Reader’s Digest India | May 2013 Issue | Magazine Reviews

So its summer time! Kids have vacation to enjoy. Parents got chance to spend more time with their children. As outdoor activities are comparatively less during hot days, people either used to visit some cool places or spend time with indoor activities. Quality read is definitely an option to go for, during this time. So we bring our personal and unbiased reviews for Reader’s Digest magazine, India edition., with a vision that it will be helpful to the readers to choose a reading option.

Here we go.

A smiley with the title “Art Of Living – Easy Steps to Happiness” and mainly red and blue themed cover page is not that much attractive, but its simple and eye catcher.

Mohan Sivanand brings his vision about happiness in the editor when talking about the themed article of the issue. He is quite right in a way. We believe that happiness lies within. You can have happiness with material stuff for sure, but to one extent only. And, if your mental status is not in a position to let you enjoy the joyous moment but forces you to concentrate something else, which is worrying, you cannot enjoy a very good situation too. That is the reason you need the outside motivational factors to push you to the positive state of your mind and let you experience the real happy moments around you. Well, this is a vision and of course anyone can disagree with the same. But if you think about some happy and sad moments of your life (or anyone else’), try to see the behavior of the affected person in that situation, and you will realize that one’s mental situation plays a vital role in his/her each and every experience. We are curious to hear your views about happiness…

The react section is enriched with some of the thoughtful reactions of readers of the past issue of the magazine, eg. A person feels that the gap between the developed and developing countries is widened and we are living in the age of development but not the peace. However it is definitely one of the good times to live in, as per our vision. The reactions about “Buyology” article are interesting too. When reading such reviews, we tends to think, everyone knows that buying which is not necessary is a bad thing and especially when it is not affordable (and still buy it for the reasons like jealousy), it is worst.

We specially wants to mention the reactions for the article about – Barack Obama’s mom. Today (When we are writing this), it is mothers day (well, we feel everyday of life is mother’s day, because we got life due to her only, so every day is her present to us).

Here & Now – section brings information about some Bizarre Baby Name Laws. It didn’t miss the news about Mumbai’s mono rail too.

• Instructions for a Heatwave
• Heartbreak Hotel
• Bedlam by Christopher Brookmyre
• Carrier
• And in the classic corner, Wuthering Heights is referred.

Dr. Dayal Mirchandani brings an important issue, which people are facing more these days then earlier times – The Parenting Trap. It is the time when the life is probably even faster and demanding then it was. The couples are living away from their family and rising their children often face the guilt conscious for not being able to devote quality time to children. And yes, the pressure to perform excellent makes the life of the children even tougher. An article, which could have been more detailed, but it is still effective.

Kindness of The Strangers – is our favorite section of any issue of RD. It makes us realize that all you need is a heart to help others, rest can be managed. And, yes, the world is not all bad place, there are real humans living with us and amongst us. The importance of human qualities and respect of the morals and ethics is always the strongest attribute of a society, so it cannot be neglected ever. Read the incident yourself and do share your thoughts about these kind gestures via comments.

In – Greenheart – segment Bittu Sahgal brings information about rural art and the effects of the same on environment. This is a different approach to look at the factors affecting our environment. It makes us realize that there are lot more stuff to look for the same, in addition to planting trees and saving animals, to save the environment. Nature and environment includes all that and many more other factors too.

Find happiness, the central article explores the five points for the same. In addition to that, some historical information is available as well. And yes, there are some interesting photographs are also there, which you will like to see.

There are always two aspects (at least) to see a thing. For example we hate to see the symptoms of any illness, but actually those symptoms alters us and lead us to proper medication which prevent the fatal damage. There is an article titled – Weird Symptoms that could save your life. Interesting read, but make sure to consult the expert before just making conclusion on your own by seeing any of these symptoms.

Look Twice – introduces you to the man who makes money by playing with cards, but not on the table! Yes, you read it correct. It is about Bryan Berg, who made a record by making a creation by using 2,19,000 cards! You gotta see it to believe it.

Sheila Sivanand – brings in an article named – The India you don’t know. She tried to provide information about the following places in this article.

• Agra (Uttar Pradesh)
• Arunachala (Tamil Nadu)
• Bhubaneswar (Odisha)
• Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala)
• Yercaud (Tamil Nadu)
• Kaas (Maharashtra)

The information is capable to irk a wish to visit the place in you.

Real Life Drama brings the tale of Larry Bishop and all the stuff which saved his life from a 91 meter drop into a California chasm. This article is titled as – Terror On The Cliff. This article by Kenneth Miller makes you believe that truth is stranger than the fiction! (at least sometimes)

Visionaries are genius of course, but are often considered as mad, for being so much ahead of their time! An article about 9 visionaries and their vision is not only interesting read but also elaborates the importance of thinking different. Following are the visionaries and their visions discussed in the article by Alison Caporimo:

• Mark Twain (The Internet)
• Jules Verne (The Moon Landing)
• Ray Bradbury (Flat Screen TV)
• Star Trek (Bluetooth)
• Francis Ford Coppola (YouTube)
• The Simpsons (Food Processing Trend)
• James Berry (Online Shopping)
• Total Recall (Full-Body Scanners)

Of course there are some visions which proved wrong or may prove right in future, who know!?

Time is the most precious thing one can have. The time gone once will not come back. We know that and that is why we do our best to utilize the time to its maximum. But there are several mistakes which still some of us are making, working on which lead us to save our precious time! There are six news about medical world, which are worth knowing.

There is an entire world of Scent and Deo. Carine Bruet takes us on a journey in the world of scent. There is a lot of stuff here which some of us may not know about Scent. A good read.

Book Bonus – section brings tale of a former Romanian official – published in the book named – Inferno 89. The story is an emotional account of the officer’s capture, interrogation and trial. A touching read.

Overall an issue focused on some good stuff from various different fields. An issue worth reading.