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I'd add one thing to this post: The Economist reliably lists counterpoints to its articles. It has a nuanced feel, rare for a news source. The weekly cycle also
by jackconsidine 6y ago
I'd add one thing to this post: The Economist reliably lists counterpoints to its articles. It has a nuanced feel, rare for a news source. The weekly cycle also helps as sensationalized nonsense doesn't make the cut.
A trick someone told me was to read the sections in reverse (Obit, Books / Arts, Science etc); the writing quality is best towards the end!
PS this post reads a lot like the Johnson column on language, writing etc.
- BitLit 6y agoYears ago I was making a pitch to USV... the startup I was pitching was publishing related, and out of the blue one of the partners (Brad) asked me what order I read my Economist in? I paused to think and answered that I read front to back and skipped sections if they didn’t look interesting. Then I asked him what order he read it in. He said back to front. The conversation moved on without the chance for me to ask why. Maybe the reason was writing quality.
- pram 6y agoThe front part (the 'leaders') are opinion pieces. The international sections are usually more straight reporting on events.
- anthuswilliams 6y agoThe leaders are the only part of the magazine I skip these days.
- onebike 6y agoYeah, the obituaries are so well written. The recent one they wrote about Chick Corea made a great point about his influence while being extremely personal and delicate. Really made me want to explore more of his music.
- cranekam 6y agoI think the obits are all written by one person, Ann Wroe. I heard a really good interview with her a few years ago but I can't find it now. https://medium.economist.com/the-art-of-writing-an-obituary-e64a546222f https://medium.economist.com/the-art-of-writing-an-obituary-... is reasonably interesting.
- halhod 6y agoalmost all are written by Ann, who is brilliant. the odd one is written by a subject matter expert, or by someone for whom the subject was a source this one is a particularly good example, that HN may enjoy https://www.economist.com/obituary/2019/02/21/obituary-the-mars-rover-was-declared-lost-on-february-12th https://www.economist.com/obituary/2019/02/21/obituary-the-m...
- astrange 6y agoDennis Ritchie got 1.5 articles and John McCarthy 0.5, although it's a bit painful to read the Economist house style discussing programming languages. https://www.economist.com/babbage/2011/10/20/printfgoodbye-dennis https://www.economist.com/babbage/2011/10/20/printfgoodbye-d... https://www.economist.com/obituary/2011/11/05/dennis-ritchie-and-john-mccarthy https://www.economist.com/obituary/2011/11/05/dennis-ritchie...
- tclancy 6y agoShe is the one can’t-miss part of the magazine.
- brox 6y agoShe was interviewed on February 4th 2021 as part of their digital events series ("An audience with Ann Wroe, obituaries editor"). Worth a listen: https://economist-subsevents.zoom.us/rec/play/5b6CntzRCPHSJzp5ojqj7_AE_qt-w8bjktqvvaEXgoulPVgVxpUjh9sQmRO48LpPM_SOpTE3MfF_V7hP.GtVilhdsc5K_ax17 https://economist-subsevents.zoom.us/rec/play/5b6CntzRCPHSJz...
- osipov 6y agoGood luck finding a counterpoint in Economist to a claim that Putin is a killer.