Your favourite educational magazines

February 10, 2009 6:27 PM

Help me find educational, interesting, challenging, entertaining, non-parochial magazines or journals.

With thanks to this site, and previous posts here and especially here, I have recently subscribed to several "literary" and current affairs magazines.

I'm now a satisfied, and very happy, subscriber to the New York Review of Books, the London Review of Books, the Literary Review and the Australian edition of The Week. Yesterday, when my first copy of the Literary Review arrived I found an insert for the a quarterly called Slightly Foxed, which looks delightful and to which I promptly subscribed.

I'm greatly enjoying this new avenue of self improvement and education. I'm an avid reader, with a library of hundreds of books; mostly non-fiction but recently I've been dipping my toes into fiction (most recent purchases being Mr Darwin's Shooter, Mr Pip and Rushdie's the Enchantress of Florence - could you believe I couldn't find a copy of Midnight's Children anywhere?!).

I would like to expand this little, but rapidly growing, library of periodicals. There's something so very satisfying sitting down with a good magazine... it has its own special joy that's quite different from a good book. But I digress...

I have considered Standpoint but think I would find it too right-leaning (my politics being left of left-of-centre). Prospect appeals to me, but is probably too much focused on UK politics. Granta seems intriquing, but perhaps a little prosaic.

This kind of leaves me with the New Statesman, but I don't want to subscribe to a full year not having read even a single copy (again, I suspect a little too much UK focus).

I'm interested in the New Yorker, but am wondering if it is too US focused. I know next to nothing about Harpers (indeed, I used to confuse it with its near-synonymous fashion magazine). I browsed the web-site of The Atlantic and it just didn't do it for me. I actually like the idea of the Economist, and often buy single editions, but I'm not sure if I could get through a full one every week, along with my others. Has anyone here got any first-hand experience or opinions on the Times Literary Supplement? I'd love to be able to subscribe to the Guardian's Saturday Review (it looks wonderful), but alas that's not possible from far away down here in Australia.

I'm considering some history journals (are there any good ones?) and maybe National Geographic. So there you have it. Any further suggestions?

posted by Mephisto to Media & Arts (23 answers total)

The New Yorker is US-focused to a point, it's really more New York-focused, which isn't quite the same thing. The shorter pieces which comprise the Talk of the Town section near the front of each issue are often about current events in NY or the USA, but you'll find many of the articles in the rest of the magazine cover an extraordinarily broad range of topics.

Then again, I'm a monocle-wearing dandy, so I suppose I'm prejudiced.
posted by Bromius at 6:35 PM on February 10, 2009

The New Yorker is for autoeroticists(wankers!) but don't take my word for it; read it and tell me I'm wrong. The short articles aren't thoughtful enough and the thoughtful articles aren't short enough. Or thoughtful enough.

In conclusion, don't buy subscriptions to magazines and don't rely upon them to educate, entertain, challenge or broaden your horizons. All you need is a laptop and some free time.
posted by christhelongtimelurker at 6:58 PM on February 10, 2009

JSTOR is worth your money, if you're serious, though.
posted by christhelongtimelurker at 7:04 PM on February 10, 2009

Let me say that it's better for Democrats to read non-Democratic media (unless they are already drunk hahahaha)

I recommend First Things (we will see who they bring to replace Nuehaus, hopefully not Reese, right?!)

and the London Spectator
posted by parmanparman at 7:34 PM on February 10, 2009

I'm sure I won't be the only one here to suggest The Believer. I generally don't read magazines but I increasingly find myself an evangelist for this publication (not to make it sound any more religious than it does, as it isn't). Epic interviews with writers, musicians, filmmakers, and other artists of various persuasions, fantastic unpredictable non-fiction articles of all sorts, occasional poetry (it's good for you!), and book reviews that are entertaining and insightful even though they're book reviews. The annual art issue, music issue, and film issue are each laden with cds and dvds and fold-out posters and things. Great art throughout, and very little advertising. And it's got that habit-forming McSweeney's whiff of whimsy and candour and can-do. My only complaint is that the paper doesn't photocopy well (it's really nice paper otherwise), because I photocopy articles from mine all the time for students and friends.
posted by oulipian at 7:58 PM on February 10, 2009

The Virginia Quarterly Review has made quite a name for itself the last few years. Great stuff.
posted by junkbox at 8:38 PM on February 10, 2009

Response by poster: > In conclusion, don't buy subscriptions to magazines and don't rely upon them to
> educate, entertain, challenge or broaden your horizons.

Well, thanks for replying, but if you don't have anything really constructive to say or suggest, then it's just really a waste of your time and mine; no?

Magazines most certainly do educate, and the National Geographic is a perfect example.

They certainly entertain me, and at least two of the recent articles in the New York Review of Books have both challenged me and broadened my horizons. I won't bore you with the details as I can see you probably wouldn't be interested.

> All you need is a laptop and some free time.

I couldn't disagree more. As I said in the post above, sitting down with a good magazine, actually holding the printed word in your hands offers a special joy. If you don't share that, then fine. I can't think of anything less enjoyable, other than perhaps sticking needles in my eyes, than relying on only my laptop to read.


However, thanks for your commentary. At least it shows some engagement. I may sound like I'm being sarcastic, but I am not. :)
posted by Mephisto at 8:57 PM on February 10, 2009

Response by poster: I'm neither a Democrat (in the US sense of the word), or a non-Democrat. Having said that, I'm quite delighted that Obama won the recent election.

The London Spectator? Hmmm... as a I also mentioned, that probably doesn't lean well with my left of left-of-centre politics. Strangely enough, I just bought a copy of the Australian Spectator for my rather conservative father-in-law. Even though I had it my hands, I couldn't bring myself to read it! :)
posted by Mephisto at 8:59 PM on February 10, 2009

Have you considered Dissent or New Left Review? Both would presumably be up your alley leftism-wise, and neither is parochial with respect to countries covered.

You might also like the online publications Sign and Sight and Eurozine, which republish and summarize cultural and political articles from selected European periodicals. I see you don't like reading on your computer, but there's always the printer!
posted by Mummy of a Lady Named Jemutesonekh at 9:51 PM on February 10, 2009

I'm a Canadian, but I love the New Yorker. It has the best writing. I enjoy Harper's, especially its fiction and creative non-fiction, but its politics really are too US-centric.

I read Granta regularly back in the 1990s, but just can't find the time to read it these days.

Best American Essays is a good place to find journals and magazines that you might like to read.
posted by KokuRyu at 10:15 PM on February 10, 2009

Oh, yeah, I have enjoyed reading the American Scholar.

I'm a Canadian, but I just can't get into any magazines here, including the Walrus. The writing is too parochial or too left-wing (I prefer reasoned rather than reflexive arguments), and most of the talent heads to the United States anyway.
posted by KokuRyu at 10:54 PM on February 10, 2009

I'm a devoted Harper's fan; I think it's definitely worth checking out (a subscription also allows you access to an online archive of their past issues, which is a really nice resource).

I also like Monocle, which is definitely not U.S.-centric (but I do have to skim through some of the "boy it sure is great to be able to travel to amazing places and buy expensive things" parts).
posted by transporter accident amy at 12:13 AM on February 11, 2009

I like Cabinet ("A Quarterly Magazine of Art & Culture"). Not every article is great, but it's nice to read and usually I learn something or other.
posted by dreamyshade at 12:43 AM on February 11, 2009

Given your politics, you may find City Journal a trifle too challenging-- but if you can hack it, I've found their articles to be generally thought-provoking and decidedly non-parochial.
posted by Bardolph at 4:26 AM on February 11, 2009

Response by poster: This is great. I really appreciate the suggestions.
posted by Mephisto at 4:31 AM on February 11, 2009

Response by poster: Just to clarify, I'm not a card carrying pinko lefty...

I just happen to believe in social democracy, and I dislike "neo-con" politics. But doesn't that put in me in the same category as most people these days?

Whilst I may be interested in the New Statesman, I'm just as likely to read the Economist. That should clarify my political position I hope.

:)

I really like the suggestions for non-political magazines so far. What about historical journals?
posted by Mephisto at 4:34 AM on February 11, 2009

I don't know if you're interested in hearing from non-subscribers, but as a casual newsstand buyer, I've never regretted a single Harper's purchase, and I've ended up passing on most of them to others with recommendations for specific articles. I should probably just go ahead and subscribe, myself.
posted by clerestory at 8:06 AM on February 11, 2009

Sorry for the double-post, but history-wise, if you're at all geeky or tech-inclined (or interested in becoming more so), Invention & Technology is fantastic. The covers sometimes make it look like Popular Mechanics/Science, but it's oriented on the history of science and technology (and society). I wish it were more than quarterly. A good portion of the archives is online so you can try it out yourself.
posted by clerestory at 8:12 AM on February 11, 2009

I'm another who likes magazines for reading on the porch or in the bath, but I've cut way back recently. One that continues to inspire/educate me is The Smithsonian.
posted by Secret Life of Gravy at 9:07 AM on February 11, 2009

Best answer: Monocle is a curiosity to me: is there an entire nomadic tribe of airport concourse dwelling plutocrats this publication serves? Sing, Muses, of the Glories of the Supply Chain and Eco-Friendly Resort Development? This is the publication I'd expect to find on top of Thomas Friedman's toilet tank.

My Dad got Granta for a few years when I was growing up. I found some of the issues interesting and others deadly boring. He eventually dropped the subscription, but from checking out the issues on the newsstand I'd say the pattern continues. That's kinda tough, because the format--which, lets face it, is one of its primary attractions--both discourages you from disposing of subpar issues and makes for demanding storage requirements. I think it's best bought in single issues.

I read Harpers. I'm a little nervous about the departure of Lewis Lapham, but that did give us Lapham's Quarterly which I've been enjoying. I also get the Atlantic and Economist. The former is good some months, and not so much others; the latter is dependable and really not at all that intimidating so long as one doesn't try and digest all of the financial/economic data and reporting in one sitting. The world news coverage and political commentaries are well written, informative, etc. My politics typically don't align with the editors, but some of that is a good thing. For music film and media coverage, you might take a look at Paste and Wire.

I'd also be curious about good literary (or other critical/theoretical) journals, especially those that don't have an excessively academic feel. I've tried McSweeny's and I'm not a fan, the particular annointed coterie of Authors that surround it, the aura of self-impressed smugness that pervades it and it's use as a status-marking hipster fashion accessory turn me off.

Meh, I thought I'd have more suggestions and wound up griping instead. Sorry. I'll try and conjure some up, and will report back if I have any luck.
posted by snuffleupagus at 9:12 AM on February 11, 2009

Best answer: Have you come across Intelligent Life? Published by the Economist. It's had some interesting articles on museums. Why we are celebrating museums, A Sherlockian at the Science Museum.

I've also seen Mental Floss recommended, but haven't read it. Suspect it may be less in-depth than you're after.

You asked about the TLS - I prefer this to the LRB as the reviews are shorter and more focussed on the books, not so much articles in themselves. Also, the LRB fandom can be irritating (the personals, for instance).

Slightly Foxed is indeed good, particularly the illustrations.
posted by paduasoy at 12:20 PM on February 11, 2009

Assuming that you aren't interested in every happening in every area of the world, the Economist is quite easy to get through. Read only the sections on the geographic areas that interest you on your first pass; if you find yourself with time before the next issue arrives, you can always go back and pick up the stuff that you don't find quite as interesting.
posted by sinfony at 5:22 PM on February 11, 2009

Have you checked out Good Magazine? Only published quarterly, but good stuff nonetheless.
posted by jourman2 at 11:45 AM on April 23, 2009