Comments on: How to Read The New Yorker in 10 Easy Steps http://magazineer.com/howto/30 For people who make, and love, magazines. Tue, 15 Jul 2008 17:23:11 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: ROB http://magazineer.com/howto/30/comment-page-2#comment-169 ROB Wed, 13 Feb 2008 20:13:57 +0000 http://magazineer.com/howto/30#comment-169 Ive been reading the New Yorker for over 50 years, even had a subscription when I was overseas in the Army. My favorite book as a child was New Yorker Cartoons 1925 -1950 because I thought it gave a great history lesson about those years, much mysterious to me. I don't find the recent cartoons funny much less explicative of the culture Gahan Wilson belongs in Playboy or maybe Hustler. Hendrik Hertzberg has absolutely nothing to do with the The Talk of the Town unless that talk is from a Reform Democratic Club - spare me the earnestness. Will we ever see the deftness of "Notes From a Long Winded Lady" again?But I read it weekly, cover to cover hoping to once again read something comparable to Capote's reporting from Kansas about the Clutter killings, you just couldn't get the next installment quick enough - the finesrt magazine piece bar none. Until then William Trevor entertains. Ive been reading the New Yorker for over 50 years, even had a subscription when I was overseas in the Army. My favorite book as a child was New Yorker Cartoons 1925 -1950 because I thought it gave a great history lesson about those years, much mysterious to me. I don’t find the recent cartoons funny much less explicative of the culture Gahan Wilson belongs in Playboy or maybe Hustler. Hendrik Hertzberg has absolutely nothing to do with the The Talk of the Town unless that talk is from a Reform Democratic Club – spare me the earnestness. Will we ever see the deftness of “Notes From a Long Winded Lady” again?But I read it weekly, cover to cover hoping to once again read something comparable to Capote’s reporting from Kansas about the Clutter killings, you just couldn’t get the next installment quick enough – the finesrt magazine piece bar none. Until then William Trevor entertains.

]]> By: John Laing http://magazineer.com/howto/30/comment-page-2#comment-163 John Laing Sat, 09 Feb 2008 01:33:16 +0000 http://magazineer.com/howto/30#comment-163 I've been reading the NY since 1947 when it was passed on to us by emigree White Russian friends in ChCh. My favourite bits were by Perelman. Since then I've had occasional subscriptions and don't have any particular plan of attack. Being a speed reader, I can get through it quite quickly although trying to fathom the significance of the cartoons can often slow me down. Seymour Hersh is a writer to be savoured for his ability to beat the rest of the pack and the film reviews are always worthwhile. Constabulary Notes are also excellent value. I’ve been reading the NY since 1947 when it was passed on to us by emigree White Russian friends in ChCh. My favourite bits were by Perelman. Since then I’ve had occasional subscriptions and don’t have any particular plan of attack. Being a speed reader, I can get through it quite quickly although trying to fathom the significance of the cartoons can often slow me down. Seymour Hersh is a writer to be savoured for his ability to beat the rest of the pack and the film reviews are always worthwhile. Constabulary Notes are also excellent value.

]]> By: Erik http://magazineer.com/howto/30/comment-page-2#comment-160 Erik Wed, 06 Feb 2008 15:34:00 +0000 http://magazineer.com/howto/30#comment-160 I like the examples of meaningful mistakes from other publications that sometimes fill in space at the end of articles. I like the examples of meaningful mistakes from other publications that sometimes fill in space at the end of articles.

]]> By: Rick Hawkins http://magazineer.com/howto/30/comment-page-2#comment-155 Rick Hawkins Thu, 31 Jan 2008 01:38:47 +0000 http://magazineer.com/howto/30#comment-155 Reply to Henri Noddnsock: Ironic that the destroyer of The New Yorker was a Pommie (as we call the British here in Australia), given the usual snobbery of the Anglophile against American culture. Brown dragged the NY into the world of celebrity obsession (before that, there were lengthy profiles of people, but they'd as often as not, be some obscure art gallery director or clown), low attention span, surface instead of depth, gloss, pictures over words, etc. But did she completely destroy it? I think it's better now than it was when she ran it, though it's sad to see the fold-over that telegraphs the articles (even though you can remove it) rather than just the cover that revealed nothing about the contents inside except that you knew they'd be good because it was the NY. It's interesting though, that some great writers weren’t featured that much in the NY - not sure if Gore Vidal was ever a regular (maybe they couldn't cope with his idiosyncratic style?) and many writers (who probably had their work rejected by the NY) have railed against its fastidiousness. Long may it exist, though I can't afford to buy it anymore and few libraries in Australia stock it nowadays. I've still got 5 or 6 years' worth in my library, all catalogued (by me) by subject! Reply to Henri Noddnsock: Ironic that the destroyer of The New Yorker was a Pommie (as we call the British here in Australia), given the usual snobbery of the Anglophile against American culture. Brown dragged the NY into the world of celebrity obsession (before that, there were lengthy profiles of people, but they’d as often as not, be some obscure art gallery director or clown), low attention span, surface instead of depth, gloss, pictures over words, etc. But did she completely destroy it? I think it’s better now than it was when she ran it, though it’s sad to see the fold-over that telegraphs the articles (even though you can remove it) rather than just the cover that revealed nothing about the contents inside except that you knew they’d be good because it was the NY.
It’s interesting though, that some great writers weren’t featured that much in the NY – not sure if Gore Vidal was ever a regular (maybe they couldn’t cope with his idiosyncratic style?) and many writers (who probably had their work rejected by the NY) have railed against its fastidiousness.
Long may it exist, though I can’t afford to buy it anymore and few libraries in Australia stock it nowadays. I’ve still got 5 or 6 years’ worth in my library, all catalogued (by me) by subject!

]]> By: Katja http://magazineer.com/howto/30/comment-page-2#comment-153 Katja Wed, 30 Jan 2008 10:40:05 +0000 http://magazineer.com/howto/30#comment-153 English is not my first language. But reading the New Yorker was and is the best English lesson I could ever imagine - o.k. H. Herzberg remains the biggest language challenge I ever encountered. My life started again when the Archive came out, finally I did not have to research in the library for articles that I found referred to in other readings. Too bad that printing out of the Archive is so difficult. For example the short story that served the basis for the movie Brokeback Mountain - what a superb story!! Or that >50page "short story", Truman Capote's "In Cold Blood". I'm happy that several more people highlighted James Surowiecki's Financial Page. So often does the author tackle obvious or less obvious topics in such creative and entertaining fashion. How do I read the New Yorker: I don't follow a strict order. Rather I go for titles or pictures that attract my attention; or I start reading the article that my husband has started to read and left the magazine opened. English is not my first language. But reading the New Yorker was and is the best English lesson I could ever imagine – o.k. H. Herzberg remains the biggest language challenge I ever encountered.
My life started again when the Archive came out, finally I did not have to research in the library for articles that I found referred to in other readings. Too bad that printing out of the Archive is so difficult. For example the short story that served the basis for the movie Brokeback Mountain – what a superb story!! Or that >50page “short story”, Truman Capote’s “In Cold Blood”.
I’m happy that several more people highlighted James Surowiecki’s Financial Page. So often does the author tackle obvious or less obvious topics in such creative and entertaining fashion.
How do I read the New Yorker: I don’t follow a strict order. Rather I go for titles or pictures that attract my attention; or I start reading the article that my husband has started to read and left the magazine opened.

]]> By: Michelle http://magazineer.com/howto/30/comment-page-2#comment-152 Michelle Tue, 29 Jan 2008 18:31:46 +0000 http://magazineer.com/howto/30#comment-152 I read pretty much front-to-back, but I tend to skip Goings On; it's just a very long List Of Stuff to me. Unless I finish this week's before next week's comes, and then I go back and start in on what I skipped. Unsatisfying, and probably symptomatic of larger personal issues; like eating crumbs when the cake's already been devoured. It bugs that the week's content goes online before I get it in the mail. It bugs more when I go to click on a link to something interesting on someone's weblog and then discover it's to TNY. I have to back out of the click, lest I feel I'm cheating myself out of full enjoyment of my paid subscription. Kottke, why do you want to ruin my fun? I read pretty much front-to-back, but I tend to skip Goings On; it’s just a very long List Of Stuff to me. Unless I finish this week’s before next week’s comes, and then I go back and start in on what I skipped. Unsatisfying, and probably symptomatic of larger personal issues; like eating crumbs when the cake’s already been devoured.

It bugs that the week’s content goes online before I get it in the mail. It bugs more when I go to click on a link to something interesting on someone’s weblog and then discover it’s to TNY. I have to back out of the click, lest I feel I’m cheating myself out of full enjoyment of my paid subscription. Kottke, why do you want to ruin my fun?

]]> By: Henri Noddnsock http://magazineer.com/howto/30/comment-page-2#comment-151 Henri Noddnsock Tue, 29 Jan 2008 16:41:50 +0000 http://magazineer.com/howto/30#comment-151 The New Yorker? Poor thing, it's a shadow of its former self. Tina Brown destroyed it, and David Remnick can't bring it back. The magazine once was an oasis from popular culture, but now it IS popular culture. The articles are short, for today's short attention spans; it's been years since I've discovered a good poem; only the rare cartoon is funny; and the cartoon contest is the dopiest thing in the world. Hendrik Hertzberg should take a long walk off a short pier. All great things die, and the New Yorker died when Brown got her miserable paws into it. The New Yorker? Poor thing, it’s a shadow of its former self. Tina Brown destroyed it, and David Remnick can’t bring it back. The magazine once was an oasis from popular culture, but now it IS popular culture. The articles are short, for today’s short attention spans; it’s been years since I’ve discovered a good poem; only the rare cartoon is funny; and the cartoon contest is the dopiest thing in the world. Hendrik Hertzberg should take a long walk off a short pier.

All great things die, and the New Yorker died when Brown got her miserable paws into it.

]]> By: TalkTNY http://magazineer.com/howto/30/comment-page-2#comment-149 TalkTNY Mon, 28 Jan 2008 17:19:44 +0000 http://magazineer.com/howto/30#comment-149 In the words of a member of our discussion group, "Pulling The New Yorker out of my mailbox every week is like getting a bouquet of civilization." Amen. In the words of a member of our discussion group, “Pulling The New Yorker out of my mailbox every week is like getting a bouquet of civilization.” Amen.

]]> By: dpocius http://magazineer.com/howto/30/comment-page-2#comment-148 dpocius Mon, 28 Jan 2008 16:29:01 +0000 http://magazineer.com/howto/30#comment-148 Yup, that's about how I do it, except I usually read Shouts and Murmurs early on. I enjoy the cartoons for the most part, and I go through and read them first, otherwise they distract me when I'm reading the "meat" if I'm discovering them. "Finish the paragraph or read the cartoon?" I can't deal with that. Yup, that’s about how I do it, except I usually read Shouts and Murmurs early on. I enjoy the cartoons for the most part, and I go through and read them first, otherwise they distract me when I’m reading the “meat” if I’m discovering them. “Finish the paragraph or read the cartoon?” I can’t deal with that.

]]> By: john http://magazineer.com/howto/30/comment-page-2#comment-147 john Mon, 28 Jan 2008 00:05:10 +0000 http://magazineer.com/howto/30#comment-147 wow!!!! thanks for sharing everyone. so fascinating to read about how others read a magazine!!!! i've always wondered i f i was weird for not reading in sequential order. now i know that i'm not!!!!!!!!!!!!! thank you thank you thank you for sharing. :) wow!!!! thanks for sharing everyone. so fascinating to read about how others read a magazine!!!! i’ve always wondered i f i was weird for not reading in sequential order. now i know that i’m not!!!!!!!!!!!!! thank you thank you thank you for sharing. :)

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