The May issue of Monocle is a thrill a minute. As far as I can tell, the magazine's broad focus on business, politics, fashion, and brands is without parallel in the English-language media sphere. No other magazine makes me itchy to get out of my chair and onto a plane the way that Monocle does, and I think this is due to the fact that it's not a magazine about travel. It's a magazine about objects and places and phenomena and money.
There's a feature on the effort to rebrand the Faroe Islands as a more modern, more forward-thinking spot. There's an interesting pairing of Nicosia and Beirut, which notes efforts toward Greek-Turkish reconciliation in the former and laments continued volatility in the latter. There's a piece on Finnish healthy fast-food chain Sis. Deli+Café, which made me recognize for the millionth time that I'm a complete sucker for tight, crisp café interiors. There's a business report on the southern Brazilian city of Florianópolis. And then, in the final of my favorite pieces, there is a profile of property, shops, restaurants, and hotels in Phnom Penh.
So exciting, all the way through.
Hi Alex, I got my first look at Monocle earlier this year - the issue on trains - and, like you, I found it thrilling in its newness and cutting-edge-ness. I was especially excited about the long cartoon section at the back. But I was bothered by one thing - it does not seem to have any editorial line - it is a composite of different concepts and for me lacks coherence. It is as if it has been put together by a bunch of different teams and "concept specialists" - none of whom share the same physical space. I'd be interested to hear your thoughts on this. Denise
Posted by: denise young | April 25, 2008 at 05:13