This week, I dedicate the weekend reader to magazines and some special things only they can do — like write about esoteric topics and bring our imaginations to life. None of these stories are about tech, but about life, people and us.
- Welcome to Williamsburg: As a longtime New York resident including long stints in Queens and Brooklyn, long before they became cool, Williamsburg was this weird neighborhood one passed by when getting into lower Manhattan. Now it is the center of gravity of creativity in New York City. Metropolis magazine takes a walkabout in the ‘hood.
- Homeland’s CIA Connection: Everyone seems to love the TV show Homeland. Even the president watches it. Ever wonder where the most intense, realistic spy show gets the skinny from? Men’s Journal finds out.
- The Messy Business of Tacos: Tell me one person who doesn’t like tacos. They are delicious and they are addictive. They are messy and, in Mexico, they are more than just food. Tacos and their cultural symbolism are subject of this wonderful story by Jeffrey Pilcher.
- Interview with Salman Rushdie: I find Rushdie fascinating, mostly because the man has defied some odds, married and divorced a stunner, and all this time has figured out a way to write stories that are interesting. The Granta magazine interviews him and it is a great read.
- The Blind Faith of a One-Eyed Matador: The story of Juan Jose Padilla, one of Spain’s top bullfighters who got gored, lost an eye and is now back to doing what he does — tormenting the bulls.
- Death on the path to enlightenment: A great story about westerners who go to India, seeking salvation and find it an exercise in futility.
- A Fish Story: I believe the best way to talk about climate change and its impact on society and mankind is through stories. Stories like this one where a handful of guys are trying to save a fish and with it, the Atlantic Ocean.
