Prospect has a new look. Did you notice?

Our current issue has been redesigned, as some of you have already noticed and commented upon. So far the response has been mainly positive in a dignified, Prospect fashion, interspersed with very few shrill cries of horror and anguish. Muted is the best indicator that we're doing the right thing, since we intended the change to be incremental rather than radical. The sole purpose of the redesign is to make the magazine more readable, and we're using reader comment to help with the fine tuning. Use this opportunity to tell us what you think. Please avail yourself, but please also note that it's better to be specific than general. The overall look and feel, rather than small elements, are what we need to focus upon, but if there is a small detail that really bugs you, please tell us.

Content, rather than design, is why you buy the magazine and why we print it, so tell us more about what you want to read about in Prospect. The lead article from our current issue featured on Start the Week on Monday, February 26: see http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/factual/starttheweek_20070226.shtml and listen to A C Grayling, who has started a column in Prospect. (which I hope might also stimulate a blog).

If you've never seen the print version and would like an evaluation copy, email me on john@prospect-magazine.co.uk. This offer is limited to the first 200 emails I receive. Meanwhile, if there's anything else you'd like to comment on, including the future of world politics, please tell us.

Kind regards, John

Comments

[Claudia Postelnicescu]

Dear John,

I was extremely happy when I first saw the blog at the beginning of this year; blogging is easy reachable and facilitates a direct contact with the readers, which is great. Moreover, is a new tool right there for us to use.

As for Prospect, new design and blog, that is important but what is absolutely fantastic about Prospect is its quality of content at all times. I used to live in the UK, as a postgraduate student in political theory, then I got back to my own country -Romania- and subscribed to read Prospect on line, but I actually go every now and then at the local British Council in Bucharest and read the hard copy. I even wrote a short story/script inspired by one of the articles I've read in the Prospect magazine last year.

Prospect is the only magazine that I genuinly like and enjoy reading, as each time I discover something new or an article is exactly on my interest and it brings some new challenging ideas. There is nothing like it in Romania and nothing like it elsewhere also. I don't care if it's elitist or not, I care about its outstanding quality of content, subject wise and contributors also. So, whatever you do, keep it up this way on these three, is all that truly matters.

All the best,

Claudia
ps: On the future of right and left in Romania, here is a small article I wrote for a Romanian based magazine ... http://www.vivid.ro/index.php/issue/84/page/in%20the%20labyrinth/tstamp/1166194413

[Sameer Padania]

I thought you might like to see a countervailing, optimism-focused version of this month's Big Question:

http://tedblog.typepad.com/tedblog/2007/01/what_are_you_op.html

[Andrew Burridge]

I'm happy with the new edition. I had expected a trend much more towards magazine format rather than journal, but on reciept think that while it's more glossy this is no bad thing. It still feels like a "serious" magazine. I'm someone who came over to Prospect after reading the New Statesmen during the last year, and just concluded that the politics were too lightweight and hysterical.

I haven't read all the articles yet - but I have the impression there was more content then before - in particular the number of central essays?

I'm glad the spine is in the same format so that I can keep slotting them in on my bookcase.

If you're looking for another "Top 100" list-type feature, I always enjoy finding out what books our clever-clogs think are the most essential reading - June/July, to inform summer holiday purchases? I know that's quite "light" content, but so what!

And I thought the debate between Hutton and Desai a couple of months ago was excellent.