Magazines for people interested in Books

[tinminer]

Sorry, I wasn't sure where to post this, as it is not about a particular book.

I have always found it surprising that there are loads of mags about every subject under the sun, but very,very few about books. For example, if you like music: Q, Mojo, Uncut, Word (ironically!), Mix-Mag, Sound on Sound, NME, Vibe, The Pulse,Gramophone, Classic FM, BBC Music, Drumming, The Pianist, DJ, etc, etc.

But, if you like books, the selection is paltry: Book Collector (about collector rare books, not their content) TLS & London Review (both very highbrow and expensive for just,what are effectively newspapers), Literary Review (comes out just 6 times a year, and is only in black & white and again tends towards highbrow),The Bookseller & Publishing News (for people inside the books business) and, er, that's about it.

A few months ago an excellent magazine called Ink was launched. Very glossy and colourful, full of interesting reviews, interviews with authors, charts, book club discussions and 'how to' writing guides, it was just what I had been waiting for. However it ceased publication (due to poor marketing IMHO) after only a few editions.

Surely, another publisher can see a gap in the market here? After all interest in books, and book sales have never been higher.

[My Friend Jack]

Interesting thought, tinminer. I imagine that part of the problem is that the sort of people who would buy such a mag are more likely to spend their cash on books!

You are right, though. Since BGO appeared a few weeks ago, I have suddenly become aware of a whole load of books that I would never have considered. I've also become interested in other people's opinions on books - again, something that never crossed my mind previously. Which, hopefully, augurs well for the future of BGO. Perhaps Bill should start giving some thought to a hard copy of BGO...!

[BrumB]

Instead of a hard copy - how about a regular newsletter - say once a month or every two months? Editors, members, authors, booksellers, publishers could be invited to contribute.

[Claire]

My sister bought me a subscription for a magazine called The Reader a few months ago. That's a pretty good book magazine - plenty of reviews by all sorts of different people, and some more general articles about reading and writing, and some poetry too. Their website is here (http://www.bookbods.com/index.php) if anyone is interested.

Since BGO appeared a few weeks ago, I have suddenly become aware of a whole load of books that I would never have considered.

Me too - and lots that I have read, I suddenly want to re-read, having read other people's comments on them.

[Slowreader]

There is also Waterstones Books Quarterly which has some profiles, brief reviews, but many adverts.

[Granny weatherwax]

There is this magazine as well http://www.newbooksmag.com/index.html

You can claim a free trial issue :)

[tinminer]

There is this magazine as well http://www.newbooksmag.com/index.html

You can claim a free trial issue :)

Thanks for that. Just applied
:)

[Tess]

I saw an advert for Ink and tried to find the magazine a few months later but had no luck, it had probably ceased to exist in that time, a great shame.

[tinminer]

Just received my free copy of 'newBooksMAG'.

Pretty impressed with it. While, overall IMHO it is not as good as the former 'Ink', it is great to see a mag which has ordinary readers to do the book reviews. And very good reviews they are too: clear, concise, candid & lucid. A refreshing change from TLS!

I've sent for my subscription.

It's definately worth applying for the free copy and seeing what you think!

[Tess]

How do I go about applying for a free copy?

[Jassie]

How do I go about applying for a free copy?

Try here Tess NewBooksMag (http://www.newbooksmag.com/nBm.html) just need to fill in the online form.

[Tess]

Thanks Jassie :)

[megustaleer]

Have just discovered this thread by looking to see what you were all talking about before I joined.
How are you finding the magazines?
I just tried to get the introductory copy of New Books Magazine, but the website isn't co-operating.
But do I want a mag that just has stuff about new books in it? There seems to be plenty of discussion going on about them these days,
Would I be better off with 'The Reader', or is that exclusively for 'literary' fiction?

[Claire]

I've got some back issues of The Reader kicking around somewhere, I'll see if I can hoick them out and give you an impression of what they cover.

My impression, from memory, is that it is vaguely more at the literary end of the spectrum - but they do cover a wide range, all the same. I certainly read a review of "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime" in it, which I would say was pretty mainstream, rather than literary.

It does also cover modern poetry, by the way - it includes both poems, and discussion of writing/reading poetry, which you might be interested in.

[megustaleer]

the sort of people who would buy such a mag are more likely to spend their cash on books!

Having just found out how much 'The Reader' costs, I think MFJ has a point.

Compared with monthly magazines the annual subscription isn't bad, but the price per issue is nearly as much as a paperback book (or 3 second hand ones).
Not that I need to add any more books to my TBR pile, whereas a magazine that tells me about more books to add to 'The List' might be interesting for dipping into.

And then again, I'm paying nearly £3 per month for a gardening magazine I've hardly glanced at since joining BGO. :eek:

[Claire]

I think I agree with you, Megustaleer. I'm not sure if I would pay for The Reader for myself.....but I was very, very pleased to receive a subscription as a birthday present :D

[Top Cat]

I love the New Yorker, but I never seem to get the time to read everything in it that I want to. I've bought novels by lots of people who've written short stories in there. As a journalist, I'm always thinking of stories that I'd love to write, but that there's no outlet for over here, because they don't work as a snappy, zeitgeisty pitch or have an up-to-date peg. I'm love what I do for a living and get to write a lot of fun pieces for newspapers and mags, but it's sometimes a bit depressing that every bit of creative journalism has to be tied to a very recent news story or a commercial product. The New Yorker, on the other hand, manages to be totally on the ball, yet can happily commission someone to write 5000 words on tomato ketchup, or on why they always lose their boyfriend in crowds when they're on holiday. There's something very refreshing about that, and that's probably why it's the best mag in the world.

There is definitely a gap in the market for a good (even vaguely) books-based mag in the UK. Most of the literary supplements are frighteningly intellectual for a lot of us and magazines for writers tend to be a bit dry. Word magazine did seem quite books-based but now focuses more on music. Bill, you should definitely start something: a British New Yorker! Short stories, humour pieces, book reviews, interviews with writers, essays.

[Darkstar]

For those interested in historical fiction there is the Historical Novel Society, which publishes its journal Solander (http://www.historicalnovelsociety.org/) twice a year. It also publishes the Historical Novel Review quarterly. The HNR covers not just books published in the UK but also in America, Canada and Australia.

[Lovesreading07]

did anyone get the free story book for the new books magazine?

[megustaleer]

did anyone get the free story book for the new books magazine?I got one, and a couple of other runners-up on the Newbooks Quiz (http://www.bookgrouponline.com/forum/showthread.html?t=3481&hight=article) mention getting a book with their free magazine.

[Hazel]

I got Going Under by Ray French, or somesuch thing - I GMed it immediately, not my thing at all.

[David]

I haven't noticed this thread before - shouldn't it be in Central Library?

[Hazel]

I haven't noticed this thread before - shouldn't it be in Central Library?Yup.

[Krey20]

Got given a Waterstones Quarterly today, at first glance it looks like a good enough publication! As long as you can ignore the pages of propaganda! ;)
Anyway it has a good good article on Salman Rushdie's new book, never read any of his work, but I am intrigued! I'm obviously more susceptable to suggestion than I previously realised.

[megustaleer]

I haven't noticed this thread before - shouldn't it be in Central Library?And here it is!

[Hazel]

Got given a Waterstones Quarterly today, at first glance it looks like a good enough publication! As long as you can ignore the pages of propaganda! It is rather heavy on the 'every book we review is great' isn't it? I know it's their mag and their primary focus is to sell, but come on, we're not daft.

[Grammath]

I get most issues of Books Quarterly. I stop reading it before I get to the reviews section. The articles are actually OK, but it's inferior to the books supplements in the weekend papers. You get what you pay for.

I still think there is a gap in the market for a magazine aimed at the average book reader mixing interviews, short stories, commentary and reviews that comes without the obvious commercial agenda of WBQ. I devoured every issue of the short lived Ink. The likes of the Times Literary Supplement or the London Review of Books are too highbrow for people who just want something good to read on their commute or at bedtime. Ink pitched it pretty much right to my mind.

[Hazel]

I still think there is a gap in the market for a magazine aimed at the average book reader mixing interviews, short stories, commentary and reviews that comes without the obvious commercial agenda of WBQ. I devoured every issue of the short lived Ink. Ink pitched it pretty much right to my mind.I loved Ink - it was a great books' magazine. I subscribed to it unfortunately and some 3 years on (?) I get a biannual letter from the liquidators telling me they are still pursuing my subscription fee. I'm not holding my breath.

[Flingo]

I get most issues of Books Quarterly. I stop reading it before I get to the reviews section. The articles are actually OK, but it's inferior to the books supplements in the weekend papers. You get what you pay for.
And if you have a Waterstones Loyalty Card, you now don't have to pay for Books Quarterly!

I still think there is a gap in the market for a magazine aimed at the average book reader mixing interviews, short stories, commentary and reviews that comes without the obvious commercial agenda of WBQ.
Isn't this what New Books Mag does?

[Jen]

Does anyone read Granta? Not a book magazine, but one that claims to showcase writing talent. I subscribed for a while many years ago and had forgotten all about it until its 100th edition and new editor generated a few column inches. I wonder if I'd actually read it if I did subscribe again. It's too much like a book!

[Jenmcd]

My best source of info on books is the review section of Saturday's Guardian. I think its the most comprehensive of the papers for reviews of new books and it has great features on older stuff.