International Travel News

This is a great magazine. I recently began subscribing and got a bunch of back issues to read. It is by readers and for readers. Nothing amateurish about it, though. Lots of good information for all aspects of international travel (in this case, "international" means outside North America and the Carribean). Definitely worth trying.

This magazine is all about first hand international travel. There are travel advisories, packing tips for different countries, problems found along the way (with information to solve these problems if you run across them), and NO ADVERTISING! So you don't have to wade through page after page of ads. And there is no risk of an entire issue devoted to travel in the US. I'm letting other travel subscriptions lapse, and keeping this one active.

It is black print on newspaper, in a standard magazine size.

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Paper Crafts (1-year auto-renewal)

This American papercrafting magazine is published every other month and the listed 2011 subscription rate is $19.97.

I'm basically interested in making greeting cards, and this magazine provides lots of inspiration, although it also includes other items crafted from paper, such as gift bags and boxes, and cupcake wrappers and toppers.

I currently subscribe to four papercrafting magazines, and this particular magazine tends to have the most amount of advertising and the least amount of text per issue. Its projects seem to fall into the frilly, girly-girl end of the crafting spectrum (lots of high heels, lace, and artificial flowers).

My favorite magazine is the American bimonthly Cardmaker (CardMakerMagazine.com) which provides a wider range of card patterns, and clearer directions on how to construct them.

Every issue of "Paper Crafts" contains the following sections: "Dear Go-to Gals" answers readers' questions about crafting techniques; "Go-to Sketches" "Go-to Gal Maren Benedict shows how her lovable sketches can be used to create an exciting array of projects for every occasion;" "Moxie Fabs" trends in papercrafting; "Color Play" examples of workable color combinations; "Paper Crafts 101" the January/February 2011 issue features "Get Daring with Decorative Tape;" and "Tips, Tools, & Techniques" the January/February 2011 issue features the Teresa Collins Stampmaker, various ink pads, and box making products.

I have been subscribing to "Paper Crafts" for several years. After reading and subscribing other paper crafting magazines; "Paper Crafts" is still the best on the market. I look forward to receiving the next issue to see what projects I can make, or at least get new ideas for projects.

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i really like the ideas they have in this magazine but i wish there was more in depth information on the creative process.

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I love Paper Crafts Magazine! I look forward to it every other month. The projects are expertly made with great instructions and material lists. The regular issues are typically focused on card-making, however they often have 'special' issues with other themes (home decor, holiday, gift ideas...)

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I have bought this Mag for 2 years now want LOVE it, great to see a lot of my friends published in it.

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Writer's Digest (1-year)

If you are a new writer, this is one publication well worth the investment.

I started out, back in my college years, reading back issues in the library. then I got my own subscription, and that probably dates back to maybe 1978-79. I may have missed a year here or there, but I've enjoyed Writer's Digest (WD) for 20 plus years. Becoming a writer can be a daunting process with plenty of moments when you are ready to give up.

If you're a subscriber to WD, then every month you get fresh ideas, techniques, tips and inspiration as well as plenty of leads on fresh markets where you can send your freelance writing, both fiction and non-fiction. It helped me to develop to confidence, skills and motivation to go on to sell articles to local Philly publications, then OMNI, Success, Family Health, the National Enquirer (medical and science, no gossip) and eventually, even wrote a cover article for.... you guessed it... Writer's Digest.

Okay, so I have some bias. But it was this publication that gave me so much motivation. If you are getting started, or want to give a gift to someone who has shown potential or interest in being a Writer, this is a great publication.

I don't think that most experienced writers will have read this far into this review because they all know about Writer's Digest. Yes they do have plenty of advertising. That's usually a sign of a strong publication. The one thing I'd like to see more of is openness to more freelance contributions, since recently, they've moved towards depending for a larger percentage of their content being provided by regular columnists. Since freelancing is so much a part of the entry process for writers, it would make sense for a publication for writers to walk the talk and support freelancers. On the other hand, WD has been around a long time and any business has a right to try out different strategies for success. I imagine the columnist approach allows for a more reliable and homogeneous content.

Writer's Digest puts out a lot of great resources for writers. The magazine ain't one of them, however.

For starters about half of the magazine is ads mostly for other Writer's Digest products. One you get past paying $19.95 a year for what's essentially a brochure, you'll notice that most of the articles don't apply to you. Most writers stick to one genre, yet the magazine focuses on all aspects of writing fiction, poetry, business writing, editing, non-fiction, etc. If you're working on a biography of J. Edgar Hoover, do you need to look at an article on poetry in the stlye of ee cummings? I'll take "no" for $600, Alex.

So, now you're down to about 10 pages that might be relevant. Well, let's start chipping away at that:

The letters about grammar questions are a waste: if you have a question about affect versus effect, would you write to a magazine and wait a month or two or would you pick up your style guide and have an answer in less time than it took for you to read this sentence? Thought so. (Furthermore the idea that someone would write to a magazine with a question like that is so incredulous one has to wonder if the questions aren't just submitted by staff members in an attempt to fill space, like I used to do when I was the news editor at my college paper.)

Writer's Digest does review software and other technology that might be useful to writers. My favorite was when it reviewed Microsoft Word. Thanks I'm sure most readers had no idea about the monopolistic word-processing program. To be fair, some of the reviews are useful, although you can get better information just by looking up the product on Amazon.com and reading the reviews there.

If you're going to Writer's Digest for market information, you'd be better served elsewhere: the annual Writer's Market publication has all the markets and is more thorough, whilst the Writer's Market website has all that information and is up-to-date. Your money would be better spent on those two products.

About the only articles I have found useful are the profiles on authors and how they have succeeded. There you have it: two or three pages an issue that are useful.

If you're trying to get your work published, Writer's Digest has several other products that are a better investment than its magazine: go with the annual Writer's Market book, the website, and pick up a style manual of your choosing (Chicago is the best). Don't waste your money on this magazine.

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Years ago, WD was required reading. That was before the big "everyone in the world should write a book" fad. WD, likely in an attempt to cash in on that fad (and stay alive in the internet era) has switched formats. Most articles are only a few pages long, and are fluff at that. Half of the magazine is either white space or filled with oversized clip art. My advice--pick up something useful (like StoryView by Screenplay Systems, NovelPro by NovelCode or BookWriter by Yaddu Digital [no I'm not affiliated with any of these groups]).

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The main target audience of Writer's Digest appears to be freelance writers. Most of the authors are freelance magazine article writers who have finally `made it', and that is what they write about. There are a few short articles about writing (usually written by the same people each month), but that is not the main focus of the magazine. A large portion of the articles are about technical topics related to publishing, and not writing. This magazine is not for people who want to learn about writing; it's more for people who want to learn about how to sell their writing. The advertisements in the back of the magazine are so shady that Writer's Digest actually has to put a disclaimer on each page (think results are not typical in the lose 100 pounds in ten minutes infomercial), and I now get `if you can write a letter like this one, you could make a million dollars a year' junk mail as well. The best part is the writing calendar with writing prompts for each day. This is a great resource for writing exercises and generating story ideas. However, it can be accessed for free from their website.

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I subscribed to this magazine first in high school, and I adored it. I mean, adored. I looked forward to nothing like its arrival. I even won one of their monthly contests, once.

That was then, this is now. They dropped it to bimonthly with no fanfare that I ever saw, and the price is still identical. But the big thing is that Writer's Digest is now one big shill for the "self-publishing" industry, with the better part of the ads for shady operations happy to take several thousand dollars of your money to put your name on the cover. And the magazine itself has shifted accordingly. Articles continually laud self-publishing as a wonderful option and talk about it like it's a writer's dream... never mind that many of the publishers they take money from have never had a commercially successful author and never will.

The joys of the past are gone. The monthly contests now have no prizes, that I've been able to see. The neat little articles on intellectual property accompanied by ads admonishing us that Xerox and Rollerblade are proper nouns are gone. The interviews are now insipid and most of the articles read like they were hacked together in an afternoon with information that could be easily found online.

Skip Writer's Digest. Go find your RSS reader of choice, subscribe to some good blogs--Writer Beware, A Newbie's Guide to Publishing, some of the agent blogs. You'll get far better information with far fewer ads, and for free.

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World War II History

This magazine is a great compliment to any historian's study of WWII. The articles are fresh and well written, and the topics covered are well researched. The format is very pleasing to the eye. You are not blasted with advertisments on evey other page. Some of the topics written about I've not seen in a number of years. If the editors keep it up, they will be around for a long time. If you are a serious historian or even a casual reader of WWII, you will enjoy this magazine.

I have greatly enjoyed reading WWII History. The articles are very detailed and easy to follow. Many articles have accompanying maps and pictures that enable the reader to clearly understand the subject matter. Several times I have read a particular article in WWII History, then read a book or watched a documentary which confirmed the accuracy and detail of the article. I am not a professional historian, but this magazine has greatly increased my knowledge of World War II. It has helped me to appreciate the profound sacrifices the World War II generation made for our country and the rest of the free world.

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World War Two must never be forgotten. The most significant event of the twentieth century changed world politics forever. WW2 History takes us inside the big stories as well as bringing us the smaller, though no less important, stories of the war as it actually happened. If you study WW2, you need this magazine.

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I bought this for my 12 year old son who is a WWII buff. Both he and my husband are enjoying it. It has great photos.

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This was a gift for my Dad, a WW II veteran. He said it's the best of all the WW II magazines and reads each one from cover to cover.

Seeing the Everyday

I love this magazine! It is filled with great pictures, and stories that inspire me as a mother. I feel so buoyed up after reading these stories. The experiences expressed are of the simple things a parent did that gave that individual the tools needed to become who they are as an adult. It shares how the small, seemingly insignificant interactions of everyday make a huge, positive impact in the life of a child. While I still have improvement to make, this magazine has helped me, over and over, check the responses and reactions that I give to my children when they come to me with their various concerns. Anyone can benefit by incorporating the saying that was in one issue: "The first thing first is kindness."

Preaching

Preaching is both an art and a science. It is an art in the sense that some people have a gift for it and some people do not. It is a science because poor preachers can become good and good preachers can become great if they will learn certain skills.

This magazine contains helpful articles that will improve anyone's preaching. It has manuscripts of great sermons. It also has ads for resources from third parties that can be used to improve one's study skills and preaching abilities.

Miniature Wargames

It takes between 10-12 weeks for the first magazine to arrive. I've ordered several other magazines that send the most recent issue as the first issue immediately. There should be some sort of option for this magazine as well.

Entertainment Weekly (1-year auto-renewal)

Can't beat the $10/year price...but buyer beware... at the end of the year they will automatically charge your credit card for their full subscription price $100+. Best to log on to your Entertainment Weekly account and cancel the auto-renew.

Entertainment Weekly (1 year)

Going into my 5th subscription year, I'm not an audiophile, not a TV junkie, not a movie nut, not a Hollywood sycophant AT ALL. But my wife and I read a lot. EW is always received enthusiastically every Friday.

It is some of the best quality writing to keep you amused and interested as well as in touch with the rest of the entertainment world. It's hip!....and that's from a 65-year-old-f**t. We get a heads-up on the best of the most recent fiction and non-fiction as well. We also get good film reviews and a comparison with critical opinions nation-wide. I subscribe to five quality magazines but always grab EW first. Enjoy.

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Yes, it's true that some articles won't interest you. There's been a ton of writing on Twilight that I don't really care about, but a lot of people do! They can't please everyone 100% of the time. Now in exchange for my patience I will receive a ton of writing on Lost--whoohoo! It's a great magazine, fun and interesting and smart. Gives you info without trashy gossip. Keeps you informed about all the latest books, music, movies, DVDs, TV, etc. The perfect mix of good articles and photos. I got my first subscription years ago and can't imagine going without it. Great price on Amazon! I feel bad for the people that pay more without realizing.

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If you already have an EW subscription and want to renew through Amazon follow these steps to link your current EW subscription to Amazon. Go to the Amazon Subscription Center and click on "Add Magazine". Fill in your account number from the address label on your magazine and the expiration date. Your info should appear. Then you can renew and Amazon will provide the publisher with your subscription account information so the new issues add on to your current remaining subscription rather than duplicate it.

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I've had subscriptions multiple times. Each time has been enjoyable. This is quite simply the best AND cheapest entertainment magazine to subscribe to out there (especially considering there are a ton of ways to get free or reduced subscriptions out there). The reviews on occasion are off base but for the most part are pretty spot on. Snarky, self depreciating, sometimes overly self indulgent articles are the code of the day here. They will occasionally give to much love to some people, movies, items, books, music, and whatever else you can think of BUT the lame is outweighed by the not lame.

So long point short; IF you care about all things entertainment related in the usa and feel the need to get a magazine about it...this IS the best; the only cons i can think of are that every issue isn't always a winner and a lot of what they cover you can easily find free somewhere online...but than for most people a magazine is more convenient for picking up and reading than their computer :)

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Odyssey

I got the Odyssey as a child, and it helped my interest in Science. So I recently ordered the magazine for my daughter who's on the younger side of the magazine's target audience.

I liked the first issue which covered the human brain. The only thing I wasn't wild about was a photo of a person under going brain surgery. With a rather squeamish daughter, it bothered her a bit. The next issue was on Pirates. It was really good in the quality of information, writing, and the print quality. Five star issue.

The third issue I just got was on the human body. It included quite a few photos of the human body, from the Body Works art show (where they pose skinned cadavers), to forensic scientists working with investigations. Some readers might find it very interesting and be inspired to pursue a career in the medical sciences. But knowing my child, I guessed it would be very disturbing to her. So she didn't get that issue.

So I give the magazine 4/5 stars. It is great in print quality, technical writing, and writing in a manner appealing to kids. I knocked off one star because I think the editors should use more discretion in what they include for a magazine targeted at that age range. I realize some parents will not be bothered by their children seeing photos of dead bodies in a scientific context, so if that is the case you can consider this a five-star review.

This magazine is sooooo much better than some of the other commercial publications. The writing is solid, the subject matter is solid. It's amazing how well written it is. There are no ads! They don't plug anything. I was sick of getting worthless ad filled kids magazines like National Geographic Kids. Odyssey is a must subscribe for every kid who likes science. Actually, it's just a must subscribe. Encourage your libraries to subscribe. This must be had in every school library. It contains relevant and important information delivered with a high level of writing.

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Odyssey Magazine-Adventures in Science is a great magazine for kids who are interested in science as well as those who might be with just a little nudge. Target audience range is for grades 4-9. As usual with Carus publications, there is no advertising other than information on how to purchase subscriptions to other Carus mags.

Odyssey boasts of an impressive list of scholars on it's advisory panel. Professors from Case Western, Harvard, Williams, and other well known institutions serve on the board.

A recent issue all about milk was well balanced and presented very divergent viewpoints. Regular feature, "Science Scoops" detailed a study that showed breast fed infants may not have an automatic advantage in IQ over their bottle fed counterparts. The latest study points out that better educated and more intelligent mothers tend to nurse their babies, and that this may account for slightly higher than average test scores. "The (Almost) Perfect Food" cites many benefits of milk and dairy in the human diet, but also mentions milk allergy and lactose intolerance. PETA's point of view is discussed as well. The activists in People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals regard confinement of dairy cows to be cruel. A 12 year old girl contributes a nice piece on robotic milking machines, and we also have the opportunity to learn about the chemical compositionof milk, mammal milk substitutes, and cheese making. A highly allergic 5th grader also shares his story on living with a milk allergy.

Another sample issue deals with Edward O. Wilson, a brilliant entomologist known as "the ant man". Wilson, a Harvard professor and prolific writer, is a believer in the importance of biodiversity. His passion for his work comes through clearly in the pages of Odyssey. Articles in this issue include, "E.O. Wilson, Boy Naturalist", Edward O. Wilson, Friend and Ant Man", "Ants Rule!", "See the World in a Tree Trunk", and more.

Regular departments appearing in each Odyssey are Activities to Discover, Science Scoops, Ask a Scientist, Brain Strain, Kids Can..., Ask Dr. Cy Borg, Star Chart, Star Gazing with Jack Horkheimer, You've Got Mail, Kids' Picks, and Animal Angles.

My kids enjoy Odyssey and I am pleased to recommend yet another top notch magazine from Carus.

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My children (10, 12) and I are not so impressed with this magazine (and I'm a science teacher!). The problem is that each issue that shows up seems to be focused on one particular topic, and nothing else. If you are not interested in that topic (say, wild horses) then you find yourself with a magazine that you don't even care to read. It gets flipped through, then discarded. They need more variety, more topics, in each issue to keep kids interested.

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I got a subscription to this mag for my son last Christmas. It was, as much as online purchasing can be, a complete "point of purchase" sale. I had no intention of getting it, knew nothing about it, and just wanted some science stuff for him.

It was THE hit of his Christmas stuff. Not so much on day one, when he got the gift card, but EVERY TIME IT ARRIVED IN THE MAIL, it was read cover to cover, and then discussed for the next several weeks. He once called me from school, asking me to bring in dark chocolate to him. I asked why he was calling me from school for candy, and he said because he had read in Odyssey that choc. stimulated the brain, and he had a test that day. A small example, but everything in it was interesting and somehow relevant to him. He is 12 now, and I am ordering it again.

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Nursing Made Incredibly Easy

Easy to access information -isn't that what most bedside nurses need most? NMIE offers tables, pictures, and other methods to easily access the information you need. It is not a research journal, and doesn't pretend to be. NMIE is for clinical nurses who need information fast and easy, and want to be shown how to put new information into clinical use immediately.

I recommend this journal to anyone who wants to stay up-to-date quickly and easily. It's a very helpful addition to every nurse's library.

I have never subscribed to any nursing magazines before. I always felt that they weren't very practical for my job in the ER as a RN. Well, this is the best nursing magazine that I have ever read. The articles are very informative and well written, hence the name of the magazine. I have gained valuable knowledge reading the articles. Any new and experienced nurse should read and subscribe to this magazine.

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Simplified versions of complicated medical information! I love this magazine!It is Nursing Made Incredibly easy! Wonderful Gift for a Nursing Student, New Nurse Grad., or a Nurse who loves a review of "nursing school information." Provides wonderful examples, and illustrations! This is a must for any nurse! The book series is wonderful also!

Director of Medical/Surgical/Pediatrics

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This journal/magazine presents evidence-based information in a format that makes learning accessible and much easier, especially for nurses who don't have a lot of extra time. It uses creative illustrations and cartoons in the sidebars to illustrate key points. You can learn even by just browsing through the tables and illustrations.

My very first issue was quickly snipped into pieces for both staff and patient education materials. I used some of the illustrations and tables on our bulletin boards in the hospital hallway (appropriately referenced, of course). Nurses constantly commented on how they loved the illustrations and summary tables, how they really clarified some of the pathophysiology for them. Then, imagine how surprised I was to see the bulletin board a week later with BLANK SPACES glaring at me!! People, most likely patients, had actually stolen things off of the bulletin board! Looks like they finally found some information that made their disease easy to understand!

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I have read so many comments about this publisher and the customer service they offer. As a recent nursing graduate, my father ordered me a gift subscription to AJN & Nursing Made Incredibly Easy in JULY. In one weeks time, AJN sent me April, May, June & July issues. Nursing Made Easy sent me Jan/Feb, March/April, May/June issues. This made me so upset! AJN had my subscription to expire in Mar & Nursing Made Easy had my ending in Jan/Feb. I called both magazines customer service (the number is printed in the front of both magazines) and they changed my subscription to expire in July (which is when it should have started & ended). I can't believe that these magazines do this. Everyone who has experienced these problems should call customer service and make them make it right!!!!!

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