# I knew this Readers Digest was good for SOMETHING **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [March 14, 2001, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-knew-this-readers-digest-was-good-for-something/57978 "2001-03-14T17:57:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![LouisB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dfb087/32.png) [@LouisB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LouisB)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2001, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-knew-this-readers-digest-was-good-for-something/57978/41 "2001-03-15T21:48:18Z")
I have been reading Reader’s Digest since the late 1940s. I even read it through the 60s and 70s when I was a long-haired, dope-smoking, free-love and nickel-beer advocating hippie bum. Maybe that was nickel-love and free-beer, I don’t recall. I read it now, when I am a card-carrying member of the AARP. I never knew it was part of a right wing plot to turn me into a Republican Fundie. ---
**Author:** ![Nacho4Sara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Nacho4Sara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nacho4Sara)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2001, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-knew-this-readers-digest-was-good-for-something/57978/42 "2001-03-15T22:11:32Z")
[hijack] > [@](#): > > People who subscribe to these mags hoard the old copies like they are gold. > > Why? Is my mother ever going to refer back to that old RD from 1986? What am I going to do with the thirty years of National Geographic when she passes? Please **please** can I have the old NG’s? I adore National Geographic. I collect past issues and currently have all the volumes from 1956 to 1967. I also have 1996 to the current month; I’ve been subscribing since I was 15. Why do I keep them? I can always grab a copy and read a great article. There’s an awesome one from 1998 about Venice, Italy. There’s a series from 1968 about a 16 year-old-boy who sailed around the world. I am currently mesmerized by the series about J. Michael Fay, who is hiking across the middle of Africa in his “MegaTransect.” I am continually entertained by these stories, partially because I am an Athropology/English major. My biggest dream is to write for National Geographic.[/hijack] Oh yeah, I hate Reader’s Digest. One awful night I ended up staying at an acquaintance’s house (she was driving me home from school and we had to stay overnight to avoid a snowstorm). All she had to read was RD. I read about six straight through in two hours and promptly vowed to never, ever read it again. ---
**Author:** ![Helen\_s\_Eidolon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Helen\_s\_Eidolon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helen_s_Eidolon)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2001, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-knew-this-readers-digest-was-good-for-something/57978/43 "2001-03-15T22:33:09Z")
> [@](#): > > …(for cullings of interesting or in-your-face articles you need to read UTNE Reader.) … Oh, I love that. UTNE. Say it: UTNE. I’m sure it’s a great magazine, but… UTNE. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2001, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-knew-this-readers-digest-was-good-for-something/57978/44 "2001-03-16T00:21:14Z")
I’m not talking about old Reader’s Digests. I’m talking about old issues of Time, Newsweek, National Geographic, History Today, things like that. That have articles on current events. ---
**Author:** ![lawoot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/35a633/32.png) [@lawoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lawoot)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2001, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-knew-this-readers-digest-was-good-for-something/57978/45 "2001-03-19T03:11:00Z")
Does RD have a right-wing bias? Oh, yes. An example: It was the Digest that nationally ‘broke’ the Willie Horton saga back in the '88 campaign (Bush I v. Dukakis), conveniently leaving out the fact that the law that enabled the whole thing was pushed into being by a prior Republican governor. On the other hand, I knew that Oliver North’s political career was in the shitter when the Digest wrote an article slamming HIM. Ouch, that must have hurt. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2001, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-knew-this-readers-digest-was-good-for-something/57978/46 "2001-03-19T03:33:56Z")
Oliver North deserves to have his career put in the shitter, the bastard. YOu know, he’s pretty much banned in most of Central America-especially Costa Rica? They’re extremely democratic, peaceful (don’t even have an army, for crying out loud), and Ollie is forbidden ever to set foot there? Ha ha! ---
**Author:** ![Dijon\_Warlock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a9a28c/32.png) [@Dijon\_Warlock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dijon_Warlock)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2001, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-knew-this-readers-digest-was-good-for-something/57978/47 "2001-03-19T05:05:52Z")
**Nacho4Sara** sez: > [@](#): > > There’s a series from 1968 about a 16 year-old-boy who sailed around the world. Just thought you might be interested to know that he co-wrote a book about his experience: [Dove](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0060920475/qid=984978021/sr=1-14/ref=sc_b_15/102-4773978-3803337). Very beautiful book. Reader’s Digest? Waiting room material. Only. ---
**Author:** ![Man\_from\_Mars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Man\_from\_Mars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Man_from_Mars)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2001, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-knew-this-readers-digest-was-good-for-something/57978/48 "2001-03-19T05:36:26Z")
What do you mean that The Onion is not a real newspaper? So you’re saying that O.J. still hasn’t found the real killer? ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2001, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-knew-this-readers-digest-was-good-for-something/57978/49 "2001-03-19T23:52:42Z")
Another thing about reading old magazines is seeing that if they make predictions about the future, like what politicians are likely to be frontrunners next time, etc etc. Like, a 1980 issue of TIME had a picture of Janet Reno. And everyone calls her ugly-she didn’t look ugly at all! A bit plain, perhaps-no makeup, simple hair. But just mousy-like she could fix herself up. And it just cracks me up at some of the things people say, to see them proven wrong! ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2001, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-knew-this-readers-digest-was-good-for-something/57978/50 "2001-03-20T12:33:15Z")
What drives me insane about Reader’s Digest is the freaking sweepstakes’ promotions. They spent a fortune sending me weekly mailings about cars, boats, bazillions of dollars that I was going to win, win, win if I only 1) took the silver key from the cover letter and affixed it to the silver square on the sweepstakes entry form; 2) checked the box that says, "Re-new my subscription for 35 years or until I die, whichever is later; and 3) agreed to preview their new record “Best of Mantovani” at no charge. (After which time I would receive “Best of” albums monthly.) BTW, I used to temp at RD when I lived in NY. Great people to work. The people were very gracious and welcoming. FWIW. ---
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2001, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-knew-this-readers-digest-was-good-for-something/57978/51 "2001-03-20T17:56:14Z")
Has anyone here considered the fact that one of The Onion staff writers could very well have written that letter to RD? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-knew-this-readers-digest-was-good-for-something/57978.md?page=2)