Now I’m a Believer

For years I’ve been in search of the perfect magazine, something substantial that I could read cover-to-cover every month. My search has finally ended with The Believer. Published by the good folks at McSweeney’s:

The Believer is a monthly magazine where length is no object. There are book reviews which are not necessarily timely, and which are very often very long. There are interviews which are also very long.The Believer contains no ads and is printed in four colors on heavy-stock paper. Each issue contains essays, book reviews, interviews (every month at least one with a philosopher), charts, uncopyrighted ideas free for the taking (“Idea Share”), as well as more timely features that profile the latest in power tools, mammals, motels, lights, and children.

Every month venerated and/or destitute writers answer the question “What are you working on?”; we also compile lists of books that are faster and easier to read than any of the books they contain. Every month, Charles Burns draws the four most attractive subjects of the interviews and articles (in Issue Three’s case, that means Steve Erickson, Frank Herbert, Liz Phair, and Richard Rorty).

The content is incredible, and it’s all contained in a neatly designed package that’s a pleasure to leaf through. The November issue is supposedly available, but I’m still looking for it. Where else am I going to find McSweeney’s founder Dave Eggers (author of the appropriately titled A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius, the excellence of which pardons him for the rather disappointing You Shall Know Our Velocity!) interviewing David Foster Wallace?

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