This is a fascinating quarterly magazine. I'm modestly well read, but am reduced to nil as I read the pieces in here, having to do my own research in the middle of articles to keep up with references. The content is highly intellectual, thought-provoking, and always new, different and interesting.

Reading this magazine exposes me to facts, ideas and concepts that I would never encounter in my work or in my daily personal life, like how German "bergfilms" of the 1920s and 30s assisted in the rise of the Aryan/Nazi concepts of nation, individual, and destiny. This month's issue has a fascinating history of Day-Glo colors and paints, as well as an extended meditation on the color maroon. This is a quarterly injection of serious and deep intellectual/artistic inquiry and exploration, and while I have a very small (yet growing) platform from which to understand and appreciat this content, I find it engaging, informative and educational. With every issue I get a little bit smarter, so I figure in another ten years or so I'll know what's going on.

Bottom line: this is not an artsy picture-book of art pieces and commentary/review of art and artworks. It is a much deeper collection of sociological and historical explorations which take place in the context of, or slightly touching upon art. It is deep and at times convoluted and difficult to follow, but unmistakably interesting and rewarding.

I should go into painful detail about how amazing this magazine is, but suffice it to say that this magazine touches on an incredible variety of disciplines, from art to history to science to sociology and is often funny or absurd to boot.

It's as if a bunch of art-history majors (only the cool ones) got together and culled only the most interesting sidebars of history and put them into a magazine. The magazine sometimes reads like a scholarly version of Paul Harvey's "The Rest of the Story" and occasionally delves into esoteric subjects that only the most specialized amongst us can understand.

I own land in New Mexico because of this magazine.

I admit that when I first encountered this publication I wasn't sure what it was all about. In some respects it has a UTNE Reader feel, in another way it has a feel like The Nation magazine or even an elitist Architectural Digest feel. It certainly has an international or eccentric, eclectic feel. All of which appeal to me.

Do I think it is a magazine 'most' people would like? No. But then most Americas prefer Levitz furniture to timeless classic or artistic originality.

What other publication has articles on the most phallic building in the World, or the topic of 'evil,' or who owns history, or childhood or Pharmacopia ? So many new words are used in this publication that my vocabulary has increased contrary to what some say about ones mind going to pot after age fifty.

The photography accompanying the articles are stunning and a couple like page 80 fall 2003 issue of the Holland House Library in London after the 1940 bombing by the Germans is one photo I want to acquire in a larger format to frame. I am a bibliophile and have a large home library and the photo in question shows three men browsing thru the shelves for books with two men reading a book, which is what a true bibliophile would do be it war, storm, or hunger.

At least get a subscription to the publication for you local library.

I hadn't heard about Cabinet magazine until the editor offered to send me a free sample issue. This is one of the most informative, interesting and hard-hitting literary magazines out there! Arts and literature have always fascinated me, and this wonderful magazine covers all of the interesting facets of the same. I loved the Issue 12 article about artist Gianni Motti. The article and the artist's portraits enthralled me. I also enjoyed all the articles about artists whose work center on politics and foreign affairs. Cabinet magazine is a great companion for art buffs. This isn't the sort of magazine you can pleasantly skim through on your way to work. This is a drop-everything-you're-doing literary experience.

The editor kindly sent me a copy of "Cabinet" in the mail, writing that "I might enjoy it." Well, I did enjoy it, from cover to cover. I am not typically a subscriber to literary mags, though I used to occasionally enjoy "Exquisite Corpse" and could be seen furtively leafing through "The Utne Reader" at the newstand from time to time. "Cabinet" is full of wonderful photography, interesting snippets about art and lots of articles that stimulate the mind. It's hard to classify this journal, which is supported in part by the Andy Warhol Foundation. But if you like art and literature, and are looking for new stuff, "Cabinet" is a pleasure.

In the issue I read (Issue #12) I enjoyed the article about Presidential doodling (nothing new, this subject was covered in the 60's when I was in school) but the arrangement and comments about the doodles, from Hoover's to Geo. Bush, Sr. were interesting and amusing. Eisenhower's artistic rendering of a broken sword gets the predictable "thoughts of impotence" remark, and Johnson's scratchings are truly scary. The other article I liked specially was about the color of total eclipses. There's a lot in this quarterly issue (recipe for making a shrunken head of your late enemy??? Hmmm, not sure I will do this) and much more, politics, art, current events. VERY interesting stuff.