Magazines
By Steve Black & Clayton A. Couch -- Library Journal, 4/1/2008
American Heritage. 1947. q. $24. Ed: Edwin S. Grosvenor. www.americanheritage.com/magazine. ISSN 0002-8738. illus. adv. Aud: GA (Subject: United States—Civilization. Issue examined: Vol. 58, No. 3, Winter 2008)The venerable American Heritage endured a near-death experience in 2007 when Forbes unexpectedly announced the magazine’s suspension after the April/May issue. Grosvenor purchased the magazine and became its new editor, replacing the now-retired Richard F. Snow. Publication resumed in winter 2008. The new version has slightly more white space and simpler graphics, but the look, feel, and scope of content will be familiar to readers. The first issue of the reincarnated magazine includes "Why We Need History" by Pulitzer Prize–winning author David McCullough, "Black Monday" by Fed chief Alan Greenspan, and a feature on women in combat. This attractive and intellectually entertaining magazine still belongs in every library; it deserves to be read by anyone interested in American history and culture.—S.B.
Antenna. 2007. q. $28. Ed: Tony Gervino. www.antennamag.com. ISSN 1936-8852. illus. index. adv. Aud: GA (Subject: Fashion. Issue examined: Vol. 2, No. 1, Winter 2008)
In this visual dictionary of current fashion for young urbanites, the colorful, artful images picture products without human models. Predictable categories of graphic Ts, hoodies, and shoes (under K for "kicks") share the alphabet with corkscrews, cufflinks, scratch-off games, trophies, and yo-yos. Playful, irreverent commentaries by and about people in the New York fashion world inhabit a small portion of the pages. To avoid confusion over whether a page is content or advertisement, the Antenna logo appears on each content page. An index provides URLs for where to buy included items. An entertaining, current guide to urban street fashion.—S.B.
art ltd.: West Coast Art + Design. 2007. bi-m. $23.95. Ed: George Melrod. www.artltdmag.com. ISSN 1941-8558. illus. adv. Aud: GA, Ac (Subject: Art, American—Pacific States. Issue examined: Sept. 2007)
The artist profiles and gallery and show reviews in art ltd. are substantive and lavishly illustrated. The aesthetic will be familiar to readers of Art in America or ArtForum, yet the editors have crafted for art ltd. its own distinct character. With relevant advertisements and signed articles and reviews, art ltd. also features high-quality production and design, creating a visual appeal that rivals any first-rate art periodical. Main articles in the examined issue cover the 100th anniversary of the California College of the Arts, light artist Dan Flavin, and the Jupiter Hotel art fair in Portland, OR. Although focused on West Coast art and design, art ltd. will be appreciated by anyone interested in contemporary art.—S.B.
Base Ball: A Journal of the Early Game. 2007. s-a. $120. Ed: John Thorn. www.mcfarlandpub.com/baseball.html. ISSN 1934-2802. Aud: GA, Ac (Subject: Baseball—History. Issue examined: Vol. 1, No. 1, Spring 2007)
One of the more compelling sports-related publications to come along in a great while, this journal studies the development of America's national pastime as a major spectator sport. The premier issue is unostentatious, solid, and a great read. For fans interested in the history of the World Series, Robert H. Schaefer's "The Postseason Play of 1902" examines the challenges during the late 19th and early 20th centuries of organizing a successful interleague championship series between the National League and its competitors. For larger public and academic library collections.—C.C.
Coexistence. 2007. m. $30. Ed: Varuzhan Shahidzadeh. www.coexistencemag.com. illus. adv. Aud: GA (Subject: Toleration—Middle East. Issue examined: Vol. 1, No. 4, 2007)
A visual emphasis on buxom women in provocative yet tasteful poses belies an intermittently serious magazine for young men of Middle Eastern extraction. Articles on "Homosexual Middle Easterners," "Zionists and Jews," and "Failed Peace" reflect the editor’s proclaimed emphasis on tolerance. These evenhanded treatments of social and political issues are mixed with lighter articles on fashion and culture and interviews with the pinup girls. Photos are predominantly full page, while the serious features are printed in plain text without graphics or pull quotes. The graphic design and jarring mixture of subjects create the impression that Coexistence is really two publications within one cover. The photos are no more risqué than one would find in Sports Illustrated or Vanity Fair. Coexistence is worth considering to counteract stereotypes and to support tolerance among people from the Middle East.—S.B.
Condé Nast Portfolio. 2007. m. $15. Ed: Joanne Lipman. www.portfolio.com. ISSN 1936-0916. illus. index. adv. Aud: GA, Sa (Subject: Business. Issue examined: Vol. 2, No. 2, Feb. 2008)
After closing down House & Garden (1885–2007), Condé Nast released with much fanfare this slick, glossy vehicle for "business intelligence" and upscale advertisements. Personalities dominate the content. Articles on frivolous topics like "The Britney [Spears] Economy" share pages with stories about water use in Las Vegas and NASA’s plans to reach Mars. The depth of coverage and quality of writing are uneven. Errors slip through, e.g., the statement that the first paperback book in the United States was published in 1939. Articles are opinionated and often leave one wondering whether other sides of the stories are not being addressed. One might think the astute readers whom Portfolio targets would desire more insightful reporting than this magazine provides, but Condé Nast may nevertheless find success in the increasingly crowded market of magazines aimed at affluent readers.—S.B.
Everywhere. 2008. bi-m. $14.99. Ed: Todd Lappin. www.everywheremag.com. ISSN 1940-9613. illus. adv. Aud: GA (Subject: Travel. Issue examined: Issue 1, Jan./Feb. 2008)
Highly readable and entertaining, this travel magazine embraces a contemporary way to produce a periodical. Content is gleaned from readers’ posts at www.everywheremag.com, a Web 2.0 project gathering reader-written and reader-evaluated stories and photographs. Professional editing and graphic design enhance material from the web site to fabulous effect. Everywhere features consistently engaging travel stories and photos from eclectic perspectives. Topics in the inaugural issue include visiting Antarctica by chartered ship, traveling home for the holidays, tips on enjoying Tokyo, and snow cave etiquette. Articles rarely offer specific details on where to go, sleep, or eat but are rich with travel ideas and cultural insights. Everywhere should interest most readers, even those who haven’t been bitten by the travel bug.—S.B.
As of August 1, 2008, publication of Everywhere has been suspended.—Ed.
Kitu Kizuri. 2007. q. $40. Ed: Angela Ogbolu. www.kitukizuri.com. illus. adv. Aud: GA (Subject: Africans—North America—Social Conditions. Issue examined: Issue 4, Jan.–Mar. 2008)
What makes Kitu Kizuri of interest to a broad audience is its engaging treatments of the African experience in America, written in an accessible style well suited to inform readers about African culture. Money is addressed in "Need Capital? Join a Njgani" (i.e., an informal community savings and loan). "Dear Aunty" offers advice from an African cultural perspective, and "A Lesson in Love from a Survivor" recounts Immaculée Ilibagiza’s survival of the Rwandan genocide. Primarily by and for African women living in North America, the articles cover topics ranging from domestic abuse and interracial marriage to lighter pieces on beauty, fashion, recipes, travel, and books. Personal narratives are central to the storytelling and give the magazine much of its appeal. Original, independent, perceptive, and upbeat, Kitu Kizuri (meaning "something beautiful" in Kiswahili) is an excellent choice for any library seeking to add diverse perspectives to its periodicals collection.—S.B.
Logan Magazine. 2006. q. $14. Ed: Laurie Olson. www.loganmagazine.com. illus. adv. Aud: GA (Subject: People with Disabilities—Lifestyle. Issue examined: Spring 2007)
Created by the mother-daughter team of Laurie and Logan Olson, Logan Magazine seeks to promote healthy, fun lifestyles for young people with disabilities. Logan Olson, who sustained a serious brain injury at 16, epitomizes what the magazine is all about: success, toughness, and style in the face of adversity. Profiles in the Spring 2007 issue of surfer Bethany Hamilton, who lost her left arm in a shark attack; thriving restaurateur and athlete Carrie Davis, born with a congenital limb deficiency; and 19-year-old world traveler Lukas Bratcher, who has endured quadriplegia for his entire life, are especially uplifting. Logan Magazine belongs in most public libraries.—C.C.
Monocle. 2007. 10/yr. £75. Ed: Tyler Brûlé. www.monocle.com. ISSN 1753-2434. illus. adv. Aud: GA (Subject: Global Affairs. Issue examined: Vol. 01, Issue 02, Apr. 2007)
Perhaps to attract advertisers and audiences, many mainstream news publications layer fluff content around the ever-vanishing incisive reportage that was once their raison d'être. While the general readership's demand for light fare is apparent, there's a now-underserved audience hungry for intelligent commentary and news coverage—a sophisticated group that Monocle looks to attract with comprehensive articles on such topics as the Norwegian economy and the Ecuadorian political landscape. Its especially suave design and well-researched content make it a good buy for libraries interested in improving their news and current events collections.—C.C.
n+1. 2005. s-a. $38. Ed: Allison Lorentzen & others. www.nplusonemag.com. ISSN 1549-0033. illus. adv. Aud: GA (Subject: American Literature and Politics. Issue examined: No. 4, 2006)
As perhaps the most potent new literary journal to arise in the last few years, n+1 deserves every accolade that comes its way. With an emphasis on memoir and literary essay forms, it projects a level of seriousness that is too often muted in other publications by an editorial stance favoring ironic detachment over attentive engagement. Philip Connors's memoir about his career in journalism and his years at the Wall Street Journal exemplifies this trait in the profiled issue, as does Mark Greif's "Afternoon of the Sex Children," a compelling essay dealing with America's obsession with sex and youth. Highly recommended for most public and academic libraries.—C.C.
Perspecta, The Yale Architectural Journal. 1952. Irreg. $20. Ed: Kanu Agrawal & others. mitpress.mit.edu. ISSN 0079-0958. Aud: GA, Sa (Subject: Architecture. Issue examined: No. 39, 2007)
Although Perspecta is the oldest student-edited architectural publication in the United States, its approach is unequivocally new in spirit. Indeed, each issue might as well be classified as a separate entity, as the design, layout, and contents are unique. The guiding theme for Perspecta 39 is "Re_Urbanism," i.e., how capital cities are reinventing themselves—architecturally speaking—around the world. Cities such as Brasília, Brussels, Belgrade, and Beijing, among others, are profiled in terms of how their architectural features inform and affect each city's social currents. Highly recommended for academic libraries with significant design and architecture collections.—C.C.
Race/Ethnicity: Multidisciplinary Global Contexts. 2007. s-a. $87.50. Ed: John A. Powell & Mac A. Stewart. inscribe.iupress.org/loi/rac. ISSN 1935-8644. Aud: Ac (Subject: Ethnicity. Issue examined: Vol. 1, No. 1, Autumn 2007)
Scholarship and courses on race and ethnicity proliferate in colleges and universities, and this journal fills a clear need. The editors plan each issue to be based on the theme of a classic work. The inaugural issue starts with a selection from Oscar Handlin’s The Uprooted, followed by six peer-reviewed articles that critique and expand upon Handlin’s work. Designed to include pieces by authors from multiple academic disciplines, Race/Ethnicity is recommended to support research and coursework in race and ethnic studies. The style of writing is too specialized to attract much interest among general audiences. [Electronic subscriptions are available for $78.75; combined print and electronic subscriptions are $122.50. Includes access to back issues. E-ISSN: 1935-8652.—Ed.]—S.B.
Russia! 2007. q. $25. Ed: Michael Idov. www.readrussia.com. ISSN 1930-6784. illus. adv. Aud: GA (Subject: Russia—Social Life and Customs. Issue examined: Winter 2008)
This visually inviting and informative magazine portrays Russian culture from New York–based expatriates’ points of view. Russia! is written with affection and respect for the Russian people but with satirical skepticism of Russian authority. The article "Hitting the Pipe," on the use of Caspian oil by Russia and the United States, is equally critical of governments, oil companies, and economists. Topic coverage is broad, from space tourism to living in Siberia to banned art. Media reviews are few but cover books and movies unlikely to be reviewed elsewhere, with articles such as "Soviet Holiday Movie Kinda-Classics" and "Russian YouTube Serves Up Authentic Thuggery, Faux Folk." The quality of the often provocative writing, photography, and graphics is consistently excellent. Given the continued importance of Russia in the world, this magazine is valuable for area studies and for readers with a cosmopolitan taste for culture.—S.B.
Science Illustrated. 2008. bi-m. $24. Ed: Mark Jannot. www.scienceillustrated.com. illus. adv. Aud: GA, HS (Subject: Science. Issue examined: Mar./Apr. 2008)
Competing for readers of Discover or Popular Science, this is the English-language version of Scandinavian science magazine Illustreret Videnskab. The challenge of any popular science magazine is simply to present science that is appealing to a general audience without misrepresenting the science. Science Illustrated employs a heavy emphasis on visual information to present accurately if somewhat superficially scientific findings likely to interest general readers. Unfortunately, words used on the cover do not match the content, e.g., "Penguins in Peril: As population plummet toward extinction, scientists race to save the Emperor" references a story that states emperor penguins are in the "least concern" risk category. Science Illustrated reports on many scientific findings originally published outside the United States in languages other than English. The European representation combined with striking images and accessible writing makes this an attractive complement or alternative to competing science magazines for school and public libraries.—S.B.
VIEW. 2001. a. Free. Executive Director: Robin Karson. www.lalh.org/view.html. ISSN 1550-5545. illus. Aud: GA, SA (Subject: Landscape Gardening. Issue examined: No. 7, Summer 2007)
Published by the Library of American Landscape History, an organization concerned with North American landscapes and their stewardship, VIEW serves to educate readers about the value of these landscapes in American life. More of a newsletter than a magazine, it is nonetheless a worthwhile read. The profiled issue contains a thought-provoking feature on Mission 66, a somewhat divisive 1950s-era National Park Service initiative intended to improve the condition of America's national parks infrastructure, along with short articles on the preservation of Longue Vue House and Gardens in New Orleans and Wilcox Park in Westerly, RI. VIEW is appropriate for large public and special libraries.—C.C.
| Author Information |
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Steve Black is a librarian at the College of Saint Rose in Albany, NY, and teaches a course in serials at the University at Albany. He is also the author of Serials in Libraries: Issues and Practices (Libraries Unlimited), and he interviews editors on Periodical Radio |
