Publishers Weekly

(2008 HOLIDAY TEAM)Publishers Weekly is a staple of the publishing business. Editors, publishers, agents, writers, reviewers, and booksellers pony up the exorbitant subscription fees so they can be the first to know about upcoming releases, changes in personnel, and hot deals. Each week the magazine features an author, sometimes famous, sometimes up-and-coming. They run features on audio books, religious releases, children's books, and many others throughout the course of the year. The weekly forecast section runs short reviews of books (in all genres) that will be released over the next three months, giving readers a glimpse of the future. The PW bestseller lists are reliable indicators of what is selling in bookstores all over the United States.

Publishers Weekly is probably the only magazine that sells its cover to advertisers, giving you an idea of the type of trade journal it is. I do not recommend it for anyone who is not associated with publishing. But for those who are, this is a professional expense you won't regret spending.

I have been a subscriber for years and have grudgingly paid more and more every year for my subscription. Still I have always loved PW and look forward to my weekly edition...although I do not always receive my magazine in a timely manner. Whether because I live on the West Coast or if it's just the mail, I don't know. Sometimes it arrives way into the following week, sometimes closer to the beginning of the week. I still find the magazine valuable, but have to say the following:

For a magazine directed at the publishing trade I find it ludicrous that there are so many typos in the reviews as well as the text. WHO IS DOING THE PROOF READING HERE? There is a new format that has updated the look, but I miss the best seller lists being in the back of the magazine. Now they're somewhat in the middle and one definitely can't just easily flip to them. Also, the Q&A's with authors are so stupidly placed in issues which don't contain the review of the author's book who is being interviewed. Instead, there is a reference date to the issue said book was reviewed in. It's frustrating to read the Q&A and then not be able to see the review of the author's book in the same issue. I guess the publisher thinks people keep the magazine at least 4 weeks or issues just lie around the house or office and pile up. I like the "Deals" columm and "Hollywood Reader" column, but my very favorite section is the Author Profile. I am curious tho about the age of some of the writers in this publication... I'd also like to know how the magazine and the editors decide what book should get a starred review. Sometimes I'm astounded as to what gets starred. The website, which you get full access to when you register as a subscriber to the magazine, is easy to use. Even before I receive my issue in the mail, I can see the latest issue on line.

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...however I have recently let my subscription lapse. I am NOT in the book publishing business, I am just an avid reader. The synopsis and reviews contained within, often led me to books that I might otherwise have missed--that's why I indulged in the price of this weekly magazine. I also loved the fact that it's a WEEKLY mag. All the other book publishing info contained within was completely un-useful to me. Unfortunately over the years, it has become just too pricey for me. Reluctantly I have not renewed my subscription. It will be missed (except for the cost).

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Publishers Weekly is a must for writers and for those college and university professors who teach their students more than self-expression. Administrators who want to keep abreast of electronic media and hardware are also well-advised to subscribe to PW/

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Sad to have purchased this item. Not worth the subscription price. I used to use it to advertise editorial services, but they no longer have that feature. Not useful in my business and when the issues come I just throw them out.

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Consumer Reports (1-year auto-renewal)

A friend of mine once remarked that CR seesm like a great magazine "until they write about something you actually know a bit about..." and that's the problem with CR. They're great when it comes to quantifiable things like repair frequency, reliability, warranty information and so forth. They're much less useful when it comes to reporting on subjective things, or on technical matters.

That's a problem with trying to review every possible consumer item; you can't be an expert on everything. Sure, CR has their own labs and testers, but they're as likely as not, when confronted with something they can't quantify, to come up with some arbitrary measure and then rate products on that. For example, I've read some hilarious HiFi reviews that never involved actually *listening* to units. Instead, they take some statistic they consider to be critical and rate all units on that. Computer reviews often are very superficialyou'd do far, far better with PC or a similar magazine. And some of their financial advice on life insurance, mortgages and investment has been rather narrow, preaching single solutions for all.

So yeah, read CR when you're buying that next vacuum cleaner, or toaster, or popcorn popper, but before making any major purchasers or investments I'd look a bit further than the pages of CR.

As a 25-year reader of and current subscriber to Consumer Reports (CR), I find the magazine quite informative and money-saving, despite some flaws, which I discuss below. CR covers a wide range of consumer goods such including automobiles, small and large home and garden appliances, consumer electronics, groceries, and more. They also cover a variety of services such as car insurance, hospital billing, mutual funds; and issues such as consumer privacy and safety. I enjoy their clear writing style, informative photos, charts that pack a lot of information into an easy to understand format, and helpful index of products covered in the past year's back issues. Each month I first check their "selling it" section on the inside back cover, where they chronicle "excesses in the world of marketing" with photos and delightfully sardonic yet understated comments.

I consider CR's product testing and research of tangible consumer goods to be among their strongest assets. When I bought my car and digital camera, CR was the first place I turned for market research. The product tests, comparisons, and recommendations are first rate. Also, CR gave this tool-clueless read a good education on cordless drills. :-) CR buys all consumer goods themselves and doesn't accept gifts or advertising, which helps them maintain impartiality.

CR does have some biases though. They're very luke-warm toward any type of alternative medicine. Several years ago, I laughed when they pronounced acupuncture, practiced successfully for thousands of years, a sham. Overall, they're quite mainstream, not taking into account purchasing factors increasing numbers of people now consider, such as whether an item is made with slave labor or tested on animals. Often, they'll only review a token "green" household product made of recycled paper or non-toxic ingredients. However, they do cover hybrid automobiles, but not fully electric ones. You may not always find the brand you're looking for within a product category. Their report on luggage might not cover the brand of suitcase you're evaluating, but does provide good advice on what to what to look for when choosing a suitcase.

Recommendations: There's probably less of a need for CR now that one can find so many reviews and testimonials on the Internet. Yet they're fabulous for side-by-side professionally-conducted product comparisons of features and performance, as well as information of interest to consumers. If you only want to consult CR to research an occasional purchase, it may suffice to check CR out of the public library. But if you like to keep up on product technology and issues of importance to consumers, you may benefit from a subscription. When making a purchasing decision, don't automatically buy the best-rated item in the category. Carefully evaluate how the product features fit your lifestyle, plus any price/feature tradeoffs. Two years ago, I purchased the top of the line digital camera, found it difficult to use, and traded it in for an easier to use digital camera rated a bit less highly but which works better for me. Overall, despite its flaws, CR is one of my favorite magazines and I read it cover-to-cover the day it arrives in my mailbox.

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Consumer Reports is in a league by itself. Where else are you going to find reliable information and comparisons on consumer products without the conflict of interest of paid advertising? However, it's a small monthly magazine; so don't be surprised if (1) several issues review no products you're interested in and (2) the item you're thinking of buying was last reviewed six years ago and the information is completely out-of-date.

A less serious problem is that the magazine's reviews occasionally give a product a mediocre rating for reasons that I find picky or insignificant. However, their criteria are clear, so it's not hard to know when this is the case. From time to time, they also seem to miss the point. For example, a faucet-mounted water filter is said to clog easily, when in fact it's designed to cut off after so many gallons. Removing the filter cartridge and reinserting it--which the manufacturer understandably advises against--takes 10 seconds and returns the flow to normal.

Nevertheless, I like the idea of what Consumer Reports offers and represents. That alone might be a reason to subscribe, if you have some disposable income for a good cause.

I don't subscribe and as someone who lives and earns modestly by choice, I probably never will. Instead, I consult Consumer Reports at my public library whenever I'm considering a purchase that the magazine might be helpful with. This has two advantages: (1) I save the price of a subscription and (2) I feel less disappointed and frustrated when it offers no useful information on a particular product (about 60% of the time).

If you buy a lot of consumer products beyond the essentials, then your chances of finding the magazine helpful are increased, the price of a subscription perhaps no problem, and the magazine is probably for you. If you're not sure, consult the magazine at the library before you're next couple of purchases. Then you'll know for yourself whether it's worth having your very own copy in your mailbox every month.

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I've subscribed to this magazine for years. First of all, I love magazines that don't accept advertising. They are committed to helping consumers make good, educating buying decisions. Each issue reviews a variety of products from cars to canned soup, from CD players to cell phones, from dishwashers to drinking water they have it all.

There's an option to have total access to Consumer Reports online. It's $24/year if you aren't a subscriber, and $19/year if you are a subscriber. Even though I subscribe, I still pay the money to have the wealth of information at my fingertips when I need it. I'm not organized enough to find the September 2002 issue handy when my freezer breaks down and I have to hurry out and buy a new one. When our family needs a major (or smaller) appliance, we ALWAYS check out Consumer Reports. Though we don't always buy their Best Buy or top pick, it alerts us about things to look for, features to consider, and what brands are more reliable. I love having all that information when I go to the store to buy something.

I enjoy their Letters section, their short articles, recalls, and updates on previous product reviews. When you subscribe to CR you get the 2004 Buyers Guide, which is a handy thing to have around the house! This is one magazine subscription that I never allow to expire.

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If you want the unbiased FACTS on the things you are considering buying, I say go with CR. It is the most venerable consumer review source with the deepest pockets and largest audience and most experience, and has scruples. It does not accept advertising in its pages, a rarity today. I refer to CR before making any major purchase and find its articles entertaining and informative and written with common sense and far-sightedness.

I do have some beefs with CR, which is a nervous Nelly Yankee publication with obnoxious eccentricities that need to be weeded out.

1. Their marketing dept. likes to mail people to death with offers for their online service, renew subscriptions, etc. etc. Give it a rest already! CR needs to quit wasting membership fees on junk mail. I have received at least 12 envelopes from CR in a year's time. And I have a 5 yr subscription already! NO excuse for that kind of wasteful misuse of funds.

2. CR just considers a limited number of brand names for items such as plasma or LCD or CRT tv's. Go to any store, you will see a dozen brands that CR has NO rating for. Inexcusable really.

3. CR's focus is totally on cars. Each issue, about 1/4th the magazine is blown on new cars costing $25,000 $75,000. That's real sweet if you're in the upper middle class and buy new cars every few years. For those of us who prefer used cars it's just a waste of space. Why not leave the car ratings for the annual report? Why put a new car review in every cotton-pickin' issue?

4. CR says "no advertising" but in reality it spends space advertising its OWN products such as "Put CR in your Will" (a program where you leave your money to CR, obscene really) and the car-rating thing and the online service and then an annuity for seniors.

5. Open up a CR, and it's a battle fighting the postcards hooked into the paper. Being a consumer mag, they should KNOW already that consumers hate that. It's just a tacky waste of paper and an annoyance to the reader.

6. CR's lobbying wing is down on supplements and tries to get over-the-counter substances transformed into prescription-only affairs, or banned altogether. Such as the natural herbs, Kava, Ephedra, and the list goes on. All in the name of "safety". The last straw was when I read that CR was trying to clamp down on sam-e, which I purchase and consume on a regular basis. The idea that my membership fees are going to be used to force me to get a doctor's prescription and pay 10x more for the same pills, makes me think that CR will not get a "5 star" rating here, but instead a "3 star" rating. CR should reconsider their notion that Government must prohibit/limit citizen's access to substances.

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France Amerique

..then this is a great magazine. Well written articles from current news to history, stories you won't find elsewhere. Great for practicing comprehension and pronunciation, good for classes. If you subscribe to TV5, there is a great pullout for next month's programs. Note: all of this magazine is in French.

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Listen : Life With Classical Music

Listen -Life With Classical Music is one of the newer magazines covering classical music and probably the newest magazine covering it in USA/North America. It started modestly a few years ago and has grown to such extent the curent issue (June 2012 or "summer") is 96 pages. The magazine is published quarterly in a full-size (8 1/2 by 11 inch) format on high quality pulp paper as opposed to slick glossy pages. I did not find a webpage listing in the magazine and assume it does not have one.

Compared to other magazines of its type, I'd say Listen tries to be more like Gramophone or BBC Music Magazine insofar as it is full of color advertising, photos and personality pieces. The summer 2012 issue contained only a four-page "Recommended" section that deals with brief reviews of recorded music. The rest of the pages are dedicated to advertising, pieces on performers, composers, their music or musical venues. In no way does Listen compare to review-heavy magazines like American Record Guide or Fanfare; it is definitely long on glitz and, in my mind, short on substance and content.

That's not to say I dislike the magazine. I recieved it first on a freebie basis, then subscribed for a couple years because of the low subscription price and on the chance it would become more substantial as time went on. One definite advantage is Listen is an easy read, sometimes with fairly interesting content like a story an issue or two back about one-hit wonder Hans Rott, whose Symphony in E inspired Gustav Mahler. The current issue has stories on types of dances, dance at the Guggenheim, Ute Lemper and Profofiev's Cinderella, among others.

I think it is improving in terms of comprehensive content but I am disappointed it does not review more new or reissued recordings. From the looks of things, reviews of recordings are an afterthought for Listen. This seems unusual to me since just about any new website or magazine can acquire lots of free new releases from manufacturers by asking. They can receive more by telling the distributors they will give them good reviews.

As an American that's followed classical music and the classical music press for four decades that first subscribed to High Fidelity and Stereo Review, I'd like to liken Listen to them but it's not in the same category, at least not yet. Listen seems more most dedicated to acquiring color advertising and publishing content aimed at beginners. I don't discount that, especially the advertising, as it is an effective way to show readers about new releases. With sound bytes of new recordings available all over the web, it's important for any publication to tell us about new offerings since we can find the rest ourselves.

To me, Listen: Life With Classical Music is best suited to young people or others new or recent to classical music. Most veteran collectors, performers, musicians and followers won't find much new in it. But the price you'll pay for a subscription -2 years (8 isuses) for less than $15 in the blow-in card in the summer issue) -is unbeatable. I don't know what you last bought new for $2 but it probably wasn't a classical music magazine.

I have been a subscriber for the last two years and I must say the magazine is first rate. The interviews are great. Top notch artists have been interviewed (Anne Sophie Mutter, Joshua Bell, Yo Yo Ma etc). The writing is quite good and the magazine is laid out very well. The font size, print quality and reviews are very good.

I like ArkivMusic's 'Listen' all the more because it is published here in America and gives me information on upcoming shows in the US. I agree with another reviewer and wish that this was published more frequently than just four times a year. An excellent value for any classical music fan.

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If you love classical music, you will love this magazine and it is actually for US customers. I have subscribed before to many European classical music magazines which are good, except all events mentioned usually do not pertain to US customers. Good articles and music reviews! I wish it were published more than 4 times a year!

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i FOUND A PRICE OF $13.49 for a 2 TWO YEAR SUBSCRIPTION on the website: webmaster@cinradio.org. Your lower price submission will not accept this as a valid URL. This magazine offer was subsequent to a CD that I ordered through WGUC Daily Broadcast listings when I heard a harp recording that I wanted to purchase and ordered. It was published by ARKIV

Mary Martin

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Soccer Three Sixty Magazine

Okay, it's missing that one star to make it five stars simply because it's not "up to date" as the other review mentioned. But I don't think it's supposed to inform you of every weeks' games it is a bi-monthly magazine, so that's what you should expect. It still offers in depth articles on individual players, teams, coaches, etc. My husband would rather read about soccer game results online, yet this subscription made the best gift ever for my nephew who is just now becoming a soccer fan he knows more than my husband about the lives and current decisions of some soccer players. That's simply what this mag is all about the explanations and analysis of coach/player decisions, moves, mistakes and wins. All said, it's not bad...

Unable to evaluate at this time--have not received the magazine yet.... was informed there would be a several month delay and they will start sending magazine in February 2013.... very disappointing as this was a gift item we expected to receive on a more timely basis.

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not bad but I glanced at this magazine at the store and I really didn't notice anything special it is way overpriced and besides there r alot of great websites that will give ya up to date news and not last months news maybe if it was alot cheaper even if probably still wouldn't get it

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Future Music

The earlier reviewer commenting on the price is referring to the US edition of the magazine, which is about $20 per year, and is no where near as well put together. This is a great magazine, I had the subscription for it and bought it in pounds and got the bill once it had been converted to dollars, needless to say I only did it for one year. It's still less than buying it at the newsstand which is around $16 per issue I think. If you like to get new audio samples, tutorials, plugins and virtual instruments every month, this is "the" magazine to get, if you like that stuff but don't want to pay the charge for having it sent over the pond, consider the US version, but realize they are not the same and the US one is not nearly as good.

This magazine is invaluable for the present-day producer.

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

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

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

Highly Recommended.

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This mag is not publish anymore as told in previous reviews. They won't tell you instead I got a note that said I would get Guitar World, and got 1 issue only. Not only I just got 1 issue, but I never asked for guitar world. Please take note that Amazon is very good at everything except mag subscriptions. They send you with the publisher to deal with. No refund are made this way. Also this happened with the Mental Floss mag subscription. Your are on your own with magazine subscriptions.

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Just like another reviewer, I sent in the card for a preview issue. I did receive one issue, which I found to be of limited value anyway. I have since been bombarded with collection agency notices. I can't believe I may have to get legal help for this. Absolute rubbish.

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I sent in a card for a preview issue and never recieved it. Since then I've been bombarded with with forceful Must Pay notices. They've now turned me over to a collection agency. I've not to this day subscribed.

Where to Retire (1-year auto-renewal)

I'm not sure how much use the average person would get out of this magazine. It is sort of nice to read if you are dreaming about retiring, but the actual information is more extensive and useful on the internet. Try findyourspot.com instead and save the $18 for six issues of advertisements. If you are looking for retirement communities, it might be worth subscribing or just buying one issue at the news stand.

I was hoping for more in-depth articles than what I got here. The towns listed were mostly resort-types, and there was far less on living in regular places where one might retire and live on a fixed income. I think I expected more from "Where to Retire" than I got out of my subscription, so I didn't renew.

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This publication seems to focus more on real estate ads than critical reviews of those locations we might be interested in.

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I used the subscription for one year.

None of the 'Retirement recommendations' had enough depth, pictures or information.

The articles rarely told you where you could get additional information, and if they did, they usually only listed one source.

The articles do not consistently tell you about the benefits/penalty of retiring in a particular area, as I hoped they would. In other words I wanted to see each article include information about taxes for retirees (do they tax Pensions ? social security? State taxes for those over 65 ? Property tax reductions ? Homestead exemptions ? ...)

If you know what region of the country you are interested in, you might be better off grabbing a couple of regional magazines to help you find locations that fit your needs or meet your criteria. Then do some online research. The retirement suggestions in this magazine are all over the place, and all over the financial budget.

The magazine is filled with lots of sales and advertisements.

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If you are 55+ and looking for retirement Villages then you will like this. However, if you are more interested in living in an area outside of a retirement community this is not the magazine for you. One of the features I did enjoy was the breakdown info on a particular city/cities, such as average income, demographics, climate, etc.

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Jet

It took so long for this to be received (5 months) by the time it did come, forgot I had ordered it!!

I bought this as a gift for friend. I never saw it or the magazine. Gift items should be deleted from requests for ratings.

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great magazine I've been a subsciber for years, but I do wish they's spell my name right I've notified them countless time

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Love Jet magazine. It's an easy way to stay current on today's topics. Highly recommend for the trendy enlightened individual.

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Have not yet received a copy of Jet. How long before my subscription will become active. Look forward to active subscription.

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Reader's Digest (2-year)

This publication isn't what it used to be. I am 32 years old and for my entire (yes entire) life my family has subscribed to the Reader's Digest. It is the perfect ahem... restroom reading material because it contains short, well written stories that are either amusing, thought provoking, heart warming (or a combination of all three).

Now, every other page literally is an advertisement for a pharmaceutical product of some kind. The first thing I do when I receive my monthly copy is I rip out the ads. In doing so I'm usually left with LESS THAN HALF of the pages I started with. I feel like I'm paying for a monthly subscription to pharmaceutical ads. "Now, That's Outrageous!"

I'm so sad and disappointed. I won't be renewing my subscription next year and I feel like I've lost a lifelong friend. I hope my review helps you in your decision.

First off, I agree with what others have said about too many ads. That's partly what is keeping me from renewing it.

Overall..if it weren't for the ads, I would continue to enjoy this magazine because I love the humor, easy reading stories, information, etc.

However...when my subscription ends they keep calling and calling and CALLING me about renewing. Or saying "We hope you are enjoying your subscription to Readers Digest"..(when I'm not subscribed anymore). I tell them no, I'm not going to renew..the next day I come home with three calls on my answering machine from them. This is not a one time occurrence either.

The magazine itself is good. However I think they should either lower the price or drop some of the ads.

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RD does have some interesting consumer & finance articles, but it has waa-a-a-y too many ads. I would never actually pay for it, but I do get a subscription as a gift every year. I end up ripping half the magazine's weight out in ads and no, that's not "just life" as some other reviewer said, it's downright shameful.

Also, make sure you get on the RD website and change your privacy preferences; like other second-rate companies who like to abuse customers, they implicitly assume you want to be spammed by them and have them rent your information out to third parties.

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I've always loved this magazine, but I completely agree with the other reviewers... not ONLY are there entirely too many ads, but they make a FORTUNE selling your information. I was completely shocked at the amount of junk mail that started POURING in after I first subscribed to Reader's Digest. They should be ashamed of themselves. I do enjoy reading it, but refuse to renew out of principle.

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I bought this subscription to Readers Digest here at Amazon in January 2011 and didn't receive mt first issue until March 2011. Started getting renewal letters in with my magazine about 2 months ago and got to wondering when my subscription was ending? I looked here at Amazon and it says March 2013 which is correct then I looked at the label on my magazine and it says November 2012. What's going on here that is a 4 month difference in what I paid for and what I am actually receiving. So I contacted Amazon about this and they promptly shuffled me off to Readers Digest (Thanks Amazon)who gave me a song and dance story about how the May issue was a special issue and it was so much bigger that it counted as 2 issues. Well I pulled out my May issue and it has about 10 extra pages compared to the other issues. so shame on you Readers Digest for trying to rip off consumers and an even bigger shame on you Amazon for not standing behind what you are selling.

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FamilyFun (1-year auto-renewal)

Family Fun magazine is owned by the Disney company, and it's not hard to figure that out once you open an issue. There are ads for Disney movies, Disney parks, Disney toys, and Disney kids wear on almost every other page! If you got rid of all the ads, the magazine would be half its size or less. However, I can't knock this magazine too much. They have great ideas for crafts that are easy and fun for kids. These can vary from something simple like pipe cleaner people, to things more elaborate like castles made from cardboard boxes. I'm alwasy consistently impressed with their birthday party ideas as well. One idea they had was to make dinosaur "bones" out of sand and glue, and then bury them for a birthday party archeological dig. They also have ideas for creative birthday cakes. One cake they did looked just like a swimming pool. They have a section in the back that's about taking family-friendly vacations (always including Anaheim or Orlando in the mix, so you don't forget about Disney trips!) that is really helpful. Even though I have a few complaints, the magazine does live up to its name and provides lots of ideas for family fun.

I wondered what happened when I saw the price for Family Fun magazine drop to $5.00 a year and then today I received my first issue. Back when my kids were little, this was "the" magazine for planning vacations, finding kid-friendly recipes, and planning entertaining but educational activities with the kids. Now it's 100% advertisements. Scattered throughout the magazine are about 30 blurbs from Facebook fans and Pinterest pals with ideas you've heard a million times. There are no professionally written articles. Not a single one.

Here's the December/January issue:

p. 0(inside front cover) Ad for Oral-B and Crest

p. 1 table of contents

p. 2 table of contents cont'd and credits

p. 3 ad for Hilton Resorts

p. 4 ad for Ore Ida hash browns

p. 5 ad for Ore Ida french fries

p. 6 ad for Kings Hawaiian bread

p. 7 facebook fans and pinterest pals (like I care)

p. 8 ad for Family Fun's iPhone app "ToyHopper" which recommends Christmas video games for kids (omg)

p. 9 ad for Pringles potato chips

p. 10 list of holidays in december and january (like national cocoa day)

p. 11 ad for Curel lotion

p. 12 ad for Toyota

p. 13 idea from Pinterest pal (I've seen this before, about 15 years ago, duh)

p. 14 how to make a really ugly and flimsy clothespin menorah

p. 15 ad for SpongeBob Christmas DVD and iTunes

p. 16 how to make two really tacky ornaments and a cute angel

p. 17 ad for Legos and Duplos

p. 18 how to make a table fan tree (same as it was 40 years ago when I did this in elementary school)

p. 19 ad for Orajel and Spinbrush toothbrush

p. 20 how to wrap a photo around a candle (ugh)

p. 21 ad for CakeBoss mail-order cakes

p. 22 ad for Karen Tack's cupcake books

p. 23 ad for Karen Tack's cupcake books

p. 24 recipe for crackers from about 20 years ago (originally in Better Homes and Garden Kids cookbook, I believe)

p. 25 ad for Hallmark

(four more pages of ads for Hallmark with no page numbers)

p. 26 rest of cracker recipe

p. 27 ad for Oral B, American Girl, and Apple App Store

p. 28 recipe for sugar-coated marshmallows dressed up to look like gingerbread men (one of the most sugar-laden recipes I've ever seen)

p. 29 ad for ABC Family television channel

p. 30 idea from a Facebook fan

p. 31 ad for Mucinex

p. 32 ad for FaceBook and Disney Princess dolls

p. 33 ad for Geico (seriously?)

p. 34 ad for Rice Krispies

p. 35 rice krispy marshmallow treat recipe (in shape of christmas ball) and ad for Kellogg's Rice Krispies

p. 36 ad for Eggland's Best eggs

p. 37 how to make a snow angel (like we need instructions; it's not that complicated-->lie in snow, fan arms)

p. 38 ad for Zoo Tunes speakers for mp3 players

p. 39 ad for Palmolive dish detergent

p. 40 ad for Similasanusa cough and fever syrup

p. 41 ad for RedBox video rentals

p. 42 ad for Similasan ear relief drops

p. 43 ad for Parents.com website membership

p. 44 ad for Blue Bones dog bones

p. 45 ad for Blue Freedom dog food

p. 46 three yoga poses for mother and daughter (not fitness, not even fun)

p. 47 ad for Organic Valley dairy products

p. 48 ad for Gerber "generation" toddler food

p. 49 ad for Gerber Graduates dippers

p. 50 ideas from Facebook fan (ridiculous, if this is educational then your kids will not be very bright)

p. 51 ad for Disney Channel's "Sofia the First"

p. 52 multiple ads for kids' furniture and accessories

p. 53 multiple ads for kids' furniture and accessories

p. 54 how to soak your feet (omg)

p. 55 how to paint your nails (another omg)

p. 56 ad for Piggy Paint kids nail polish and Moodylicous Childrens Spa face frosting

p. 57 ad for Crazy8 kids clothes

p. 58 ad for Nissan

p. 59 how to find a local greenhouse (hint: google "greenhouse")

p. 60 how to travel witha dog (if you have a dog, you know this)

p. 61 ad for websites catering to dogs

p. 62 ad for IAMS dog food

p. 63 ad for IAMS dog food

p. 64 ad for Disney World Resorts (Wilderness Hotel and Golf Resort in particular)

p. 65 ad for Imaginext toys

p. 66 ad for Imaginext toys

(two more pages of ads for Imaginext toys with no page numbers)

p. 67 ad for Oreo cookies (more sugar, just what our kids need) and Wilderness Resorts (a division of Disney World)

p. 68 picture of peppermint fudge (recipe later, a copycat version of the fudge on sweetened condensed milk cans)

p. 69 how to frost a donut hole (seriously?)

p. 70 recipe for gingerbread biscotti (wife's a cook, she said "gross" when she read the recipe)

p. 71 ad for Minute Rice

p. 72 how to frost a cookie like a present (a really ugly present)

p. 73 ad for Sears Portrait Studio (the only ad worth paying attention to although JC Penney takes better kid pics)

p. 74 a really awful recipe for Newton-like sugar-laden jam bars (more sugar)

p. 75 ad for Fruity Pebbles cereal (the most sugar-laden cereal of them all)

p. 76 how to take pictures of kids (and badly)

p. 77 more pictures

p. 78 more pictures

p. 79 ad for FaceBook and Pinterest (surely you saw this coming; when they have a faked "article" they have to have the ad to go with it immediately after)

p. 80 ad for American Girl dolls

p. 81 ad for American Girl dolls

p. 82 how to paint a metal washer (hardware) with nail polish, add a ribbon, and call it a really ugly gift..uh I mean necklace

p. 83 pictures of ugly painted washers

p. 84 how to paint other stuff with nail polish and call it a cheap gift

p. 85 how to paint a cheap spoon with nail polish and gift it (omg)

p. 86 ad for familyfunmag.com in the guise of a how-to make a sport pillow (the size of your hand)

p. 87 ad for EpiPen (now the pharmaceutical companies are advertising in Family Fun)

p. 88 safety warnings for EpiPen (omg)

p. 89 add for FaceBook, YouTube, Twitter, iTunes app store, and about six more ads

p. 90 ads for about 15 products you can buy online

p. 91 picture of a guy walking in a christmas tree cutting yard (I can drive down the street and see this, do I have to pay for it in a magazine?)

p. 92 ideas from FaceBook fans

p. 93 another picture of the same guy, this time carrying a tree

p. 94 ad for InchBug sipper cups

p. 95 ad for Smuggler's Notch Cabins in Vermont

p. 96 picture of a kid on an intertube in the snow (yeah, we know how to do that too, no instructions required)

p. 97 ad for Campbell's tomato soup

p. 98 (back cover) ad for CoolWhip frosting and FaceBook

As you can see, the entire magazine is ads. If there is a "fake" story, it's a paragraph of garbage preceding the several pages of related ads. e.g. How to travel with a dog followed by several pages of dog food ads. The FaceBook fans and Pinterest pals are the ones here giving this junk magazine five star reviews.

Don't believe me? Print this out, take it to your local bookstore and check out the issue. :) Yep, I'm right. Don't waste your money.

Buy FamilyFun (1-year auto-renewal) Now

This is ABSOLUTELY the best family magazine out on the market today. It beats the others hands down for creative ideas and their suggestions and ideas are easy, fast and no hassle for working parents to be able to do with their kids. Their vacation/travel tips are great too. I like that they rate different places based on how much there is for different age groups to do at each place it takes a lot of the guess work out of family vacation planning! The articles are informative, well written, and interesting. The crafts are easy to do, require little creative ability (so literally anyone can do them), and generally do not involve specialty items that are hard to find. I really like the fact that this magazine is more geared towards helping families have fun with each other while recognizing that not all of us have 3 hours each day to devote to doing the activities that they suggest. Most of the crafts and activities can be done in less than an hour and they are just as easy for younger kids as they are for older kids but are still interesting to both age groups. This magazine also doesn't "scare" parents with articles on complicated and rare developmental / medical problems. They present articles on common problems that are well researched, thought out, and well written. A definite must have for any busy parent who still wants to be able to do stuff with their kid(s).

Read Best Reviews of FamilyFun (1-year auto-renewal) Here

I have been a subscriber to Family Fun for 4+ years and I have always enjoyed the magazine. I don't remember ever being disappointed in an issue.

I usually will read a magazine once just for entertainment value and then go back later and sort out the articles & ideas I want to keep on file for future reference. In most magazines this equates to a few pages to hang on to at the most. With Family Fun I always end up with a huge stack of ideas that I want to hang on to. What is even better is that these are tips and bits of information that I actually use and apply in our everyday lives. Practical, useful and fun are all words I would use to describe this publication.

My favorite features include:

"My great idea" submitted by readers

"Family Almanac" seasonal activities and resources

and the travel ideas. We have discovered many great places that our on our list to visit someday and we have even been able to add some wonderful and educational fun to trips we have already had planned.

Some reviews have complained about the magazine being owned by Disney. I'm not sure why that is such a problem, but I do realize some people don't like Disney. The truth is that some major corporation owns just about everything major magazine out there anyway. At least the Disney company has helped Family Fun gain a bigger audience and provided a fantastic web site as a resource companion to the magazine. I don't find that Disney is overly promoted (a rarity in the world of Disney I know!) in this magazine. There are plenty of reviews and references to very non-Disney products such as the Harry Potter series, Shrek movies, and hundreds of travel ideas that have nothing to do with anything related to a Disney enterprise.

This magazine has definitely earned the 5 star rating.

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We love this magazine as a family and on individual basis. We keep all of our issues, and refer back to them for so many different things: foods, crafts, parties, activities, simple solutions and so much more! The only thing missing is a master guide of which magazine holds what so we can find it quicker. My only complaint is that I wish they sent out a yearly index to solve this problem. This is a subscription we will probably never give up.

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Electronic House

I am a gadget freak and a big fan of consumer electronics of any kind. I also appreciate good high-quality audiovisual entertainment, and watching movies at home is definitely high on my list of entertainment options. With these things in mind "Electronic House" is almost an ideal magazine for me. It consistently features some of the best and most advanced home electronics products, as well as in-depth reports on some very advanced comprehensive home-entertainment setups. Many of the electronic products are very cutting edge, and not likely to be featured even in the most trendy of the technology blogs. That's the good news. The bad news is that those products tend to be way outside most mortals' budget, and are not very likely to end up in your or any of your friends' homes in the foreseeable future. Nonetheless, due to the rapidly evolving technologies and ever-decreasing prices of electronic products one can be reasonably sure that most of the gadgets that are featured in this magazine will eventually find their way to mass markets in some way shape or form.

The product reviews in this magazine are very nicely done, although they tend to be on the flattering side. If you were considering purchasing any of the featured products I would recommend checking out some other online or offline reviews. Amazon reviews in particular (if available) will give you some idea of what the actual experiences of real-life users may be, although even those should be taken with a grain of salt.

One of the nicest features in this magazine are the in-depth articles on various luxury homes that are saturated with the latest audio, video, and home automation features. These homes can be quite impressive, and looking at them could elicit some serious envy. Fortunately, the magazine also features articles on electronically sophisticated homes that are within the reach of most middle class households. At the very least, "Electronic House" will provide you with the idea of what the latest home entertainment trends are. The way I see it, even the most expensive large TV or LCD projector is much less expensive than even the cheapest new car, not to mention those luxury sports cars that are regularly featured in any automotive magazine. If you are going to aspire for a fancy new toy, home electronics is a much more accessible goal.

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