The September 2005 issue of Playboy is once again a pretty good one for serious readers.
There is a story, The Fisherman and the Jinn, by Robert Coover that is entertaining, but I must admit, not one that I would have happily paid for without some of the other things I'm about to mention. It's only one page and one column long and doesn't seem to cover much ground - a bit odd for a Coover story (unless of course, I'm just not quite sure what RC is doing, which would not at all be odd for a Coover story).
The issue also has the standard Playboy Interview - this time around with columnist and author Thomas L. Friedman (From Beirut to Jerusalem, The Lexus and the Olive Tree, and The World is Flat) - that is actually a much more riveting read than the aforementioned short story.
The book review page once again takes on those more in the manly range of authors - recent Playboy contributor (and EWN member) Bill Roorbach's newest, Temple Stream, rates 3 or 4 bunnies, as do new ones about Jimi Hendrix, and by James Carlos Blake (The Killings of Stanley Ketchel). The book of the month is Bret Easton Ellis' Lunar Park, picking up 3.5 bunnies and Charles C Mann's non-fiction effort, 1491 ranks 4 full bunnies.
The Next Month page lets readers know that next month's interview will be with George Carlin, Amanda Paige will be Miss October, and that Kevin A. Gonzalez has won this year's college fiction contest (while I've sadly lost the notes I used to have about past winners, I do remember Brady Udall - The Miracle Life of Edgar Mint - placed 2nd or 3rd one year, and Andrew Wellman - S.F.W.- won the whole schmiel one year) so once again, an issue for serious readers to look forward to.
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Posted by: Fred the Liberal | August 15, 2005 at 01:32 AM
Does the wife/significant other really believe you're reading Playboy for literary research purposes?
Posted by: Pete | August 15, 2005 at 12:22 PM
Pete,
Absolutely. Not happy about it, but certainly believing it!
Enjoy,
Posted by: Dan Wickett | August 15, 2005 at 01:38 PM
Wow. Have you ever considered a career in sales?
Posted by: Pete | August 17, 2005 at 10:52 AM
Wow, those stories were boring, playboy is suppose to be entertaining. They should add a little comedy every once in awhile
Posted by: Doogie | February 25, 2007 at 04:22 AM