Louisiana Gardener

I bought this as a gift for my mother in law. Having paged through a years worth of these magazines I can say that it is full of pretty pictures that compliment the text. There are many helpful hints in this magazine.

My mother in law really likes this magazine and has mentioned repeatedly how helpful it is each year as she grows her flowers.

Britain (1-year auto-renewal)

I've subscribed to it for about 8 years now and in most issues find at least one interesting thing to see or do, place to go or stay, lots of good material even in the advertisements. If you're planning a trip to Britain get this magazine because it will be a great help on just about any aspect of your trip.

In Britain is the official magazine of VisitBritain, the authority on British tourism. The articles and features are always interesting and personal without sacrificing accuracy. Admission prices, opening times, directions, and contact information are given at the end of each article. And the picture are gorgeous. I only wish this magazine was monthly!

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I decided to check out this magazine when I came across it because I love England and all things English. I have been there a couple of times and would like to see more of England in my future travels. This magazine helps me learn about the different cities and towns in England and gives me a better idea of where I would like to go. Currently, I am not planing a trip, but I still enjoy reading about the things going on all over in the UK.

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I LOVE THIS MAG! Okay, I'll admit I'm an Anglophile. But even so, this magazine exceeds my expectations. It has the most beautiful photos. And the articles are so well written. And they all have that distinctive British flavor to them, so they're just a delight to read. I look so forward to every issue. And by the way, they have wonderful articles about traveling in the U.K. so I'm saving each issue in hopes of someday seeing all these lovely places. (Besides, I can't bring myself to throw away all those gorgeous photographs!) I highly recommend this magazine!

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I certainly agree with the other reviewers that Britain magazine is a wonderful publication to subscribe to. I made a decision to purchase this subscription because I intend to accomplish one of my personal goals to visit England for at least a week. Britain magazine provides gorgeous photos and extensive information on the various travel gems and destinations to check out during your visit(s) to Great Britain. For example, I currently have the March 2011 issue of Britain magazine. The following is some of the fascinating information that is featured in the March 2011 issue that helps make the publication a worthwhile read:

1)There is a special feature on Unusual Museums (with some very original and fascinating places to symbolize the Unusual moniker). For instance, The Museum of Witchcraft is featured in this issue. The location of this one of a kind museum is listed as being in Boscastle Cornwall. According to the magazine, many witches and warlocks are currently celebrating the fact that it has been opened for 50 years. There is a library of over 3,000 books inside of it, and is known to hold one of the world's most extensive collection of witchcraft paraphernalia(in addition the website to check out this museum is featured in the March 2011 publication). The article also lists The British Lawnmower Museum, which is an innovative museum for lawnmower enthusiasts.

2)There is a well organized compilation of Places to Stay that are listed. A couple of the places that fascinated me are: 1) The Royal Oak House and 2)Regency Cheltenham.

There is so much more great information featured in the well-done magazine. In my humble opinion, you definitely get a good quality publication in Britain magazine for what you pay (overall good value for the money). This magazine is very worthwhile to obtain if you have even a casual interest in visiting and/or living in Britain.

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Burda Style - English ed

NOTE: This is the English language version of the magazine.

Burda Style is really a beautifully laid out fashion magazine that includes all the patterns so that you can make everything shown in it yourself.

Each issue has at least 40 regular size clothing patterns for women. The patterns have to be traced and the seam allowances added in, but you can easily modify them this way and it is still easier than drafting them yourself. Burda patterns are the most fashion forward and best fitting patterns available and Burda is much more technically advanced than the American pattern companies.

Unique fashion accessories and home decorating projects are presented in a DIY format in every issue. The magazine ventures beyond sewing with original crochet, knitting, and craft project patterns. Recent issues of Burda Style for example featured a rug that you can crochet, a blanket and pillow to knit, a Fair Isle ski sweater to knit and smocking techniques for a pillow.

All the sewing patterns are rated by sewing expertise. Every issue presents one pattern in a sewing course format to teach techniques and another pattern in a fully illustrated sewing lesson for beginners.

The patterns are feminine with a definite European flair, and even sportswear is more girly than sporty. The magazine is beautifully photographed and the fashions are smartly styled on the most gorgeous models, and of course using the most luxe fabrics. The accompanying fashion copy gives helpful sewing hints, fabric tips, and styling ideas.

I have been using Burda magazine patterns for several years. The plus sizes are actually made for plus sizes and not just graded up. The patterns fit real women, not just models. The instructions assume you know sewing basics, since they teach sewing in Germany in school, not like the States--the only drawback. But they do have one pattern per issue where they walk you thru--so if you are a beginner or need a refresher course, you can start with that pattern. You do have to trace out the pattern from the center sheets before cutting, but you have to do that with all sewing magazines. The photos give you several looks on real models, not just sketches, so you have an idea how the item will look when you are done. Try to get the magazine in your native language, because there are sewing hints even next to the photos, to help you achieve the look, including the fabric and trim they used. Some times they have crafty items--not my cup of tea. January 2011 has small children costumes. Each Burda Style magazine has lots of women, some plus sizes and some children sizes.--no preteen or teen sizes. Once in a while there will be a mens section. There was some knitting in December 2010. I think they were way off base throwing that in.

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I am a huge fan of Burdastyle. My husband got me this subscription, and although it is a bit pricey for a magazine it is really worth it for the amount of patterns you get every month. I think the magazine does a pretty good job of presenting wardrobe basics, as well as giving patterns for more trendy items. I always find several things I want to make in each issue. The patterns I have tried have always turned out great, although the instructions are not as good as you get with individual patterns like Vogue, or Simplicity. With that in mind I think Burdastyle is probably more for an intermediate to advanced level sewer who has the experience to overcome sometimes poor/vague instructions. If you are serious about apparel sewing Burdastyle is an absolute treasure.

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This was renewed as a gift, for an avid sewer, and she requests it each year because the patterns are very stylish, clearly written, and even when the article is complicated, she learns a lot about sewing from it.

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I love the up to date patterns that are for all types-child,adult,plus size and more. I look forward to each edition to keep up with trends and inspire my work.

Piecework

I am a Costume/Textile Conservator. I have graduate degrees from two of USA's top institutions. I have worked at the top museums of the USA and Italy over the past 35 years. I have been reading Piecework since it's inception. I had subscribed to the sister publication: Spin-Off since that magazine's inception.

About Piecework: You the reader will always find at least one well illustrated, scholarly article that interests you in each issue. Personally, I find all the articles fascinating and many doors have opened to me in the textile field as a result of reading the articles.

Furthermore, the more textile experts reading this publication also means the more scholarly articles will be published. I recommend this highly, even going to far as to make it mandatory reading for anyone in the costume/textile conservation field.

This magazine is absolutely the finest in the needlework and related handwork fields. As a member of the Embroiderers' Guild of America (and a beginning handweaver), Piecework is my favorite magazine. Not only is the handwork of other cultural traditions honored and explored in depth, the history of these traditions (including our own) are expounded upon by experts in the field. Also included are beautiful projects to make which are related to the articles in each issue. I highly recommend Piecework to anyone with an interest in any aspect of fine needlework.

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For anyone who loves any kind of needlework, this magazine is the most satisfying around. I am primarily a knitter but love learning about the roots and history of all needlework. These are well researched articles and are usually accompanied by patterns of the genre. I love this magazine! Interweave Knits

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I'm a lifelong needlework enthusiast; started embroidering as a five year old, learned to knit and crochet and sew in middle school. I still do a lot of needlework. This magazine has wonderful historical articles (I even contributed one myself, on parlor piano music with knitting as a subject, encouraging war knitting) and I certainly love reading the articles on how needlework is enmeshed in American history.

There are a few projects in each issue--small items that demonstrate a technique that is unfamiliar or lost, or a vintage item recreated. I've made a few of these, more than a few, and this adds to the enjoyment. If you like knitting, crochet, tatting, embroidery and other needlework techniques, you should check this publication out.

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I absolutely love the lace projects and the other projects are gorgeous!!! The articles and history are wonderful!! My ONLY reason for 4 stars is that I wish there were more resources for further instruction and materials and tools! Other than that this magazine is stunning and very educational!!!

Cooking With Paula Deen

Fantastic magazine from a great cook and an entertaining woman.

But, WHY pay this much? It's FAR LESS to sign up directly through Paula's site.

Great magazine. But don't subscribe here. You can do it online at her website or tear out the order form in a magazine and it will cost 50% less.

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If you like Paula, and many folks do, you will enjoy this magazine. They are light and enjoyable reading. However, the magazine really is giving the reader a "taste of Savannah" and a look into Paula's life...perhaps a bit too much. They are not pure cooking magazines. Also, if you have all of Paula's cookbooks, you may have the recipes already. Hopefully as the magazine progresses, there will be less of Paula's life / house / family / etc, and more new recipes.

I agree 100% with the comments already made that the price listed here is not a good value. I got my subscription from the magazine's website for far less. The price listed here is comparable to that of magazines that come monthly (Paula's is once every two months) and that are much larger. Paula's magazine is about 1/3 the pages of a "Cooking Light"

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Paula's magazine is wonderful...unlike what one of the reviewers wrote about the recipes being bland. They are all from Paula's cookbooks, new recipes or from her friends. NONE are bland...they are Pure Paula and all have the wonderful southern flare she is known for. I have been fortunate enough to meet Paula in person and was at a recent taping of her new t.v. show Paula's Party...this magazine is just another wonderful extention of her many talents!

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I ordered this magazine for my grandmother, as we are both HUGE Paula fans. We got the first issue and read it front to back several times. It is an awesome publication filled with recipes and pictures and stories about Paula's life. I think it really captures the feeling of Paula Deens show.

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strategy+business (1-year auto-renewal)

A friend introduced me to S+B with an article about Chief Marketing Officers (CMO), of which I am one. I read it with interest, so much so that I emailed the author with my questions. He replied promptly and fully which was very refreshing. The fact that S+B gave enough info to contact authors is very good. Also, the articles tend to be longer than most magazine articles so there's 'room' to present ideas in more thoughtfully, maybe even to include supporting research. Some of the other articles WERE research articles with data, charts, etc.

There are two worthwhile points that follow this cautionary tale, so persevere Dear Reader:

The article said that the really strategic CEOs are now seeking a new class of marketing officer: CMOs who have combined operations and CONSULTING experience. That resonated well with me because I have both. Then it sites some credible famous names and their theories such as Philip Kotler whose text book I used in B school. That gave me warm fuzzies too. BTW, Kotler was talking about PRODUCT MANAGEMENT, not strategic marketing, but let's not quibble at this point.

So far so good.

Then, THEN! Then it said to the effect (further clarified in an email from the author) that different "brands" cannot effectively do strategic marketing because of the conflicts caused by distributed organization structures, authority and demands on resources.

Huh? Excuuuuuse me? Is this a marketing article or an OrgDesign one?

(a) what do BRANDs have to do with early product planning? It turns out the author's definition of a brand is what those of us in the working world would call a "business unit."

(b) why is a consulting background critical for CMOs? So that we can give good presentations and influence decision makers. Hum, a consulting background has far greater value than that, but OK, that thesis is true, though trivial.

(c) "Real strategic marketing is a new concept and isn't 'there' yet. I've done strategic marketing in high tech for more years than I wish to reveal, and although turf wars, resource allocation arguments... operated in every decision, the organization structure and mentality were NEVER major obstacles. So the core thesis of a CMO being an emerging trend is, um, shall we say, uh, debatable?

Now that I've nit-picked a single article to death, what about the rest of the articles I read? They were buzz-wordy, flossy, interesting but not substantial. They serve a useful purpose as 'mind candy' and got me thinking and researching in greater depth, which is good. I suppose that's one difference between monthly, thousand word articles and peer-reviewed research papers. :)

Here are my points:

1. This magazine is published by Booz Allen Hamilton, one of the more famous strategy consulting firms. The tone reflects BoozAllen culture a lot, but it's also possibly self-serving. Practically EVERY article I've read so far extolls the virtues of consulting and consultants.

2. Some authors are better than others, not just in writing style, but in CONTENT. The editors might be a committee, or someone whose business background can be deeper. The quality of the contents vary a lot. Marketing advice: They need to come up with a consistent brand and a value promise that are fulfill by every article.

Thanks for reading this whole thing. Hope it was helpful in your decision about whether to buy.

With a very modern layout and a surprisingly liberally-minded and thoughtful style in writing, strategy+business is my preferred management/business magazine. Articles come mostly from the consulting practice of booz-allen, but the contributions rarely give you the sense of would-be scientific, often boring approach of harvard business review. Though the latter is still widely considered the business bible, I find strategy+business has been much more successful lately to find an inspirational, yet critical and relevant approach to business writing.

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The articles in "Strategy and Business" are well researched and

written. You will end up reading every article in each issue.

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Air Classics

Air Classics appeals to those who like vintage WWII aircraft, although other classic aircraft are also covered. The talented Michael O'Leary seems to write and photograph the keystone articles each month, with other writes and photographers contributing. Unfortunately, for many years, this magazine's format has leaned towards larger, less tightly packed print, and more advertisements than meat. I personally had read and collected every single issue since Vol. 1, #1, printed in 1964, and gave the entire collection away to a local aviation museum a few years ago after letting my subscription expire, and haven't read Air Classics since. There are far superior, similarly themed aviation magazines out there to spend your money on, FlyPast and Aeroplane monthly being the two I'd recommend.

I've given Air Classics magazine subscription to my Dad for years. He is a Retired Pilot and he loves the older aircraft. Excellent magazine for those who love these great classics.

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I have subscribed to this magazine for many years and have seen it change and reinvent itself several times. The 2006-7 version is far superior to its older incarnations. The current version is an aviation history journal and does not cover "current events" in aviation which are reported in duplicate in many US and UK journals. I am also pleased that model aircraft are not covered as there are exellent model journals available. This is a nicely done and well illustrated historical journal and approaches but does not quite reach the excellence of the UK's Aeroplane Monthly.

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This is a first class magazine. Well worth subscribing to. Amazon is the least expensive place we know of to do so. It covers "classic" aviation at its best.

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I agree with the earlier review that there are many better vintage aviation magazines out there. The two mentioned (FlyPast and Aeroplane Monthly) have less usefulness in the U.S. though, because of their primary U.K. and European focus. Air Classics is a good snapshot review of vintage/warbird flying in this country, and its extensive treatment of Post World War II subjects is refreshing with all the emphasis on WWII in other warbird venues. Michael O'Leary does seem talented, but the Magazine suffers from his name being too frequently seen in the articles. Also in the latest issue (Nov. 2006, I think?), O'Leary really goes over the top in criticizing "internet crowd" armchair critics of the "Thunder Over Michigan" air show in August 2006. O'Leary using some non-professional vulgar language in the article that speaks very poorly for the magazine. I hope this is an abberation.

JWC Northern Virginia

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Indianapolis Monthly (1-year automatic renewal)

Just by coincidence, I've bought the last four copies of Indianapolis Monthly at the newsstand price...but there is no coincidence in this being a quality local magazine. Last month...Peyton...this month, SLAMMY FAYE! I'm a longtime fan of the Naptown Roller Girls...and a new fan of this magazine! The price of the roller derby bouts may be very affordable, but there is nothing cheap about the quality of this sport and the athletes in it. Add all the info about other Indy sports, local arts and entertainment, restaurants...I've decided a subscription is in my near future. As in...how fast can I close this review and click over to the subscription page!?!?!

How could not want to get a subscription to this.....I mean really you have the Naptown Roller Girls on the front cover!!!!! What more could you ask for?

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Fortune (1-year auto-renewal)

I would say the quality of coverage is pretty poor. The articles are recycled from those which have already appeared on the web at . Quite a large volume of the magazine is devoted to the advertisements, so much so, it feels as though articles are inundated with adverts. I would say that the articles are mediocre compared to magazines like BusinessWeek and The Economist.

I am not renewing my subscription.

Fortune magazine appears to be encountering a crisis in identity and focus. Between all the business magazines Fortune does not stand out from the crowd as a quality publication. Depending on your needs, I would recommend other magazines that are more attuned to the needs of business leaders.

Forbes: Conservative viewpoint

Business week: Quick summary of the weeks events

Economist: Excellent reporting, more neutral point of view

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I've tried all the business and investing magazines out there, and this is by far the best one. Money is full of fluff, Business Week's coverage is too trivial and sensational. Fortune hits the mark with deep relevant topics.

The articles aren't quite as good as they were several years ago, but that doesn't stop it from being better than the rest.

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I am an avid reader. But due to time constraints, over time I have pruned my subscriptions down to Fortune, The Economist, Kiplinger and The Atlanticall great magazines. Fortune is probably the only one I pretty much read cover to cover. I find the articles to be well researched and well written. When you think about all the work that went into putting together an issue, you have admit it is an amazing value.

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Great Magazine that covers the main points of the top 500 companies. This is a great magazine if your looking to keep up to date on the larger movement of the economy. This magazine comes at a great value and the stories they produce show usually the general movement of the market. Well worth read if applied right for beginning investor. I enjoy the special interest articles on CEOs making a difference and I think could be written about more often.

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Popular Science (1-year auto-renewal)

Okay, I've read the other reviews that call this publication shallow, lacking in depth, geared toward young teenagers, etc. I guess if you are looking for twenty page, in-depth technical articles that delve into every minute neutron of a particular subject, then yes, this publication might not be what you're looking for.

But, if you're a regular, average, ordinary guy like me (who would not understand those deep, brainy articles anyway) and you are looking for an entertaining, informative view onto what's new and what's cool, I think you'll be pleased. Very pleased!

Take, for example, a couple of recent issues (see the date of when this review was written). Last month was focused on the future of personal aviation and the people behind the effort to make personal flight more available and affordable, and about the aircrafts they are inventing. Fascinating! Now, can I run out and build myself a prototype after reading the articles? Ummm, no. Do I know a whole lot more about an incredibly fun subject then I did before? Yes!

This month's issue focuses on similar theme: The future of personal space travel and the idea of a space-hotel. When you're done reading it will you be able to build a rocket and fly to the moon? Of course not. But it's informative and educational to the exact level I would want it to be... just enough to make me aware, enlightened, and entertained.

So to all the non-nerds, non-rocket scientists, and non-brainiacs who want a scientific publication by the people, for the people, I think your yearly subscription money will be well spent.

Enjoy!

This is a great magazine for those who want to find out about current scientific topics but do no want to delve into the complexity of scientific matter like Scientific American.

This is a great magazine to buy for those that are high school ages. Those who have strong technical backgrounds may find the articles a bit lacking in substance and length. The average article length is only about 2 or 3 pages and often you feel as though they could have added more.

One particular enjoyment I find in the magazine is the What's New feature. This highlights the best new inventions and innovations every moth culminating in their annual Best of What's New issue in December.

I would reccommend this magazine to anyone with a amateur interest in science and technology and wants to be kept up to date.

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I have read PopSci for decades, and so quickly started a subscription for my son at age 10 when he showed interest. The articles are very good, but the advertisments are riddled with sexual peformace boosting products of all sorts.

I think that PopSci has a responsibility to consider that it is read by and marketed to children as well as adults, and should take a closer look at its sponsors. I couldn't let him bring it to school without ripping out pages first. I haven't noticed this problem with other periodicals of the same standing. By the way, when I contacted PopSci about my concerns about this, I received no response. Do advertisers come before the reading public?

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"Popular Science" is one of the few magazines that I have a subscription to. This magazine is mind candy for the curious perosn. It informs the reader on new inventions, newsfronts, automobiles, aviation, medicine, and almost every other aspect of science. One of my favorite sections of this informative and fun magazine is the "Newsfronts" section. Here you are informed of current things that are happening in the scientific world whether it be medicine or physics.

"Popular Science" would make a great gift for a friend, family member, or yourself. This magazine will feed the craving that many people get when they are craving information. Order a subscription to this magazine and discover why everybody is raving about this being the best scientific magazine inprint. I recommend this magazine to somebody that is interested in science and would like to get a broad scope of scientific information in a great magazine.

Happy Reading!!!

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Popular Science is among many of the magazines currently engaging in the practice of contracting out billing...which then gets subcontracted and sometimes sub-subcontracted out. This means you may have to contact three or four different companies via half a dozen (or more) phone numbers with subscription-related issues.

In fact, one subagency, Magazine Billing Services, has closed down their call center, so cancelation requests must be sent by snail mail only. (We've also seen notices from and numbers for Publishers Billing Agency and Publishers Unlimited, in addition to Popular Science's direct numbers.)

Additionally, renewal notices are sent out regardless of the actual expiration date. If subscribers aren't vigilant, they'll find themselves paying for 20 year's worth of subscriptions. And then, due to the entanglement of companies described above, it will take days of calling, holding and letter writing to get the problem of the deceptive renewal notices straightened out.

If that particular agency wasn't involved in that particular renewal notice that was responded to (and we've received "renewal" notices from all of them simultaneously), then the subscriber gets continually redirected. Get used to hearing the phrase, "I can't help you with that." Also get used to requests taking months or more to be processed (if they get processed at all) and get used to getting no responses from emailed queries, requests or complaints.

This is becoming an increasingly common practice, but that doesn't mean consumers have to put up with it. If Popular Science believes it's good customer service to subcontract out billing and relentlessly pepper subscribers with intentionally deceptive "renewal" notices, they can keep their rag of a magazine.

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