McSweeney's madness

I am pleased to inform you that I just decided to start collecting McSweeney's Quarterly Concern. Alas, I am the proud owner of only one copy but more shall quickly follow. For all those who are now thinking McWhat? Let me explain.

McSweeney's Quarterly Concern is a literary journal that came to life in 1998 and is edited by Dave Eggers who decided to bundle a series of short stories of that he liked but were rejected by other magazines. Since their immanent success, McSweeney's has counted on not only the support but also contribution of famous and established authors like Joyce Carol Oates, Rick Moody, Michael Chabon and Roddy Doyle just to name a few. Now, the Quarterly concern, is one of the most popular and respected literary magazines out there and has made it its mission to seek out and promote new and underappreciated talent like Stephen Dixon, Amy Fusselman and J.T. Leroy. Due to their excelance, McSweeney's, has already won various literary (The O. Henry Award, National Book Critics Circle Award,...) but also design awards (AIGA 365 Illustration Award, Print Design Regional Award,...) due to their magnificent covers and gorgeous artwork.

Besides the magazine, McSweeney's also publishes books that they personally vouch for as these books not only represent their own talented inhouse writers but it is also their way of distributing their literary vision in a more mainstream manner. Examples are Dave Egger's What is the What and a personal favorite, Nick Hornby's The Complete Polysyllabic Spree which is composed entirely out of his columns from The Believer.

The Believer, also worth collecting in my opinion, is their monthly magazine that combines short stories, literary interviews and book reviews with the ever changing world of art, politics and music brought to you by Nick Hornby, Amy Sedaris, Michel Houellebecq,...

And last but not least they also have a quartely DVD magazine named Wholphin with short movies, documentaries and animation from the likes of Spike Jonze, Miranda July, David O. Russell and Steve Soderbergh.

Now if that hasn't tickled your fancy, I don't know what will. What I personally love about McSweeney's is how every issue is so intricately created that it ends up being this amazing combination of stories, illustration and what not. Each issue is a little work of art as the cover and the layout are so lusciously designed that you actually feel bad opening it in fear of making a crease or, god forbid, stain. They are full of gags and clever little stunts like my own issue (Issue 21 and highly recommended) where every story is followed by a letter to Ray Charles.
Each McSweeney's has it's own theme like the now already infamous Issue 13 which was edited by Chris Ware and is dedicated completely to comics with a few essays inbetween to lighten the load. A personal favorite of mine and possible my next purchase is Issue 17 that oddly enough resembles a bundle of mail yet in each bill, letter and even catalogue a potential literary masterpiece is concealed.

McSweeney's I am you latest devotee.