I’m not really one to read periodicals, but there’s one magazine I’ve been reading for years — Reader’s Digest.
I was introduced to Reader’s Digest in third grade, because my dad had a subscription to Reader’s Digest. In fact, one of my fondest memories of my dad is related to the magazine: every time we got a new issue, we would tear into the plastic and go straight to the Word Power section, and he’d rattle off the new vocabulary words to test me on the month’s vocabulary items.
Aside from Word Power, there was one year when I wrote countless of contributions to the different sections of Reader’s Digest (fifth grade, I think!) although none got published (that I know of). I think Reader’s Digest did a lot for my writing skills, though, and my love for writing human interest stories.
We also had this one compilation of a whole year of Reader’s Digest issues from 1980, and I’d pore through it whenever I ran out of books to read. And I read that compilation so many times I’ll never forget that aglet is that thing at the end of your shoelace, or that American Airlines saved an obscene amount of money by removing one olive from their in-flight meals, or that story about triplets who were suddenly reunited in their teens.
While the subscriptions stopped when my dad passed away, my mom (who once moonlighted as an agent for Reader’s Digest) would get us a copy every now and then (that, she had no qualms buying for me, because it “made me smart,” as opposed to Sweet Valley or Bop magazine which I had to buy with my allowance!), and I still got to read them at the library. And even now, I still get a copy whenever the cover catches my interest at the checkout counter at the bookstore.
A-Z Direct Marketing sent me the May issue of Reader’s Digest, and you can see it’s been quite well thumbed. I hadn’t gotten myself a copy since the Charice issue in 2010, and it came just in time this month,when I hadn’t had time to read at length, with the two trips I took and the work I had to catch up on in between.
The Mother’s Day articles in this issue my mom would have loved, and I wish she had time to read this before she flew to the US earlier this month. I was also glad to see that my favorite sections are still there — Word Power, Life, Laugh, and the fillers at the end of the articles are the first things I dive into whenever I read an issue of Reader’s Digest. But my favorites this month were the features on The Town of Painted Doors (a really interesting piece on Valloria, Italy), figure skater Michelle Kwan’s reading advocacy, and the Books section, which featured Penguin’s specially designed reissues for its 75th anniversary in book publishing.
I’ll say one thing — I grew up with Reader’s Digest, but I don’t think I’ll ever outgrow it.
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Reader’s Digest is exclusively distributed in the Philippines by A-Z Direct Marketing. You can get over P500 in savings off the newsstand price with an annual subscription. A-Z Direct also distributes magazines such as Time, Fortune, Newsweek, Discovery Channel Magazine, National Geographic.
I remember that bit about American Airlines saving so much from removing one olive from each of their in-flight meals too.
Why oh why do I remember such random information?
Because we’re trivia junkies like that!
My grandfather subscribed to RD as well, and I loved Word Power too :) It’s a great publication and one I’ve learned a lot from over the years.
it’s sad how magazines are going digital now and cutting down their print runs. I loved the feeling of tearing into a new issue each month
I grew up reading RD too… I remember wracking my brain of a funny experience I had that I can send to them. Until now, whenever I get to see and RD, Word Power is also the 1st page to look into..
I’ve always wanted to send a contribution too. I have to put that on my bucket list!
It was during high school when I first saw a copy RD in our library and the very first human interest story I read there, if I remember it correctly, is titled “Sands” about a cancer patient. I’m not an RD collector but I have this 1974 issue containing a brief interview with Ferdinand Marcos during the Martial Law era. It’s been a long time since I read Reader’s Digest, I think I should go and grab one. Thanks!
I have a tattered copy of the RD with JK Rowling on the cover!
One of my new favorites is “Last Laugh”, a cartoon at the very last page, the object of which is to “tide you through till the next month”. :)
I’m into my 2nd year of subscription, and plan to have them bound by fours, for each quarter of the year. One of the best subscriptions I’ve ever made. And they give you freebies, too!
Yes! I noticed that, too. Will watch out for that in the next issues!
Reader’s digest is really perfect for short travels. sometimes when its a burden to bring a book, reader’s digest keeps me company. i never get bored coz they have many articles in varied topics that keeps me fixated. like you ive loved it since i can remember..
True! I read a chunk oft his while commuting.
aglet and philtrum. i learned both from RD!
yes! philtrum!
I remember reading about the Titanic on RD the issue was about 1980 or 1983 I guess and I found it when my mom was going through some stuff.. too bad I wasn’t able to salvage them *sighs*
I think it’s great how everyone has their own Reader’s Digest story to tell.
It’s nice to read all conversation per to RD… Until I found myself reach the end part and get excite to join the conversation… I’m so happy to read this wonderful conversation.
:) Hope to see you back here, Guia!