O.K., that's a lie. I do know what came first. After being told to read, read, read more (except novels), I took up a newspaper and magazine obsession. Quite often before class or after, depending on when I have time to murder ("kill" would be a cliché), I check out one of my two favourite newsstands in Toronto. They are the the Great Canadian News store on Front Street or the massive magazine section at the World's Biggest Book Store.
Now the confession: I realize that the Canadian content in my newspaper and magazine diet is a bit lacking. The Canadian publications I read on a regular basis when I'm not reading informative school pamphlets include: the Toronto Star, the Walrus and Toronto Life. Yes, only three (sorry for patronizing; I know you can count).
My American or New York content (I think it's mostly all from New York), include nine publications, which I won't list because you'll think I'm either A) a snob, B) showing off, C)lying or D) A and B.
I'm not sure why there's such a large discrepancy, but it may have to do with my affection for glossy paper from New York. A part of me thinks, though, I should try to balance my Canadian and New York content. Or at least get it down from a 2:1 ratio. Adding one more Canadian publication would do that. What do you think?
2 comments:
I'd say both a) and B).
Just joking.
I think it is important to read Canadian content, but I also agree that you need to read from out of city...or even out of country. Most of my favourite magazines are from Europe and New York, but I can get all of that on a smaller scale with a publication from Toronto. Like you i can spend hours sitting in a Chapters or Newstand flipping through magazine after magazine. Granted my choice of read is probably much different from yours, it feels good to know that content from the around the world is sitting in my hands. So you shouldn't beat yourself up about obsessing over New York. Be thankful that you're intelligent enough to want to add more reading to your list. There are lots of people in the world who probably don't do any!
I wonder what people think of me when they find out my literary choices are Star and Cosmo magazines. I do hold a subscription to MacLean's, which must give me some street cred, but I find it often pretentious and self-serving.
I could go to the Globe and Mail, with its quality writing and ideas, but that, too, is too stuffy for me. At least I have yet to stoop to the level of the Toronto Sun.
I find the Toronto Star great for being somewhere in the middle. It's not too low- or high-brow, still has quality writing and seems like it could appeal to all groups of people.
But, considering all of the above, I think I'd take my Star magazine or even my Cosmo over the news magazine. Is it so odd that I'd rather be entertained when I read for pleasure than bogged down with world events?
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