I am an off and on subscriber to the magazine.  While it is clearly one of the best magazines available on the economy and the globe it is a bit pricey.  I do not alsways find time to read it, so tend to let my subscription laspe.  However, it is great news stand pick up if you have time to kill and want some thoughtful articles on world events nd how they shape the gobal market.

orspinner

Portland, OR

  I change magazines frequently. What seems like a good read one month can quickly change a few months later, prompting me to drop the subscription and switch to something else. One magazine that I have always enjoyed and that has remained on my "keeper" list over the years is **The Economist**, a weekly publication that keeps readers informed about world news, politics, trade, and the global economy. **Magazine Commentary:** Given my background and my interests in politics and economics, it should come as no surprise that the Economist is one of my favorite magazines. I love most everything about this publication, from its intelligent, well- written pieces on world economic news to its helpful illustrations with graphics and maps. The articles written in this magazine are thorough and to the point, and they try to present many sides of the same issue. I enjoy the writing and the focus on world news and concerns. There are stories about the United States, but these include only a portion of the magazine. The writers and editors of the Economist recognize that the U.S. is an important economic force, but they also realize that other countries have interesting and newsworthy events as well. The magazine covers the entire globe, with articles that inform and educate the reader on all sorts of world- wide concerns, like disease, poverty, economic growth, and other important issues. I really enjoy the information angle that the Economist takes on various topics. First and foremost, the Economist educates the reader. To help illustrate the point, there are graphs throughout the magazine, allowing the reader to visually see what statistic the article is trying to convey to him/her. The graphs include mostly bar graphs, for making comparisons, and tables of data. Sometimes, pie charts and line graphs are also added, to help illustrate a point. I know that some people don't particularly like this type of information, but I think it's very helpful when I can visualize something in graphic form. When people start talking in billions and trillions, many readers get intimated and confused. But when you can see things presented in graphic illustration, statistics take on a whole new perspective. It's interesting that the articles in this magazine are not signed. There is no indication of who wrote what article. Presumably, the Economist does this to show that their business is more of a group than a collection of individual parts. They don't want readers to get all wound up over certain writers, so they don't even let you know who wrote what. The Economist is a much more serious magazine, intended more for intellectual types and educators. Unlike American news magazines, which are more likely to contain stories on trivial nonsense to keep all readers entertained, the Economist sticks mostly to important world news. Even when an article is presented about music or the arts, it is done in a professional way, with the business side receiving more emphasis than the personal side. **Bottom Line Viewpoint:** Overall, the Economist is one of the world's best news and economics magazines. It combines the subjects of politics and economy, with an occasional splash of art, books, and music, to create an excellent weekly publication. The subscription price is high, but if you can get your hands on a copy, I recommend doing so. It's very educational and informative and it helps keep readers on top of important world events, economic trends, and political happenings. It's one of the most intelligent magazines available today.

Bryan-Carey

Houston, TX

The Economist is a British news magazine providing excellent coverage of the US and world, with better informed reporting than is typical of US news reporting.  Coverage includes science, technology, business, foreign affairs, and politics.  While there is a slight liberal slant, it is less obtrusive than in such magazines as Time.  The Economist can be very helpful to students, businessmen, and investors, not to mention those who just like being well informed.  Fairly often scoops US news media on significant stories.   Nice additional features include the Christmas double issue filled with fun coverage of offbeat topics and a ough crossword, and occasional reports in depth covering many pages of countries, scientific and technical developments, and business issues.  Heartily recommend this slightly expensive but very useful magazine.

MacBeth16

Lebanon, NH

The Economist by far has the best analysis of international affairs that I have seen. It also has a breadth of coverage that allows you to stay current on stories that often don't make the nightly news. The price is a bit high, particularly for a student, but the quality is high.

Throwabug

Edison, NJ

This is my favorite magazine. It is a British publication that has been around forever (to be accurate, 1843). It is well written and the authors have a sense of humor. The work is thoughtful. The art work and cartoons are good, they handle every aspect of the publication well. The magazine has worldwide distribution. Some content like advertising will be specific to different markets. The magazine you buy in London also differs from the same edition purchased in New York City because it has additional British news. I have been enjoying this magazine for years. Subjects are business, finance, politics, science and techology, arts and general news. The magazine is better known in the US than it once was, but it isn't for everyone. I thought my Dad would like it so I introduced it to him. He read through and said it was good, but it was just more information than he wanted to know. That's what I like so much about it, but it also pretty much sums up the only reason I can think of not to subscribe. The only time that I let my subscription lapse is when I'm not getting the time to read it, but I do miss it during those times. There is an online version. They offer great country reports, they have special survey sections from time to time.  You can sign up for email updates in any of a number of categories and you will get emails in a similar format to those the Wall Street Journal sends. If you are trying to decide whether this is the magazine for you, a visit to their website may help. Some articles are available on the site and the and the "about us" page gives their phylosophy.

Rainmaker

Marietta, GA