The New Yorker - A Staple In My Home!

I always find time to read the New Yorker - from cover to cover. I have been subscribing since the early 1990s, and the high quality of writing, and the subject matter are nonpareil. I especially enjoy the political articles, national and international, written by topnotch writers, and the weekly features are first-rate. The clever cartoons crack me up, as do features like "The Inane Ad of the Week." The reviews on film, literature, music, art, and theater are some of the best, and most credible.

The fiction and poetry sections are almost always to my literary taste. Since I live in Manhattan, I do appreciate the local listings, and information. But I would still subscribe if I lived in Kansas, just because this is a provocative magazine for intelligent, thinking people - and fun to read too!
JANA

Essential

Described by the publisher as "a national magazine edited to address current issues, ideas and events...domestic, and international news analysis, with in depth features, critics and humorous observations on politics and business, culture and the arts, education, style, sports and literature", that certainly describes what The New Yorker does, but not what it is...

In our opinion, The New Yorker is second only - barely - to The Atlantic Monthly in terms of scope of reporting, quality of writing and relevance of material. In fact, both magazines share a similar format and layout.

The New Yorker is essential if you live in New York City, visit frequently or have a vested interest. "Goings On" is perhaps the best collection of reviews and listings available for all things cultural (high and low) in the City.

For those who never step foot in the Empire State, never mind Gotham itself, you can skip right to "Talk of the Town". In this case, the "town" in question is the great global village, Planet Earth. The coverage starts off fast and furious...the first entries contain a few hundred words. Each subsequent story is given more space as the complexity of the stories themselves deepen. This may be one of the finest editorial and layout conventions used anywhere in American print.

Excellent Writing and Still the Best Humor

I have read the New Yorker on and off for 40 years - but that does not qualify me as an expert. Last year I finally started subscriptions to both the New Yorker and the National Review. Both of these magazines have a lot to offer, but the New Yorker seems a less intrusive and a little more subtle - as NR readers will well understand. I did not continue my NR subscription since it is too partisan.

The writing in the New Yorker is impressive, and articles such as those on the the Iraq war and the recent piece on Ahmed Chalabi were exceptional, no other way to describe it. Good work. A recent issue had a piece by Edmund Morris on Reagan, an article on Schwarzenegger by Connie Bruck, and a book review by John Updike. Just great and fresh stuff for a weekly.

One minor complaint: too many advertising inserts. About 6 weeks ago the issue was 3/8" thick, half being advertising inserts, eight or nine thick inserts on cars liquor, electronics, etc. That ruined that issue and one could barely locate the articles among all the advertising clutter. I would rather pay a bit more and have less advertising.

Otherwise a worthwhile weekly read.

Jack in Toronto