Aptly named, here is my list of magazines you’ve never read that you probably should:
1) Foreign Policy - This magazine covers politics and humanitarian issues. World stuff. Now I understand nobody in America cares about the world, but frankly, this magazine also covers American issues in a way nobody else is doing it. This sucker is pretty damn open minded, and it’s such a good read that perhaps you might stimulate brain cells from the dead even if you hate politics.
2) Psychology Today -Psych major or not everyone should read this. It is actually geared towards the general public with no medical knowledge, but it’s scientific enough to satisfy those with a background. Reading this is especially satisfying if you’ve taken evolutionary biology or if you like to analyze social situations. There’s so much data that can be interpreted from so many angles and the funny part is… it fits perfectly with what one would expect!
3) PCXL (PC Accelerator)-Officially out of print, this gaming magazine still has a huge following including myself. The reason? It did everything a gaming magazine shouldn’t do. Basically you had Maxim, PC Gamer, Cosmo, Wired, and Mad Magazine all put into one and spit out. As the last issue said: “Girls, Gags, Games, Gone.” I speculate the went under from the sheer amount of complaints from parents who confiscated their children’s copies.
4) Ready Made - A magazine focused on the three R’s and DIY. Combine these two, and you have an endless amount of good reads and projects to follow. There’s a monthly contest with a random item to see which reader comes up with the best project. All the stuff deals with decorating your pad, from tables, chairs, bookshelves and curtains, everything looks awesome and usually can be replicated by most people with opposable thumbs.
5) SEED -This one isn’t published 12 times a year, but it doesn’t have to. Covers science in a way Popular Science, Popular Mechanics, National Geographic and Wired fail to achieve. SEED is king. I am not kidding you, this one is a sleeper.
6) Saveur -Cookbooks you need not. Saveur is the cookbook magazine that’s elegant, and modern. If you need picture to reassure you of what the recipe will look like this is the magazine to get. You’ll never buy another cookbook ever again.
7) Cook’s Illustrated -This magazine is better than Saveur from every angle possible. So why is Saveur on the list? Cook’s Illustrated is pictureless. It is only illustrated via drawings including product reviews. It’s expensive for low production values, but it’s priceless in terms of information.
8 ) Penthouse Forum -This adult magazine has the raunchiest stories I’ve ever read. Oddly enough it uses vocabulary that everyone would understand yet technical enough to be extremely hot. Anyone that has gone through puberty who reads a story out of this would start sweating solely after reading five paragraphs. Conservatives and Republicans and Uptight religious fanatics included. I believe Elliot Spitzer got his ideas from this source. Anyone reading Harlequin novels probably would enjoy this more than anyone though they would not admit it.
9) Mother Jones -Politics again, but more cutting edge than Foreign Policy. Mother Jones does seem to cater to a more liberal audience which gives FP the edge, but some stories are too good to ignore.
10) Ad Busters -This one is good enough just for the pictures contained within. It’s a bit political, a bit artsy… Usually for most this is hit or miss so this is my weakest pick but I still recommend this magazine for it’s willingness to push the envelope.
