O, The Oprah Magazine Review

I'm also a long-time fan of the Oprah Winfrey Show.  I'm not devout or fanatical about it as some are, but I do appreciate and respect her intent with the show.  She has the rare opportunity to touch a lot of lives, and I respect that she takes that opportunity very seriously.  You can sense her commitment to humanity on her show.  It is also evident in her eponymous magazine.

O, the Oprah Magazine, is a hefty, glossy, slickly-produced periodical.  The content is as broad as it is deep, and the articles tend to piggyback on many of the themes and topics that appear on her show.  I don't mean to say that they talk about a subject on the show and it then appears as a subject in the magazine.  I mean that there is a general sense of cohesion between the feel of both enterprises.

My favorite recurring columns are Books That Made a Difference (nice to hear the books that top other readers' lists); Martha Beck (sort of a lifestyle coach who opines on positive energy, negativity, etc.); Suze Orman (finances and relationships); and What Do I Do Now? (experts who handle dilemmas such as dealing with a nasty mother-in-law).  Finally, the "O List" is always a nice resource for gift ideas.  Sometimes they are even affordable.

Ultimately, the reason I am no longer an O Magazine subscriber is also pretty understandable to anyone who can't find enough hours in the day.  It is just too much magazine.  I read novels, Newsweek, decorating magazines, and online articles.  I never seemed able to finish an issue when a new one arrived at my doorstep.  Since I am able to catch her show, I just don't feel the need to continue the magazine at this time.  Perhaps that will change once her show is off the air.   We'll see...