Happily curled up tonight with a short stack of Portland magazines, kindly shared by our contributor Tony Staley, who is an alum of the university. This Holy Cross foundation’s magazine is as sweet, quirky and literate as its editor, Brian Doyle – just read his editorial in this issue. What’s more, it has been called “the best spiritual magazine in America” by none other than Annie Dillard.
Let’s stop and think about that for a moment. A reputation is a fine thing – not least because it gives you something fine to live up to. I think a reputation for just one facet that reaches to AND beyond its intended audience may be a very good thing for a university or college magazine. It’s got to be the best antidote to any tendency to provincialism.
By the way, how adorable is this cover? Among magazine editors, using children and/or animals on the cover is regarded as out-and-out cheating. And a little redhead – with freckles to boot – PLUS cute bug? That’s just downright mean to all the other magazines!
