An Enduring Vision. Review on Reader's Digest

The thought of Reader’s Digest reminds of an anonymous saying, “ That is a good book, which seems to me, which is opened with expectations and closed with profit.” I have been subscribing this magazine for nearly seven years now, and every issue was opened with expectation and closed with profit, not just for me, but for my whole family.

Started in 1922, by an armyman and his wife, it’s first issue was just a collection of previously published stories which had a much higher appeal than others. Now, the monthly inspires people 100 million from 165 countries, in 19 different languages. This statistic should prove it’s everlasting and enduring attraction.

Every edition of the magazine covers several subjects, and makes a good read for anyone in any age group. The highlight of the articles, though, is that every story is non fiction. The articles in the magazine are all real life stories, yet, they can hold the reader as easily as a Jeffery Archer novel can. Apart from this, it also has write-ups dealing with solutions to real life problems such as compatibility in marriages, how to bring up kids, how to maintain you house, health problems etc. I myself have read and benefitted from the number of columns referring to weight loss(!). The humor section of RD is legendary. One need not have to explain about it’s excellence. Grouped under a number of topics such as humor in uniform, life’s like that, laughter, all in a day’s work, virtual reality, etc., they are my favourite. I am a big fan of RD’s comic sections, that I have a book which happens to be a collection of RD jokes. In fact, they are so good, that I know of guy who subscribes RD just for it’s jokes.

Nowadays, RD also features an interview with a celebrity in every edition. These interviews are not the normal kinds which just talks about the work they have been doing. The interviewer gets the person’s confidence and the column talks about the ups and downs in his life and personally what kind of a person he/she is. It delves into the inner persona and explains the never known and hidden characters in them.

The success of RD can mainly be attributed to the fact that it’s stories deal with the triumphs of human life. Every article explains the problems in life and how each of them overcame it in their own way. The book which began as a pocket sized collection which wanted to inform and entertain, is now an inspiration to millions. It’s stories makes one feel that life is indeed beautiful.