National Geographic

Articles involve history, culture, sociology, biology, architecture, archaeology, and physical science in addition to the trademark item, geography. Recent issues have included articles on archaeology of the Indus Valley, earthquakes in Turkey, Samoan culture, jellyfish, and dinosaurs. National Geographic has a knack for combining the timely with the timeless to make each issue interesting from a current events perspective (recent articles on the Golan Heights and touring London show this) as well as being worthy of retaining for future reference by combining history and other details.

Coupled with the articles, National Geographic has fantastic photography. In the June issue, there is a 'family photo' that was taken at the annual photographic seminar in Washington, D.C., in which more than half of the regular contributors to the magazine were present and photographed around the great seal of National Geographic. According the caption:

'The 47 men and women shown have collectively logged some 700 years taking pictures for this magazine alone. They've photographed roughly 715 articles, and at a current average of 29,000 frames shot per story, that works out to about 20.7 million images.'

Authors and photographers for National Geographic are perhaps one of the most diverse lots of people working for any periodical. From urban to rural, civilised to exotic to remote and desolate locations; from peaceful and happy events to battlefield and disaster situations; from home life to professional life to religious life and beyond, these women and men have covered almost every aspect of the world (and beyond!). Photographic and journalistic excellence is a hallmark of this magazine, and it shows in every issue.

But the maps! What about the maps? Oh, yes, this is perhaps the distinguishing feature of National Geographic, something that is also well-known from school days. Teachers always loved to put National Geographic maps up on the walls, and issues continue to include the most up-to-date maps of countries, physical features, even the moon, planets, and star systems.

The National Geographic Society was founded in 1888 as a nonprofit scientific and educational organization, and has in that time supported more than 6500 explorations and research projects. They have also included in more recent times to support students with scholarships. For instance, since 1993 they have given a scholarship each year to a British student in conjunction with the British Cartographic Society, in recognition of the outstanding mapmaking student in the UK. This will help continue the tradition on National Geographic.


the greatest?   October 30, 2001
 19 out of 21 found this review helpful

Is it safe to say that National Geographic is the finest magazine in the world? OK. I'll go out on a limb and say it: "National Geographic is the finest magazine in the world." There. I've said it. You simply cannot beat the always compelling writing about far-off and far-out places and thing, the stunning photography and the unobtrusive design that allows the reader to concentrate on both. Bonus: Maps! National Geographic usually has a few issues a year that feature suitable for the office wall-type maps. Who doesn't love maps? Never subscribed? Look for 3-4 long (probably about 6,000-8,000 words) features per issue. Each feature impecably written, painstakingly researched and accompanied by those jaw dropping photos. This is must-have stuff and it kicks the stuffing out of another night of TV.


THE VOICE OF ONE CRYING OUT IN THE WILDERNESS...   October 16, 2004
 12 out of 13 found this review helpful

A rose in Hell would be all the fairer as a God-breathed thing casting its beauty even in depths of darkness.

I have grown quite fond of National Geographic Magazine over the past few years. I am not a subscriber. My parents are. Yet, even as occasional bathroom lit, this magazine has enlightened me on much and changed my view on a subject more than once.

Is there any greater prophetic voice calling out in the wilderness today? None that I have found.

National Geographic has been going after some HUGE issues: the diamond trade, modern slavery, global warming, the epidemic of obesity, nuclear waste. They have covered these issues well and cast a bright light on many of the world's darkest places.

In this new age--where we have been softened and too often cozened by the prevalence of opinion, attitude and style over fact--National Geographic is the one place I know I can go for hard hitting journalism and writing (and excellent images--let's not forget that here) that rises above the everyday.

This remarkable magazine accomplishes all this and still covers the interesting places of the world (and beyond) with excellence. One recent article of this sort that springs to mind is one they did on Badlands National Park. I visited the park this summer and feel that my visit was deepened and enhanced by having first read the article.

I give National Geographic my highest recommendation.




Current events, Geography, History, Science, Biology...more   November 26, 2002
 10 out of 11 found this review helpful

This is a magizine which I look forward to reading each month. This is also the only magizine which I keep subscription to over years. Usually, I simply get one years worth of any magizine since articles tend to repeat themselves. Not so with National Geographic. I enjoy this magizine so much that I even get the slipcovers National Geographic sells to keep the magizines and maps organized and neat on my shelves(I also reccomend getting the slipcovers for anyone who wants to keep your collection organised)

As a child, I would read my parents extensive collection of National Geographic magizines month after month, and read back issues for the wonderful pictures, maps, and articles about different cultures. Many a school report was based on inspiration from this magizine.

I find the articles on science, anthropology, archeology, nature, current cultural events, and the many maps(about five a year) to be great reasons to keep my subscription up year after year. My three year old enjoys the varied pictures throughout the magizine, and as he gets older he will be introduced to the great articles and he will have a better start on geography because of the many maps from National Geographic which decorate the walls in our home.

I always find something new to learn from National Geographic. This is also a current heirloom of sorts...I hope to pass on the same love of learningto my children that I learned as a child, in part due this excellent magizine.


In Depth Factual Stories, Brilliant Photographs   March 21, 2004
 9 out of 10 found this review helpful

I have read issues of National Geographic that date back to the last century. In those early times the articles were often more sterile and factual, but still just as interesting. In many cases those articles are more interesting today, because we see the world of then through the eyes of the relatively objective viewers of then.

Geography covers more than just land masses and forests. National Geographic is not about "national," it is about our entire universe; National Geographic refers to "The National Geographic Society," rather than the breadth of coverage. In the decades that I have been reading National Geographic, articles have covered everything from the Earth's core, to the deepest oceans, to the people living on the land and the land itself, the mountains and skies above us, and the whole universe. Warning: if you are a creationist then I would avoid this magazine.

The breadth of the magazine is well matched by its depth. Articles in the last decades have covered genes, atomic science, microbial life, how remote sensing technologies work, lasers, frequencies, such as those that make up color and the all the invisible spectra, and so many more that it is impossible to list them in a 1000 word review. Virtually every major issue possible to be covered that is related to geography has had at least one article in Geographic, and thousands of not-so-major issues. There was even an article on holography!

The core of the magazine is still geography as we grew up believing geography to be. There have been articles on Lake Baikal, a wonderful trek through the still wild and swampy jungles of Africa, excellent articles on caves and national parks of all nations, glorious color pictures of undersea life and animals of all shapes, sizes and description, and the ever popular insects and arachnids, to name but a fraction.

National Geographic has always been famous for the pictures. A recent addition to the magazine has been a brief article describing a picture that did not quite make the cut for a featured article. The brief summary explains why the editor, writer or photographer was enamored of a particular picture, and why the picture was not used in the article. This article provides a wonderful insight into the marriage of photography and prose for each article in every magazine; a primer for would-be editors.

While National Geographic does have an environmental lean in reporting, it is remarkably balanced. The needs of affected populations such as fisherman, farmers, and people in general are reported alongside commentary on how people have damaged an ecosystem or caused the extinction of another species. There always seems to be a note of glee when the needs of ecology and the needs of people are in balance or when people have benefited from improving or guarding an ecosystem.

There are few adult magazines that I feel are sufficiently balanced in their reporting that I am comfortable providing unlimited access to children. While there are occasional articles that are quite bloody, which is to be expected when dealing with humans and animals, the blood is real and not staged. While I would not expose a very young child to such imagery, older children need to learn of the realities of the world. I remember when I was first exposed to National Geographic 40 years ago I found some of the images disturbing, but those same images helped prepared me for some of the harsh realities of life outside my home, my city, my country and even my solar system and galaxy.

National Geographic has been an important magazine in my life for about 40 years. I was fortunate to go to a high school with magazines that dated back more than 70 years, and spent many free hours reading those old magazines, with all black and white photographs. What an incredible perspective this magazine gives us on the world and how we and our knowledge have changed in the course of the last 100 years. What a wonderful way to discover those changes. This excellent and educational magazine is for those interested in people, science, geography, the world, and the universe.