Although the Reader’s Digest has often been the butt of many of my less tasteful café jokes, I am not the slightest bit reluctant to say that a copy of this magazine slides through my letterbox each month without fail – and each month I read a selection of articles and regular mumblings from the Reader’s Digest. Although never an authority on any topic, and the articles are sometimes questionable in the depth of their informational content, it does however provide a few interesting snippets of knowledge on a wide variety of topics.
The monthly features of course vary in their content but each edition of the magazine always has at least one story or article loosely based around each of the following topics - Health, Food, Garden, Money, Travel. Each article will have a list of material at the end, if the reader should want to do some further research on the topics covered in the piece. Many pieces focus on the lives of ordinary, unknown people in extraordinary circumstances, tragic or otherwise. The articles generally shy away from the world of celebrity, although the Digest can rarely resist some major public figure such as Laura Bush volunteering personal information. The entire magazine typically falls between 160 to 200 pages – that also includes a large number of full- and half-page uninteresting advertisements. The magazine also has a number of regular features that appear every month…
- Medical Update -
A section that I generally find is all too brief, giving a run-down on the latest developments in the medical field – new drugs, screening techniques and issues to do with hospitals (staffing, superbugs, hygiene etc)…It could be made a lot more informative…
- Word Power -
The definitive reader’s digest quiz to test vocabulary. A number of words are given for which you must deduce a meaning from four possible choices. The answers are listed overleaf. Generally there are one or two specialist terms that I miss – I almost always come away having learned one or two words.
Entertainment Value – 7 out of 10
- RD Challenge -
Another word game which varies from month to month - typically plays with synonyms, missing letters and associations between words. For example, in April, three words were presented - the reader was required to deduce a fourth word with a particular relevance to the previous three. For instance, the words given were hurricane, camera and needle – the fourth word turned out to be 'eyes'. Can be quite tricky – it takes time, brain power and effort – I enjoy it.
Entertainment Value – 8.5 out of 10
- Laughter, the Best Medicine -
A miscellaneous hodgepodge of humorous ramblings and utterings from the public at large. There are usually about ten jokes, most being very amusing. I have never noticed a particular joke being printed in more than one edition, so I presume they are screened to make sure they have not been in the magazine before.
Entertainment Value – 7.5 out of 10
- Life’s like that -
A collection of stories, again submitted by the public, this time anecdotes from their own lives that are typically based in humorous coincidence, double meaning or irony. A reasonably short (about two pages) but enjoyable read. Entertainment Value – 8.5 out of 10
- All in a Day’s Work -
Personal anecdotes from readers about strange events that happened in their working lives. Some of these can be a little bland, I have to say. This section very often falls down in the presence of the other two aforementioned comedic sections. Entertainment Value – 5 out of 10.
- Quotable Quotes -
A number of celebrity quotes from the previous month, generally taken from other magazines and television shows. They try to mix them up – some are humorous, some insightful, others just plain stupid…
Reader’s Digest is about half the size of the usual A4 magazine – thus, it fits very easily in your bag if your off to the park or lake. All photographs, pictures and illustrations are in color – occasionally, however, black and white are used to convey a certain tone or if this color combination is more appropriate for the article. The paper cover has the main stories inscribed in colored print – the stories that the editor deems most interesting for the individual are in larger print or in capitals.
1. - Public Involvement - the magazine appeals for public input – thus, the content inherently reflects what is going on at the time in communities and in society. The readers also feel more involved and even partly responsible for the production of the magazine – it is therefore more important to them.
2. - Attention to Language & Information Content - The information is well presented, but is not too detailed. It therefore speaks to the masses – people from every background and public standing, and with every level of education and knowledge base.
3. - Variety – the magazine pays particular attention to including a diverse selection of articles, such that there will always be at least one column or feature that will appeal to and interest a particular reader. This is probably the reason this magazine sells more than any magazine that focuses exclusively on science, topical issues, music, gardening or celebrity status.
4. - Public Interest Stories & Appeal to both Genders - Reader’s Digest always makes sure that there are a number of articles on what matters most to people – their appearance & general health, their cashflow and food. For this reason, the articles are absolutely relevant to the reader. Furthermore, the magazine cleverly mixes stories which are macho and more effeminate in their content – while their topics on weight loss might interest men a little less often than women, they will always throw in some articles that appeal to men. For instance, in their recent April edition, they had articles on how to keep your money, a man’s guide to good grooming and a story about firefighters who ”took on hell”…
Overall, the magazine is a fairly enjoyable, light read that covers some interesting issues. If you want to acquire any serious information about any topic, however, I would stick to the encyclopedias and online resources. Three stars.
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