We Heart the Magazine Stand

DEBORAH CROMBIE: Once or twice a month, I pop into my local Barnes and Noble and peruse the magazine racks. I'm usually going for the British home magazines, the things I can't subscribe to, but I often pick up something completely unexpected. And I love looking at all the variety of things that interest people. Entertainment, sports, music, fashion, electronics, cars, writing, journaling, gardening, cooking, quilting, the list goes on and on. There are even magazine devoted to a single subject, like this one celebrating twenty years of Harry Potter.

 (I was tempted, but resisted.) Or what about this one for airbnb?

Doesn't that make you want to pick it up? I had no idea there was such a thing.

The bookstore tells me that they don't make any money on magazines, that they serve merely to get people into the store. And I have to admit that, having gone in for a magazine, as often as not I'll end up buying a book, too.

We subscribe to several, too. THE ECONOMIST (which Rick reads cover to cover), ROLLING STONE, and REAL SIMPLE. But the magazine business is suffering in the digital age. Just last week the news broke that Conde Nast is selling three of its imprints, GOLF DIGEST, BRIDES, and W. And they are downsizing their operations and staff on their remaining publications. VOGUE is producing very successful YouTube videos, which is hoped to make up some of the print losses.

I know you can get digital subscriptions for most publications these days, and I don't want to sound like a Luddite, but for me the experience is just not the same as opening up a glossy magazine and turning the pages to see what's inside. That's physical, visceral, and it always feels like a little mini escape to me, something pleasurable I can lose myself in for a slightly guilty half an hour. Here's one I discovered on last week's outing--isn't it gorgeous? You should see the inside, I'm swooning every time I open it.

What about you, REDS? Do you still read magazines, and if so, which ones?

LUCY BURDETTE: Oh how I love magazines, though I'm afraid I don't subscribe to any at this point other than my alumni mag. I used to get cooking magazines, golf magazines, LADIES HOME JOURNAL, MS, and more. They are perfect for times when you can't commit to a book. However--living in two places, it's too hard to keep up with the mail. These days mostly I buy them in airport bookstores.

HALLIE EPHRON: I used to read PEOPLE magazine in the dentist's office, buy it at the airport, but now I don't recognize anyone in it so I pass. I don't even read it it while I"m waiting the checkout line.

But I subscribe to THE NEW YORKER and read it regularly. Invariably it has an article on some arcane topic that I didn't think I'd be interested in, and more than once an article in it has inspired a story idea. Like one about how people can be trained to read facial expressions to tell if someone is lying. And the series by Ronan Farrow on Hollywood sexual misconduct has been riveting. Nowadays you not only get the magazine delivered, every other week or so, there are a ton of in-between stories that come via email. 

DEBS: I am so tempted to subscribe to THE NEW YORKER, and I do read lots of articles digitally. But I'm afraid if it arrived in my mailbox every week, I'd never do anything else...


INGRID THOFT: I love, love magazines!  One of life’s small pleasures is opening my mail box and finding the latest PEOPLE, NEW YORKER, REAL SIMPLE, VOGUE, VANITY FAIR, IN STYLE, I could go on and on.  Digital mags just aren’t the same; you can’t curl up on the couch with your tablet and experience the same relaxed state!  One of my magazine secrets?  Mags for Miles is constantly sending me notices to trade in some of my frequent flyer miles for subscriptions.  What better use of the 1,000 miles from JetBlue, and the 2,500 from United that will never add up to even the shortest flight? 

RHYS BOWEN: Count me in as a fan of magazines. We still get NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC which is my go-to bedtime reading, NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC TRAVELER, another travel magazine, CONSUMER REPORTS, but when I'm at an airport I always pick up a trashy women's magazine. You know, the sort that promise you can lose ten pounds by eating popcorn.  Sorry, but I can't stand PEOPLE. Maybe it's because everyone featured is a sort of pseudo-celebrity and they are all showing their baby-bumps!  My absolute favorites are when I am in England and my sister-in-law subscribes to COUNTRY LIFE and I drool over all those fantastic properties for sale.... "Look John, we could afford this one. Twenty acres, ten bedrooms, and only one million pounds. But it is in the Outer Hebrides."

I really miss TIME and LIFE. READER'S DIGEST used to be a lovely slice of Americana, but has become so slight in content that it's not worth it... if it even exists any more.

JENN McKINLAY: There is an embarrassment of riches of magazines in my house. Between us, Hub and I subscribe to NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC TRAVELER, VANITY FAIR, THE NEW YORKER, ESQUIRE, SURFER, CIVIL WAR TIMES, YANKEE, ALL RECIPES, and VOGUE KNITTING. And then there is our monthly excursion to B & N where we buy MOJO, UNCUT, and KNITTING MAGAZINE (all of which are British periodicals) and various guitar magazines. So, yeah, small magazine problem, here.

JULIA SPENCER-FLEMING: I understand that digital media is superceding print, but I've never seen images on my laptop that are as good as those in print magazines. I subscribe to HOME AND GARDEN and just got HGTV magazine as a birthday gift. (Yes, I am a basic white woman. #NoShame.) The Smithie gets DOGSTER, CATSTER (both either Christmas or birthday presents) and received MONEY magazine from her grandmother right before she died. The Smithie told me every time she sees the magazine in the mailbox, it's like a message from her Grammy.

That's the thing about actual print magazines - they make the best gifts. A bit of entertainment and education once a month, and then you can recycle it - nothing to sit around the house cluttering things up.

HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN: Ingrid, Mags for Miles is a real thing? I thought it was some sort of scam. Thank you! As for magazines,I  Iove them. LOVE. Because you can pretend you are really learning something, when really you are often just looking at photos. I always read THE NEW YORKER, though, and it's incredibly fascinating and always educational in the best of ways.  And MYSTERY SCENE, which I love, and CRIMESPREE, and THE STRAND.  But, Ingrid, can I come to your house? I love REAL SIMPLE, and VANITY FAIR, and VOGUE and IN STYLE.  Exactly my faves. In fact, you have enticed me into subscribing. Huh.  I read PEOPLE in the doctor's office, no matter if it's new or not, it's the  only way I ever hear of some people.  And I miss MORE, which used to be great.

(And Julia, please. Throw them away? I can never do it, until the stack of NEW YORKERS gets out of hand. But some I will never give up.) 

DEBS: I LOVE seeing what other people read! Jenn, I hearby declare you the MAGAZINE QUEEN, and your hub the MAGAZINE KING. But, really, tell us, which of you reads CIVIL WAR TIMES and which reads YANKEE? And is there a household battle here?

READERS, are you still in love with print? Tell us your faves!