Posted on: June 20, 2008 Posted by: James McQuiston Comments: 0

Read #22 ($4, READ, PO Box 3437, Astoria, NY 11103)

While I have been a huge fan of the other READ issues I’ve received, I would have to say that #22, subtitled “The Work Issue”, is probably about my favourite of the entire run. Incorporating pretty much any work-related material from prior issues of READ and the archives at www.readmag.com, “The Work Issue” reads like a sitcom, with typically funny, episodic descriptions of horrid jobs. As usual, READ is innovative in having the editor (Adam’s) mom write pieces pertaining to the issues theme, specifically about the wheelings and dealings that young Adam would have to make cash on the side. I really am a big fan of the theme-related content, but the theme just stops at a point, not to be returned to during the last page of the magazine. What might have worked to a greater degree would be incorporation of theme-related questions into the solidly written interviews, taken from such acts as Joe Satriani, James Dewees, and The Locust. Still, the broad range of reviewed material does end up taking a good chunk of time to go through, time that really is worth spending reading about what books to read, what games to play, and what movies to see. The only stumbling block I can personally come up with for this issue of READ is the second listing of “snap judgements”, which is pretty much old hat after the first piece in the earlier pages of the magazine.

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