# How do you typically read a magazine? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 10, 2011, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-typically-read-a-magazine/592206 "2011-08-10T16:03:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2011, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-typically-read-a-magazine/592206/1 "2011-08-10T16:03:34Z")
How do you typically read a magazine? Always front to back, or back to front, or do you go to specific articles/features, does it depend on the magazine, …? I ask because I’ve always read magazines back to front and I’ve been told that’s strange; I just find that the most interesting stuff is invariably in the back. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2011, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-typically-read-a-magazine/592206/2 "2011-08-10T16:16:44Z")
The magazine I read the most is _Wired_ and I always read it in its entirety. The beginning has lots of short pieces and the pieces get longer as the magazine goes on. So I gobble up all the short pieces and then take days to finish the longer ones. When I was a kid my mom subscribed to _Women’s Day_ and _Family Circle_ and both of those also had short bits in the front. Crafts, reader suggestions, quick tips. I read those front-to-back too - if I even read the back at all. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2011, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-typically-read-a-magazine/592206/3 "2011-08-10T16:54:54Z")
Front to back. I read the letters, the short bits, any regular columns, and skim over the articles. If any articles look interesting, I usually save those to read later when I have time to kill. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2011, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-typically-read-a-magazine/592206/4 "2011-08-10T16:56:37Z")
Well, first I unfold the large picture in the center … ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2011, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-typically-read-a-magazine/592206/5 "2011-08-10T17:19:42Z")
It depends. Some magazines have “lighter” pieces at the front and the back with “heavier” articles in the middle, and I generally tend to read from “lighter” to “heavier”. Of course, if I see a featured article that I’m interested in, I’ll skip straight to that. ---
**Author:** ![brittekland](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/aeb1de/32.png) [@brittekland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brittekland)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2011, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-typically-read-a-magazine/592206/6 "2011-08-10T17:41:33Z")
Whether it is a magazine or a retailer’s catalog I almost always read from back to front. Oh and I notice the largest headline types last such as I only notice the title of a piece of writing after I read it. I’m sure this is some kinda indication of a medical/psychological condition and there is a pill for it… but I like ‘back to front’… it seems more interesting reading obscure stuff first. This might be a sign that I don’t like following rigid rules or something… but this is why I like SDMB; I don’t get yelled at all the time for off/goofy topic threads and posts… or not as much (Listbot :rolleyes:) 😛 ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2011, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-typically-read-a-magazine/592206/7 "2011-08-10T17:43:31Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > Well, first I unfold the large picture in the center … HEY! That’s what I do too! 😃