The FT Mag's 100th

On the occasion of the FT Magazine's 100th edition, John.Lloyd (Editor's Letter, 9 April) asks 'Let me know how you think we're doing.' Pretty well, I'd say. Your Magazine is on my must-read list, along with The New York Times Magazine (via the Internet). In-depth background information and analysis are invaluable. I particularly like the 'books-essay' and other extended reviews. As George Orwell says somewhere, short reviews are of little use, other than as publicity.

These aren't quite the quotation I was looking for, but they give the general idea.

And incidentally the book review, which for lack of elbow room has dwindled to a perfunctory summary, might become a work of art again, as it was in the days of the Edinburgh and the Quarterly. ( As I Please, 2 June 1944)

Even in reputable literary papers 'it was quite usual to send a book to a reviewer with some such formula as, "Review this book if it seems any good. If not, send it back. We don’t think it’s worthwhile to print simply damning reviews." ' ( As I Please, 9 June 1944)

W H Smith last weekend had a new magazine on prominent display - The liberal (presumably not 'The Liberal'), theliberal.co.uk. Not much online, but here is a sample: Brave New World RICHARD GOTT (on South America)