LIFE Magazine

Life Magazine

Truly an enjoyable, thought provoking, interesting magazine. I re-discovered Life Magazine about a year ago and have been stopping by the news stand every month since to purchase a copy. In fact, it lies next to Sky and Telescope on the coffee table now. The pictures are wonderful, and I love the fact that this magazine touches on a large spectrum of topics. You never really know what you will learn about until you turn the page. The photographs truly do say a lot and are more splendid than most other magazines. I even find the pictures in Life to be more creative and to invoke more feeling in its readers than National Geographic.

However, I think the downfall of the magazine is the accompanying commentary. Now, I never expected the articles to cover stories as in-depth as a magazine like the Smithsonian. Nonetheless, I often feel a bit cheated after reading the articles. I always wish they had said more or developed the content of the article more. On this point, I think National Geographic is far superior.

Now, if the aim of the magazine is to let the pictures speak for themselves, well, they have accomplished their aim. I must admit that while other magazines try to push ideas and opinions on you, Life Magazine lets the pictures convey their own respective messages. While I enjoy the fact that the commentary does not try to stifle my creativity or lead me to a certain opinion, I do wish my mind was fed more background information. (I am mainly talking about the main articles, not the other secondary photos that have only a short description next to them.)I find it frustrating sometimes when the pictures make me so curious, and then I am not given enough information to satisfy my curiosity.

I do not know why I continue to read Life then. I mean, who wants to read a magazine that leaves you frustrated? -well, I just can not help it. I guess it stimulates my brain enough to justify picking up the next month's issue.