not seen one item that I would make.

To subscribe to "Crochet World" you must enjoy making and/or wearing items such as a mulit-coloured jumper with crayons crocheted all over it. But if, like me, you cringe at the thought, check out "Crochet!" magazine.

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This is the best crochet magazine on the market today. Not only does it feature a variety or crocheted patterns, it uses easily found material that are not ultra-expensive. I love their columns and designers. I especially like the Crochet Potpourri column that lets me write in and ask other readers for particular patterns. They have been publishing for over 25 years and boy, do they do it right! I tell all my crocheting friends about this terrific magazine.

Stella

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When I first looked at Crochet World magazine, it struck me as my grandmother's crochet magazine--dated patterns for products that no one under 90 would ever make. But as time went on I found it to be the magazine I returned to over and over again. Why? Because it has patterns for items you actually use in your day-to-day life, because it has patterns for items that are quick and easy to make for gifts, and because it actually interacts with the readers, answering questions and offering advice. And if a pattern looked too hokey at first glance, I invariably found myself coming back to it as a reference for something else--if there was no way that I would ever wear that scarf, for example, I would soon find myself needing to know how to do the stitch they used to make it. The other magazines usually had items I found visually appealing but realized I would never bother to make, so what was the point? I spend a fair amount of time going through each crochet magazine before I buy it, making sure that the patterns contained within have something I absolutely must have, and I don't always buy the same magazine--or even buy any magazine at all. But Crochet World is the only crochet magazine I ever had a subscription to, and the one I keep going back to for patterns, stitches, and ideas. I recommend that, if you're curious, you do a free trial to see what it's all about, and look it over with an eye toward whether it fits your individual needs.

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I am one of the people who enjoys Crochet World magazine. It does have patterns that are dated, as in, inspired by yesteryear. If you like classic style and throwback doily patterns, you will like this magazine. It's not for everyone. Check out an issue on a newsstand and you'll be able to tell right away if this is your kind of magazine.

Alpentourer

ALPENTOURER has been published in Germany since 2006 and quickly became the leading motorcycle touring magazine for the European Alps region. Since 2009 it is a quarterly and the editorial content has been extended to also cover the countries bordering Adriatic sea. Their touring features are great stuff, always a help.

Grit - National Edition

Grit is one of my favorite bimonthly country living magazines. It's a magazine that celebrates the rural community. There are always a wonderful variety of articles. Just some of the article subjects are on gardening, fruit growing, food preservation, farm lifestyle, tips on farming & animal caretaking, cooking and short stories. One of my favorite sections of Grit is the 'Looking For...' section, where readers send in requests looking for pen pals, patterns, food recipes or anything else they are looking for. The advertisements don't swamp out the features, so that's a plus as well.

I love Grit and I'd recommend it to anyone.

With so much trash out there these days, it's refreshing to read "Grit" magazine. It has down home country articles... for example: articles about firewood, farm animals, farm equipment articles,uplifting stories.

A pleasant magazine.

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A family magazine with good values and valuable information. This magazine is a joy to read and is WHOLESOME, what you rarely find in magazines today. It is a wise investment. Thank You Grit for making a product I'm happy to have on my shelves.

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I bought this as a gift and they love it! They are very much into the country lifestyle so this magazine was perfect for them. It has great articles about farming, livestock, recipes, and much more.

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If you are looking for back to basics this is the primer magazine for you. It provides nice, small, manageable articles to give you a taste of the simple, basic way of living. A stress free, pleasant read, informative, and a delight.

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Tathaastu

This is the Best Magazine on Holistic Living...

I covers topics on Spirituality, Yoga, Ayurveda, Vaastu, Feng Shui, Health Recipies, Home Remedies, & many more...

See the website

This magazine is amazing. It brings gentle enlightenment without religious connotations. At first I was disappointed because the magazine comes only every other month. But after reading it I realized that to full digest these articles and practice the suggestion, the timing is just right.

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Love this magazine! The articles bring me back to what really is important in life. The photography and artwork are absolutely beautiful; full of rich, vibrant colors and backgrounds.

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Beckett Baseball

When it comes to price guides, Beckett sets the standard and is the standard. For those who are avid collectors like myself, Beckett price guides are your bible. The pleasure I get in collecting sports memorabilia is the nostalgia factor and the fact that unless sports die all together in the future, you're making a great investment for yourself and quite possibly for the entire family. The simple Beckett price guides will not display each card's value, but it will give you the value on the superstars which is what you should be shooting for anyway in your card collection. Beckett does sell larger issues of their price guide to satisfy those who still prize their Joe Peppatone rookie card. For this, we are eternally grateful to Beckett. Plus, as opposed to any other sports-related magazines, Beckett's articles on hobby collecting are quite enjoyable. Also, their tips on safety of your collection is priceless!

I was very excited about getting my lst issue of the beckett magazine, but was very disappointed when I looked in the back where the price guides are and found the print was too small and blurred for me to read it. I couldn't even make it out with a magnifier. I called beckett and they do not make this magazine in a larger print.

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Salt Water Sportsman (1-year)

My husband used to buy magazine every month at the store at 5.99 a pop! Amazon had a great sale on magazines over the holidays so I decided to get him some subscriptions as Christmas gifts. What a great idea! Not only does he get his Salt Water fix, but we have been SAVING A TON OF MONEY by not buying it at the news stand. My husband never forgets to get the mail now, and we always have something to look forward to every month instead of junk papers.

Thank you Amazon for making these subscriptions so affordable!

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Coptic Church Review

Coptic Church review:

According to the publishers description it is concerned with biblical studies with emphasis on patristic exegesis, liturgical life of the Church, lives and writings of the Church Fathers, ascetic and mystic spirituality. I would add,"and much more."

First Patristic Review:

When Dr. Rodolph Yanney, decided to launch his risky project in 1980, patristic studies was not a popular subject and especially with those he targeted; second generation Orthodox immigrants from the oldest two Patriarchates of Christianity, Alexandria and Antioch. Dr. Yanney, tells me that those who supported the quarterly were neither young nor Oriental Orthodox immigrants.

One day he recieved a visitor who came to support him and praise his efforts and the CCR, who was Dr. Robert Wintermute,Duke U. professor of Semitic and Coptic languages and old testament, NC, and one of the pioneers of the Nag Hammadi Gnostic library.

Contributers & Articles:

few of the frequent article writers and translators of Coptic manuscripts in the last few years were, in alphabetical order:

Ayad,B.: The bible and the arameans of the ancient Near East.

Brock,S.: Comments on professor meinardus article.

Burkett,D.: Four Sahidic songs to St. john the evangelist.

Hammock,C.: Dualism & religious thought of Shenute of Atripe.

Johnson,D.: Oriental Christian Contribn to 7th century Britain.

Kannengiesser,C.: St. Athanasius of Alexandria rediscovered.

: Antony, Athanasius,Evagrius: The Fate of Origanism.

McGuckin,J.: moses & mystery of Christ in Cyril of alexandria.

McNary-Zak,B.: PachomianRemission.

Meinardus,O.:Copts in Jerusalem and questions on the holy places.

....:Patriarchs and prophets in the theology& piety of the Copts.

....:The heavenly Host in coptic traditions.

Ng N.: Deification in St. Athanasius

Rolfe,A.: Sources of authority in the koinonia.

Yanney, R.: Salvation in the Coptic liturgy of St. Gregory.

Penn,M.: Apa Shenute: "On the piety of Women"

Vivian,T.: Witness to holiness: Abba Daniel of Scetis.

.........:Coptic Paladiana: St. Macarius of Alexandria

.........:Coptic Palladiana; the life of Evagrius

Special and double issues;

Periodical Studies are dedicated for current importance topics, including traslations with comments of important Coptic manuscripts by Rev. dr. tim Vivian.

The Transfigured Cross: Rev. Dr. John Watson

St. Cyril of alexandria: R. Wilken, A. McGuckin,& O. Meinardus The Coptic Museum: B. Ayad

Abba Kyrillos: Patriarch an solitary: dr. J. Watson

Book reviews & notices:

These critiques and synopses are very informing reviews and selected shorter notices on new Coptic, liturgical, patristic, theological, religous and social books and studies.

Introducing CCR :

Coptic Church Review, edited and published by the Society of Coptic Church Studies since 1980, is a fine quarterly journal of contemporary patristic research, analysis, studies, and related subjects. A pioneering effort by the devoted patrologist Dr. Rodolph Yanney, who has a vivid dream, revival of Orthodoxy through patristic research and rebuilding the link. The quarterly name reveals a relation to the Church of Alexandria, and accordingly you expect to meet some Desert Fathers, and rightly you guessed.

Touring the Patristic journal:

During this millennia, In a dozen issues I read some of the very exciting stories of Christian faith heroes, as the great Coptologist, Rev. Dr. John Watson, a feature writer on CCR call them. They included the Saints of Mount Izla, with a comment of a Syriac specialist, Fr. Dale Bar Yohanon.

Last summer of 2003, we met on CCR pages, with Abba Daniel of Scetis, a compelling study by the Rev. Dr. Tim Vivian, who in 50 pages reviewed a chapter of his upcoming book, 'Witness to holiness.'

An appetizing sampler:

Saint Augin (Eugene)

Who are the Aramean Syrians

Deification in St. Athanasius

Sources of authority in the Koinonia

Coptic paladiana: St. Macarius of Alexandria

Comments on Professor Meinardus by Dr. S. Brock

CCR Readership: a fellowship

How reaching is the message of CCR, I witnessed on the SEBTS (South Eastern Baptist Theological Seminary) journal display. Reading this rich, versatile, albeit patristically oriented review, preaching the vital mission of searching our roots in belief and tradition. It will also keep you informed on books and articles, while being informed about the most ancient traditions of the church which developed Christan faith, and grew up many Church fathers, and defenders of orthodox faith.

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Blood-Horse

"The Blood-Horse" covers more international racing news than its weekly rival, "Thoroughbred Times," but usually only the group 1 races in Europe, Japan, Hong Kong, and Dubai. There would be no South American coverage at all if trainer Ron McAnally didn't take the occasional trip down south and skim off the cream of the crop, e.g. Candy Ride and Pasaena, and return triumphant to California.

The 'stakes winners' section in "The Blood Horse" is much more readable than the stakes results in "Thoroughbred Times." All of the graded stakes are covered in depth. The stakes conditions are listed, along with the order of finish. There are several paragraphs on the winner and (usually) his/her breeding background, a complete race record of the winner, a four-generation pedigree, the sire's racing and breeding statistics, and the dam's racing, breeding, and sales statistics. This is a very satisfying ten or so pages for those of us that like to pore over Thoroughbred genealogies. Non-graded stakes are covered in less detail.

Steve Haskin, one of the best writers in the Thoroughbred business has a weekly column, usually on New York stakes results, although in my most current issue his byline is attached to "This Businessman is Special," an article on trainer Todd Pletcher who "recently shattered Syl Veitch's all-time record for victories at a Saratoga meeting." Haskin also does a long-running series on the Kentucky Derby contenders each spring.

(Speaking of Todd Pletcher, why do so many good Thoroughbred trainers seem to have prematurely white hair? Does it come from all those photo finishes, or from all of those promising young horses who never do anything on the track?)

Along with the lead article on Pletcher, the 09/13/2003 issue of this magazine has features on the installation of slot machines at Louisiana Downs, news and analysis of several Fall yearling sales, "Triple Crown Showdown"--a look back at the Marlboro Cup that pitted Seattle Slew against Affirmed, and an article on leading owner Michael Gill. Shorter 'dispatches' cover such topics as the California recall election (evidently Governor Gray Davis has vetoed several bills of interest to Thoroughbred owners), and the recently released book, "Why America Slept" that ties a deceased Saudi Thoroughbred owner with the 9/11 terrorists.

Here is a sampling of some of the standard lists/departments in each issue of "The Blood-Horse:" "Healthwatch;" "Leading Sires of 2003;" "Leading Freshman Sires;" "Stud News;" "What's Going on Here" and "Final Turn" (editorials); "Sales Results;" and "Newcomers."

This weekly magazine is printed on slick paper and the photos (even the ones in the advertisements) are gorgeous. Subscribers also get lots of extra reading material, including special Kentucky Derby and Breeders' Cup issues, the yearly Stallion Registry, and "Stakes Conditions."

For living in a state where finding someone who enjoys horse racing as much as I do is about as easy as trying to find a needle in a haystack. This magazine has helped me stay in touch with racing around the country. It tells me the results of each weeks races, and makes it easy to follow a horse and trainer. I have attempted to read The Thoroughbred Times on a few occassions, and perhaps its just the size of the magazine which has kept me from ever fully reading an issue. However, every issue of The Blood-Horse I can get my hands on, I have read cover to cover.

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The Blood Horse is an absolute must for race horse fans. The coverage of all major stake and prep races is beyond compare. The photography is wonderful! I especially like the coverage of all the breeders cup and triple crown races. The extras included with the subscription are a plus, such as the book of sires that is published once a year with stud fees and progency. Every issue has a feature articule that covers a different aspect of racing. The best $90 you will ever spend on a magazine subscription. A must if you own or are thinking of owning a race horse.

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While this is one of only a few periodicals on thoroughbreds still being published, it is a quality product in its own right.

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If you have any interest at all about Thoroughbred racing & breeding, this weekly magazine is for you.

The Blood-Horse has an excellent layout, beginning with several pages of photos and general interest items that are in a newspaper-styled format. The magazine then drives into several weekly features, including sire listings for the year and an editorial, along with a lengthy story that covers one segment of the industry.

The recaps from tracks are extensive, with an emphasis on the breeding angle. The last-page editorial is hit-and-miss, but more times than not interesting.

Magazine subscribers are also updated through a daily, on-line service. There are several additional magazines/books that come with the subscription.

With Thoroughbred coverage almost non-existent in other sports publications, The Blood-Horse is a fantastic source from gate-to-wire.