Why to get a New Yorker subsrciption

Since it first hit the main streets of the "Big Apple" on February 21, 1925, the New Yorker has wooed its readers with a potent mix of factual reportage, colourful commentary, biting criticism, enchanting essays, fascinating fiction, engaging satire and quirky cartoons. What is it about this New York magazine that makes a New Yorker subscription such a big deal.

A brief history of the New York mag

Harold Ross and his New York Times reporter, wife Jane Grant wanted to create a NY magazine which had both sophistication and humour in bucketfuls, so they founded the first edition of the New York mag in February 1925. The New Yorker magazine wore its cosmopolitan sophistication like a badge of honour with Ross famously snarling, "It's not edited for the old lady in Dubuque." Death of the founder Right up until his death in 1951, Ross edited the magazine which was as famous for the classic New Yorker covers as it was its poetry submissions. Although it never completely discarded its tongue-in-cheek element, in subsequent decades there was more room in the "New Yorker store" for serious literature and journalism. Roald Dahl, Vladimir Nabokov and J.D. Salinger were just a few of the acclaimed writers who lent their pens to the New Yorker shop.

The New Yorker today

The style of the New Yorker has always been dictated in most part by its editors. The most controversial of the bunch was Tina Brown (1992-1998), who during her time at the helm made dramatic changes to a magazine which had retained a similar look and feel to the initial blueprint developed by Ross. What a colourful splash Several years before the New York Times followed suit, Brown introduced colour to the editorial section of the New Yorker, and a more modern layout that composed of less text and more photographs. During her brief tenure, Brown also upped the ante in terms of the New Yorker's coverage of current events, hot happenings and celebrity issues. Brown also gave the New Yorker a more personal ambience with author bylines and a letter's page. Current editor David Remnick took over from Brown in 1998, but the magazine is still indebted to the time Tina held the reins.

Why get a New Yorker magazine subscription?

When it comes to getting a New York magazine subscription, the New Yorker cartoons are worth the price of admission alone. The cover of the 21.07.11 issue earned worldwide fame because of the notorious cartoon depicting a turban wearing Barack Obama and his AK-47 wielding wife. They are pictured in an Oval Office which boasts a portrait of Osama Bin Laden and an American flag in ashes.
Now, if that is not value for money, what is it?