Mental Floss Print Magazine

To begin, I think it is important for any potential subscriber to understand what they are getting into. This is like People magazine for people who do not want to read about people. The articles are short one pagers with good pictures and diagrams. The content includes a variety of interesting topics related to the environment, technology and miscellaneous stuff. The reads are interesting conversation pieces, but they are short and easy to read. I would guess it is written at the middle school age level.I purchased this magazine for my kids to peruse during car rides and when they are waiting around. I do think adults could find something a little more complicated, but if your not much of a reader it may give you some food for thought.

Years ago I'd have not hesitated to give Mental Floss magazine a 5-star rating. Sad to say this past year or two, the magazine just ain't what it used to be. Month after month, content seems to jump from the downright silly to the boring hyper-technical.M.F. used to skillfully combine fun learning with a bit of whimsy. I don't know what happened, but suffice to say I did not--and will not--renew my subscription. Subscription price isn't that much of a bargain anyway. I'll come out better by going back to buying selected issues that appear to contain content I personally find interesting. It's not that hard to satisfy this information junky, but M.F. is currently failing to do so.I'd still recommend the magazine maybe, but as month-to-month purchase, rather than on a subscription basis.

Mental Floss is both interesting AND an easy read. By "easy", I don't mean simple. I mean that most of the articles are quick and to the point. I gave the gift subscription to a teen who likes trivia/information but who is often a reluctant reader (and, let's face it, most teens ARE reluctant readers these days). I wanted him to be able to access information quickly and easily and be engaged readily in the text. So far Mental Floss has been able to do this with great ease.And I love it because there is always --ALWAYS-- something I've never heard about before, something I want to share, something I want to learn more about. How great is that?

I love this magazine, and so does everyone else in my family. It definitely gets passed around. I have given gift subscriptions of this magazine to a lot of people as well. And everyone loves it!Don't be fooled! Although it is educational, it is so fun to read that you forget that you might be learning something! And the great thing about this magazine is that you are learning things that you didn't even know you wanted to learn about. I definitely find myself using facts and trivia from this magazine in my daily conversation. It also introduces you to subjects that you might want to learn more about, but didn't know existed.I can't say enough about this magazine. If you can read, you will love it!!I highly recommend the Mental Floss books as well. They make for great bathroom reading!

Mental Floss is a magazine developed by two Duke undergrads. It's fresh and edgy, sometimes irreverent, and often downright silly. Imagine opening a magazine, and out pops a cocktail party full of Gen X intellectuals, animatedly discussing everything from art to zen. This is Mental Floss. Articles are not lengthy, but they are informative. If one needed to cram for a trivial pursuit competition, Mental Floss would be a great study tool. It familiarizes the reader with the basics, in a language that is accessible but not condescending. Anything and everything is fair game for a Mental Floss article, as long as it makes people think. Obscure scientific knowledge cozies up to pop culture, and bizarre facts are juxtaposed with sobering statistics.Ken Jennings of Jeopardy! fame is a regular contributor. His "Six Degrees" column links two apparently unrelated words or phrases in six short steps. One month he was challenged to connect Wasabi (a spicy Japanese mustard) with Kemosabe (Tonto's pet name for the Lone Ranger, supposed to be a Native American word for faithful friend). Another issue has Jennings connecting the dots between PC (personal computer) and PC (politically correct).Another regular feature is the "Know It All" column by A. J. Jacobs. An editor at Esquire magazine, Jacobs read the entire 32 volume Encyclopedia Britannica in his quest to become the world's smartest man. Now, in Mental Floss, he's sharing random facts based on a different alphabet letter in each issue. L, for instance, has A. J. discussing such diverse topics as the London Zoo, Ligers (offspring of a lion/tiger breeding), Liar paradox, and Lucky Luciano."The Dead Guy Interview" by Michael A. Stusser showcases a famous deceased person each month. Stusser's imaginary exchange with Sun Tzu is hilarious, though I found the Andy Warhol piece a bit macabre. I can imagine the inquisitive reader might be spurred on to read up on their history, just to get the inside jokes.Mental Floss is intended for adults; some material may be inappropriate for preteens. I'd love to see a kid's version of Floss. It's an intriguing magazine and a subscription would make a fine gift.

Not as good as it once was, but still the best magazine around. Everybody will find something of interest in here. And it is all written in a light, funny, irreverent style. Stop reading magazines that insult your intelligence!My only gripe is the over-reliance lately on star power, and a more consumeristic bent. Their covers and articles often seem to involve celebrities now, and are not nearly as funny and interesting as the contributions from lesser-known writers. And they seem to be doing more product reviews and marketing of mental_floss store items. But hey, they do sell some cool stuff, and their product reviews are mostly very interesting. It is a slippery slope however, especially when advertisers are put in the mix. Keep true to your roots, mental_floss!