Baffler. 1988. s-a. $20. Ed: Thomas Frank. ISSN 1059-9789. illus. adv. Aud: GA. (Subject: Politics and Culture. Issue examined: Vol. 2, No. 1)
The first life of this left-veering literary and political review ended with Issue 17 in 2007. Returning with Vol. 2, Issue 1, it remains dedicated to thought-provoking assessments of contemporary culture from unapologetically liberal points of view. Baffler is particularly committed to exposing unsavory aspects of business culture. The examined issue's theme, "Margin Call," includes critiques of the mortgage refinancing business and of the culture of Wall Street, a story about questionable business tactics by "Painter of Light" Thomas Kinkade, and a Micheal Lind piece on oligarchy. Readers can expect well-written articles mincing no words and expressing confidence in moral positions, similar to the writing in periodicals advertised within Baffler's pages: Harper's, Cabinet, n+1. The editors proclaim, "Whatever we choose to splatter over the page today will still be as true twenty years from now as what's written in the Federalist Papers, only a little more fun to read." Whether everything in Baffler's pages is true can be debated, but the search for truth is advanced by the provocative opinions it publishes. The intended audience will certainly find it fun to read. Baffler is an excellent magazine for public or academic libraries.

Counseling Outcome Research and Evaluation (online). 2010. s-a. $200. Ed: Danica G. Hays. eISSN 2150-1386. Aud: Ac. (Subject: Counseling-Research. Issue examined: Vol. 1, No. 1, 2010)
Establishing a culture of assessment is familiar to any academic librarian ever involved in accreditation processes, so it's no surprise to see a new journal devoted to advancing self-reflective practice. Counseling Outcome Research and Evaluation (CORE) is all about using research data to support or refute the value of intervention in the helping professions. CORE, along with its sister journal, Measurement and Evaluation in Counseling and Development, is published by the Association for Assessment in Counseling and Education. The group's rationale behind the creation of CORE is to support the application of assessment, which is a step beyond the first journal's focus on developing and validating assessment instruments. Subscriptions to CORE are online only (print issues can be purchased individually on demand). Libraries that support counseling programs should subscribe to CORE if they don't already receive it in the SAGE Online Psychology collection.

Jimon. 2010. s-a. $19.95. Ed: Jimon Aframian. ISSN 2153-1781. illus. adv. Aud: GA. (Subject: Fashion. Issue examined: Vol. 1, No. 1, Spring/Summer 2010)
Publisher and editor in chief Aframian is a fashion photographer who has also done extensive photography with female nudes. His work and the work of other art fashion photographers is featured in this oversize (14" x 11") unbound portfolio of full-page images on heavyweight glossy paper. Each photo essay includes unobstrusive credits identifying the photographers, makeup artists, fashion designers, and models. The depicted art fashion is mostly couture. Art is the focus rather than promotion of products. Several images include partial or full nudity. Text comprises a minority of the content. The only narrative in the examined issue is a short piece about T-shirts, an interview with environmentalist David de Rothschild, and a short story, "Sunday Morning-A True Story of Cocaine Vampires." Jimon is a distinctive publication of interest to fashion designers and photographers, but it is only recommended for libraries with extensive collections to serve those patrons.

Quilt Life. 2010. bi-m. $24.99. Ed: Jan Magee. ISSN 2150-248X. illus. adv. Aud: GA. (Subject: Quiltmakers. Issue examined: Vol. 1, No. 2, June 2010)
The newest magazine from the American Quilter's Society is produced in partnership with Ricky Tims and Alex Anderson, hosts of the online video series TheQuiltShow.com. Quilt Life includes some how-to and quilt designs, but its main focus is people's love for and experience with creating distinctive quilts. Art quilts take center stage, and there are images of some real beauties quilted in many different styles. The examined issue includes articles on selecting the right thread, incorporating embroidery, Irish quiltmaking, and the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative. Quilt Life has much to offer quilters at every level of experience. The clear and simply written articles, colorful pictures of diverse types of quilts, and detailed descriptions are well crafted to inspire beginners and experts alike. Quilt Life uses a large font, high-res photos, and a pleasing graphic design to create an easy-to-read and visually appealing magazine. Highly recommended for public libraries.

Yachting Times. 2010. q. $9. Ed: Dolores Barciela. ISSN 2153-084X. ill. adv. Aud: GA. (Subject: Boating. Issue examined: Spring 2010)
With such a large selection of boating magazines available, a new one needs a compelling angle to attract readers-Yachting Times features stories in English and Spanish about boating in Florida. This reviewer anticipated a double magazine, with an English copy mirrored within the covers by a Spanish copy, but that's not how Yachting Times is published. Instead, illustrated articles in English are followed by an unillustrated summary in Spanish. Not every article appears in both languages, and the advertisements are in English, so much of the magazine is not accessible to a reader with limited English skills. The writing and photography are unremarkable. Articles in the examined issue address varnish, sea turtles, the Key Biscane Yacht Club, and the risk of skin cancer from overexposure to the sun. Yachting Times may find an audience in Florida ports, but it does not distinguish itself enough from other boating magazines to justify subscribing to it elsewhere.