Posted on: August 28, 2008 Posted by: James McQuiston Comments: 0

This magazine makes me feel uncomfortable. I have a sneaking suspicion that this is a Yuppie magazine. This should not be a reason why people avoid Stopsmiling; rather, there are some interesting pieces in this issue of the magazine. I have absolutely no idea about any of the individuals that they cover in this issue of Stopsmiling; if that was their goal, they have succeeded completely. Of particular note this time is a piece about the changes that have happened in the magazine The Nation. This piece really explains why the magazine used to be so boring and dry and why now it is at least somewhat interesting while still being very informative. One of the best articles in this issue is one that catches up with Pete Seeger and questions eir about Woody Guthrie, Bob Dylan, and what ey has been up to for the last few years. This piece is something I just had to bury my face into, because I love Pete Seeger, and I had no idea that ey was still alive. There is minimal coverage in music in this issue; the theme for #25 is “The Documentary Issue”, so that is what the bulk of the pieces tend to focus on this time. For those individuals that want a double shot of culture for cheap (instead of going out to wine-tasting or a gallery opening), Stopsmiling may just be what is necessary to inform individuals what is going on with the upper crust.

Rating: 6.0/10

Stopsmiling #25 / $5.95 / 1:45 / 92M / http://www.stopsmilingonline.com / Reviewed 01 July 2006

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