Reviews For Southern Living Magazine

I am looking forward to receiving the magazine and am surprised it hasn't been sent yet. That is my only disappointment.

As Andy Rooney would ask, "Have you ever noticed...?" Indeed, have you ever noticed that Southern Living articles never have anything negative to say about the particular topic at hand?

All articles about restaurants, inns, resorts, etc. are GLOWING with no negative reviews or even the slightest constructive criticism. It seems clear that the editorial staff of this magazine is catering to its advertisers...which, by the way, seem to fill far more pages that editorial.

How can the readers trust this? How can I feel confident that, indeed, that cute little mountain restaurant recently reviewed is really that good? The answer is, I can't.

Southern Living lacks credibility. And that's a shame, because it has so many other truly great things going for it. Yes, it's a tradition, a mainstay. And it includes a variety of topics, from recipes and home decor to gardening and travel. Plus, it's about the South -- a place I love.

But, if these are the topics that interest me, there are far too many other magazines, TV shows, internet sites, etc. that present truthful, unbiased "experts" . My time is too precious to waste flipping through one big advertisement campaign.


Recommended:
No

Having been a subscriber for 14 years I can only say that the new changes are not for the better. New subscribers will never know what they have missed.....but us old timers have lost faith. Who said Southern Living needed to be changed? Shame on those who took a delightful magazine from wonderful to wanting. You should have asked the readers.........we would have shared our positive thoughts with you before you took this "improved?" approach.

I have been a customer of Southern Living for at least 35 years. I was excited every month to see the beautiful photos and write-ups about places to visit. We did visit many of the places because of Southern Living...
Somehow, I had been unaware that the Southern Living model was changing. When the first issue arrived...I thought it was a promo for a up-coming issue. I was not sure which was a write-up and which was an ad. Seemed much lighter...maybe paper being used is lighter.
Anyway, I realize that Southern Living, just like all of us, has to cut back. In this economy, I had rather put up with some semblance of Southern Living than none at all. Southern Living has made the magazine into an affordable subscription.
Perhaps they could use some of the old make up of the Southern Living, and we would feel a greater connection.
I intend to support Southern Living; otherwise, it would seem as it a giant symbol of our culture had fallen.

Having grown up in the heart of Dixie, I've read this magazine all my life, and I preceded its birth by over 10 years. Still have the entire 1974 year down in the ol' homestead (an ultramodern 1970s brick house) in an old cardboard slipcase. It was a wonderful magazine in the 1970s and even into the early 1980s. Today, it is pure garbage. Do not waste your money on a subscription. If you buy one issue, you'll have all the advertising you need, but you'll actually get better advertising of Southern lifestyles by picking up free flyers at various interstate welcome stations. In fact, Southern Living now resembles a magazine comprising interstate brochure writing sandwiched between so many advertisements you cannot make sense of the editorial. I know what I'm talking about. Since it was purchased more than a decade ago by Time-Life, Southern Living has gone steadily downhill. If you want a gardening magazing for the south, choose Garden Gate or Fine Gardening. Or buy books. It's cheaper. If you need travel information, use the internet. If you want home design, forget it. In the 1970s you had houseplans, beautiful landscape designs and decorating ideas. Today, you can get better ideas from a standard like Good Housekeeping or by watching home and garden shows on television. It's really sad how pathetic Southern Living is. If I were employed there as a writer -- and it is not my niche by any means, professional corporate writing is -- I would be a lifeless card-punching automaton regurgitating segment marketing pap. Pulp. Garbage. You can't even wrap a decent mullet with this piece of garbage, they've shrunk the page size.

I'm assuming the changes in Southern Living happened because of the state of the magazine industry, but it's such a shame. SL use to be one of the best. I don't live in the South, but really enjoyed the great articles, travel stories, unique recipes, decorating ideas and beautiful photos. Also liked the fact that the magazine carried its share of ads, but I didn't feel like I was paying for a book of advertising with few articles, the way I do with many magazines.

Now, all that is gone. I don't really even recognize the magazine anymore. Ridiculously short articles with little content, recipes that I've seen a zillion times, nothing really inventive or even fresh, just recycled, watered-down content. The cover photos are the only thing that is as lovely as ever. SL now looks like every other magazine on the stand, even worse than many. Why in the world? Is this what it takes to get readers and advertisers? I can't imagine. I'm hoping that SL doesn't go under, but cannot imagine that this change will help it stay afloat. Sad that it already seems to be gone. Very unfortunate.

This was purchased in late November, and although a short delay was expected, I assumed it would have begun delivery by now. (January 30th)
The magazine may be great, but I cannot determine if it is so slow to arrive. (2 months already)

One month since my money was taken and still no magazine. Probably have to wait 8-12 weeks for processing. Such expeditious handling.

I still haven't seen a magazine and I think I've been taken. Don't waste your money on this vendor. It's a con. I wish I could have given NO STARS.

I have read Southern Living Magazine sporadically for over 15 years but never subscribed because it was too elite. It has changed to what I want out of a magazine--gardening that doesn't require a full-time gardener, cooking that doesn't require a cooking encyclopedia, and realistic decorating ideas. I look forward to reading this year's magazine.