SquawkRadio Comments

Fascinating, Liz!  I am definitely going to get a subscription.  I have a subscription to GQ, because I thought it would be full of intelligent men’s faces who would inspire me to create intelligent heros.

But it’s full of models.  And you know what’s interesting?  You can’t create a hero out of a model, no matter how beautiful, because when you look closely, their faces aren’t very individualistic.

Plus it’s had a bad effect on my 12-year-old who is prone to saying things like, “I don’t like that Old Navy shirt because it’s not close enough to my body.” huh?  “That’s not the style this year,” he informs me.

I’m going to try GQ!

Eloisa

One of my daughters gave me a subscription to InStyle magazine--it’s my eyecandy of choice with a little bit of everything thrown in. And it’s FAT---zillions of glossy pages. We also get Vanity Fair, where you can be bummed out about the Iraq War on one page and turn to read about a 1950s playboy on the next. Very provocative articles from a wide range of writers.

Well, I’d certainly buy it for the cover!

Liz,

Isn’t Daniel just one of the most gorgeous creatures on the planet???  That picture especially.

I would love to subscribe to Esquire, but I have a very jealous hubby and he probably wouldn’t be very accommodating.  I love to read how the male mind thinks, and I really want to know how they feel about certain issues. 

And Eloise, my 12 yr old just informed me that we now have to buy his clothes from A&F. 

Wow, Liz.  I can’t believe you bring up this topic, because I find the writers I find most interesting and sorta inspirational are men who write for magazines.  Now remember, I got a niche thing goin—writing about romance and pop culture for the Internet.  So, these guys, ESPN’s ‘The Sports Guy,” and SI’s Rick Reilly really speak to me in the punch of their work, their humor, their, well, cojones.

I’ve felt a little guilty about this, cause I’m always so pro-female writer.  But, I think these men’s mags don’t condescend to their readers the way lots of women’s mags do, by shoving or dragging their to fashion and fictional accnts of “what the op sex wants.”

I dig on Van Fair, like Maggie, cause the writing, especially political, is pretty sharp. 

But Esquire? Those boys make no excuses for loving women for all the womanly reasons we’re wonderful, which is nice, cause it’s wrapped in solidly produced content, cover to cover.

And talk about G-eye Candy!  Oh, the men, the men, the men of Esquire!

My 12-year-old rocker wannabe only wears black t-shirts with band names and jeans.  At least they’re cheap!  And thank goodness for school uniforms.

We get a variety of magazines thanks to school subscription drives (not another one!) so I try new magazines every year.  I’ll have to put ESQUIRE on our list.  I REFUSE to look at another parenting or mom magazine.  I’m doing everything wrong anyway.

I think I might have to subscribe as well, if for nothing other than to get my son to shop somewhere other than Good Will.  But maybe even that won’t help since he’s so anti-establishment right now.

As for other magazines I read regularly, I don’t think I’m going to be finding any hero’s for my stories in Bead and Button magazine. I definitely won’t be finding any pic’s of Russell in his tighty whities in B & B.

What Teresa said.    We watched Casino Royal over the holidays.  Daniel Craig is my “crush of the month”.

I’ve never picked up an issue of Esquire.  You all now have me thinking maybe I should.  It sounds like a good read.

Yet another reason to visit SquawkRadio.

Where else would you learn such interesting tidbits. 

The only time I pick up Esquire is in the doctors’ waiting rooms when there isn’t People or entertainment -type mags available.

After 20+ years of marriage and trying to understand my husband’s mind, who knew everything I needed to know was available in a popular magazine.

*running out to the local library to research Esquire’s backlist*

You had me at the photo of Daniel Craig.

No, but seriously, I am a fan of the mag.  But not for the reasons you point out.  I’ll have to take those on board and next time look at it wth new eyes.

I picked up an Esquire magazine when I was about eleven, and I have not glanced at one since.  I read a story in it about this man who slept with his dog who got pregnant and birthed a little man who slept with a woman, then got killed, then the woman had puppies who could sing really well.  Freaked me out, and I’ve been put off ever since.  Maybe now that I’m older I’ll try it again. 

I love Teen Vogue because of all the fashion, and they don’t skimp on the articles either.  Seventeen, too.  As for more adult magazines, I like Cosmo, again for the beauty stuff.  In non-fashion mags, I always try to pick up a Writer’s Digest and Romantic Times for the writing advice and book reviews.

The only magazine I read regularly right now is Romantic Times Magazine.  I really enjoy being aware of new books in a way I never was before.

I’ve read different magazines at different times in my life.  When I was a new parent, I read Parent, Parenting and Child as if they were Bibles (and I agree, Carolyn, that I could never meet the standards).  Before I was a mom I read Interweave Press magazines like Spin Off because I was very into fiber arts.  When I was on a piano playing kick, I would pick up Keyboard and other piano magazines.  There have been times for art magazines, new age-ish ones, finance . . . I love the manageability of grabbing a magazine.

I think I would really enjoy Esquire and VF based on what you all have said.  I’ve never tried either, but I will.

I’m like you Knitterlynn.  The RT mag is the only one I have read in ages.  I use it for research for my job at the bookstore, I use it for planning my wish and tbb list.  I love looking at all the cover and the eye candy they contain.  I didn’t know such a thing existed until some of the girls from my favorite romance list were talking about it.  So glad they told me about it. 

Been so long since I’ve even looked at a tv guide that I couldn’t tell you what was out there. 

Liz thanks for broadening my mind a little. 
Deb

Then:
Years ago my husband had a subscription to a men’s magazine about which people joked “I read it for the articles.” Now being a curious woman, I had to check out the writing…The subject matter ranged from sex, to fashion, to politics. And every month they had an interview with Someone of Importance. I’ll never forget that Jimmy Carter interview…
The articles really Were interesting. But I eventually canceled the magazine when I found out that my seventh grader was “leasing” out old Playboys to his school chums for $$$. Parochial school chums. OMG, try explaining your son’s entrepreneurship to a nun. 

Now:
My 13 yr old daughter gets 17 and Cosmo Girl. Often times she sits at the kitchen table and reads the articles out loud. We always end up having a great discussion about something.  And I find that it is an excellent opportunity for me to talk about serious subjects. Things like age appropriate fashions, dating, healthy eating, and The Mother of All Mom Talks…sex.

But that’s the beauty of it, Prudence! Your hubby will love it, too! (Mine gets ESQUIRE once I’ve finished with it.)

Michelle, that’s my complaint with women’s magazines, too. The most popular ones hardly ever hit on meaty subject matter, and the writing is always kind of bland, as if they’re trying to please everyone (the way, i suppose, women have been raised to do). There’s BUST now, which Tina Fey is behind, and it’s really good, but it needs to broaden its focus, I think.

Ya know, I gave up on the parenting magazines and books a long time ago. I just don’t think you can give blanket advice for something like that, because kids and parents are all so different from each other. What works with one won’t work with another and vice versa. So we just do our best to shovel on the love, maintain a respectful attitude and apologize when we screw up. And we make sure our son knows we expect the same from him.

Billie, when I was a teenager, I bought A LOT of my clothes at Goodwill and the DAV store. I went through a bowling shirt phase, a beaded grandma sweater phase and a skinny necktie phase. I even found a really cool smoking jacket once.

Jessie, there is the occasional, ah, experimental fiction piece in ESQUIRE, but those are few and far between. Do give it another try.

I like Domino…

You might have inspired me to suscribe to this one Elizabeth! lol… sounds like a lot of fun!

I like Oprah too… and There used to be this grat magazine Arts and Antiques.. I have no idea if it is still around…

I am going to quote this “all men should read romance novels” !!! love it!!!!

I love home and garden magazines.  The flowers; ideas for decorating; showcasing certain collectibles; the “how” to column; receipes; and especially the Christmas issues.  I used to subscribe to all of them; but now that I read so much I have cut down to just a few.  My mail man smiles at me now when he sees me!

I have subscribed to “Good Housekeeping” since my 20’s, love that magazine.  I have peeked at “Esquire” before, but after what you have said Liz I am going to go and get one.

I will have to hide it from my son as last week he was talking to me about a girl, and said she was a “babe”.  I of course stepped in and gave the old lecture of respecting a person is not calling them a “babe”.  If he sees the Esquire he will remind me of it until my dying days!

One of the benefits of my job is that I get to buy the magazines for my library.  We get about 300 different titles - Tuesday is always fun seeing the stack of magazines delivered and to see who is gracing the covers of my favorites.  Esquire is always a favorite along with GQ and Entertainment Weekly.  At home we get Southern Living - good recipes, great travel and home ideas.  We also get Conde Naste Traveler to see all the places we want to go when we hit the lottery.

I also have to admit that I got a subscription to NASCAR Illustrated for Christmas this year.  I love those drivers.  I never thought I would be into Motor Sports - I am not into cars, but the more I know about racing the more I like it.  Jimmie Johnson, the current champion is on the cover this month and a sweeter looking man is not to be found.

My favorite new magazine is my husband’s subscription Make:.  Have you seen this?  it’s fantastic.  Great projects for the geek in your life.  lots of great advice..super cool new tech toys..it’s a great thing.  They have another new mag just out called Craft:.  I don’t do crafts ‘cause I have the imagination and skill of a bedbug but I’m sure it’s great for crafy types.  Knitting patterns and all sorts of things I know I’ll never do.

So, if you have a science or technology minded person in your life, get them a subscription to Make:  and anyone who enjoys working with their hands would probably enjoy Craft:  (and yes, the colon is part of the title.  weird, huh?)

I’ve also read a few gentleman’s mags at my brothers house.  I’ve read some fantastic articles and some really awful jokes and wish they made a more pg-rated version ‘cause the interviews really are just that interesting.

I forced them to stop sending me Parent and Child magazines.  Talk about unrealistic!  My favorite is the 30 pages of child fashion.  I’m sorry, I’m not paying $400 for ONE OUTFIT.  My kids wear Old Navy stuff I got on clearance last year (seriously great clearances..check it out $18 dress for $1.98) for nice outfits and cheap t-shirts and shorts from wal-mart for every day.  I’m tired of throwing nice things out because my daughter wore them once and wiped her chocolate covered fingers on herself.  $40 for a t-shirt?  Yer out of yer flippin’ mind.  I also hated the ‘guess what new innocuous thing you never worried about can kill or damage your precious child?’ HATE it!  Every month something else new that I never would have thought to worry about.  I realised after about a year that they were making me crazy.  I’m not perfect, my kids aren’t perfect, but they are healthy and I’m surviving the pre-school years.  Good enough for me. 

Wow Liz, I would have thought a magazine called BUST would have been about something else entirely!  Oh wait--that’s JUGS, right?

No, no, Teresa, That would be BOSOM.

We get The Economist, RWR, Parenting, and Writer’s Digest these days. We used to buy running and biking magazines before as well as the National Geographic. I’ve occasionally bought one of the popular magazines to read on the plane, but have not subscribed to them, since my reading time at home is severely limited these days.

I always get Entertainment Weekly.  I like it for its snippets of information and cheeky remarks.

I used to get InStyle when it first came out.  I haven’t picked up one in a while.

I’ve also gotten into More magazine.  Great articles and fascinating women on the cover and inside.  This month Diane Keaton and our own Eloisa James.

I also get Food & Wine, Savoir and Cook’s from the store.  I also use it for research, learning about trends in the industry and, let’s be honest, the great photos and recipes. 

A real favorite of mine is a local magazine called The Valley Table.  It is supported by restaurants and stores in the Hudson Valley and so is free to customers.  Great articles about local artisans.

I read Romantic Times every month, but other than that the only magazine I look at occasionaly is Southern Living.

Alas, never even picked it up.  I tend to just stick to Astronomy, Sky and Telescope and Smartphones and Pocket PC magazine. Once in a while the weeklies, such as Time, but those top three are my monthlies. 

Twice I did pick up Vanity Fair because they had a Star Wars spread. . . 

Lois

I too have let all my magazine subscriptions lapse except National Geographic lol. I’d much rather read long stories and short ones.

When my niece brought her school subscruption catalog this year, I bought MORE.

Now I’m just waiting for Eloisa’s article.
Saw the TV segment, but I can’t wiat to read the in depth article.

I don’t subscribe to any mags anymore. I just pick up the ones that catch my eye

I have subscriptions to “Entertainment Weekly”, “Premiere”, “Glamour”, and “Marie Claire.” I love them all.  I like to keep up on the celebrity and movie scene and love all the other girly stuff in the other magazines.  Every once in awhile I will pick up a guy magazine (because of the cover usually).  I find “Esquire” hilarious.  They have a ton of funny and highly interesting things in there.  I love it! 
Oh, I also get “Mad Magazine.” You have to have some stupid comedy thrown into the mix.

I have been getting “Family Fun” for a couple years now and it has great (easy) crafts you can do with young kids, fun activities, and informative (non-preachy) childraising articles.  I always do at least a couple activities out of every issue.  Liz did intrigue me about Esquire and I will pick up an issue at my library to see for myself.  For anyone who loves cooking, my new favorite cooking magazine is Cuisine At Home.  I have been subscribing to various cooking magazines for 10 years, and I am this one has brought new excitement for me. Eating Well is also really good.

Am I the only one on here who’ll admit to reading Star and OK? That is, of course, after my nosy mailman reads them. tsk!

Liz -
My cousin writes for Esquire!  He did the article on Sienna Miller in the issue that just came out.  I’m going to email him about your blog.  If men want to understand women, they should read romance novels.  Besides, how funny would it be to get a male perspective (an Esquire male perspective) on romance novels?!  I’m pretty sure I know the parts they’d like best…
Sara

I read my husband’s MAXIM and FHM, and although they’re mildly entertaining, I CAN’T say they present a good image of women or show men I’d like to use as heroes.  So I’m going to pick up a copy of Esquire toute suite.

By the way, I love the little photos some people are using in their posts, but I can’t for the life of me figure out how to put one up.  Can anyone help?