Writers' Magazines - Free PDF Magazine Back Issues

Magazines for writers and readers. Free PDF magazine back issues. Literature, poetry, short stories, fiction. Recent and vintage.

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Free PDF Magazine Back Issues – PDF Magazines Download

Book Review Digest

1905-1927

NY: H.W. Wilson

The Digest was “devoted to the valuation of current literature”. Each annual volume covers select books published in the previous year, and each book entry contains snippets (often 50-100 words) from several reviews found in a search of over 50 publications.

The Bookman; an Illustrated Literary Journal

Vol 1 (Feb-Jul 1895) to Vol. 56 (Feb 1923)

Vol 8 (Sep 1898-Feb 1899)

Vol 9 (Mar-Aug 1899)

New York

“Illustrated articles on literary biography, criticism and literary history with occasional discussions of art. Sprightly in tone and very useful for study clubs. The book reviews, which vary from detailed criticism to mere comment, are much used by libraries and bookmen generally. Since February 1917, the scope has been widened to include more articles on general political and social subjects.” – F. K. Walter, Periodicals for the Small Library, ALA 1918.

BookPage

BookPage Website

Issues 2020 – Present

Nashville, Tennessee: Bookpage

“BookPage is a discovery tool for readers, highlighting the best new books across all genres. BookPage is editorially independent; only books we highly recommend are featured. Any publisher-sponsored content is clearly labeled as such.” – Website. The link has issues since 2009, but only the issues since January 2020 are free.

Curiositales: The Magazine for All Things Bookish

2018 – 2020

New York: Curiositales

Articles about books and genres, and interviews with authors. 16 ISSUU digital issues.

Devour: Art & Lit Canada

Devour: Art & Lit Canada Website

Issues 2017 – Present

Brighton, Ontario, CA: Hidden Brook Press

“The mission of Devour: Art and Lit Canada is to promote Canadian culture by bringing world-wide readers some of the best Canadian literature, art and photography.” – Publisher.

The Dial

1840-1922

Chicago, New York

‘The Dial Magazine’ was established in 1840 as a Transcendentalist magazine, edited by Ralph Waldo Emerson and Margaret Fuller. It ceased publication in 1844. In Chicago in 1880 the editor and publisher Francis F. Browne gave his new journal of literary criticism and politics the same name, claiming it was in the same tradition. It achieved national prominence and was the most respected magazine of its type in the Midwest, before declining after 1910. In 1918 it was moved to New York and again became very influential, publishing important artwork, poetry and fiction.

Incite Magazine

2005 – Present

Ontario, CA: McMaster University

“A McMaster University’s creative arts & writing publication, aiming to unite a community of young creatives by promoting self-expression, collaboration, and dialogue.” – Publisher. About 80 digital ISSUU issues.

Kirkus Reviews

Kirkus Reviews Website

Issues 2011 – Present

New York: Kirkus Media

Kirkus Reviews is a widely respected magazine for reviews of new books.

The Lakeside Monthly Magazine

Vols 1-4, 7-9 (1869-1873)

Vols 6-11 (1871-1874)

Chicago

‘The Lakeside Monthly’, which ran from 1869 to 1874, was edited by Francis Fisher Browne. It was the predecessor to Browne’s more successful Chicago literary periodical ‘The Dial’, which began in 1880 (also found on this webpage). Issues contain non-fiction, fiction, poetry and book reviews. Included were nonfiction articles about Chicago, including a section called “The Rebuilding of the City’ on page 281 of Volume 8 (Oct 1872), which describes the restoration of Chicago in the wake of the great fire of October 1871.

Library Journal

Magazine Website

Vol 1 (1876) – Vol 50 (1925)

Ca 1925 to 2007

New York

Official organ of the Library Associations of America and the United Kingdom, Nov. 1877 – June 1882; of the American Library Association, July 1882-Aug. 1907.

Local Wolves

Local Wolves Website

Issues 2012 – Present

Long Beach, California: Local Wolves

“Established in 2012, Local Wolves is an independent, digital and print magazine driven by the passion of storytelling for creative minds from diverse fields of work. The magazine was founded by Southern California native Cathrine Khom who started Local Wolves initially as a music blog and quickly flourished into curated theme issues delving into more in-depth topics and meaningful conversations.” – Website.

McClure’s Magazine

Vol 1 (1893) – Vol 59 (1927)

New York

McClure’s magazine (1893-1929) is credited with having started the tradition of muckraking journalism (investigative, watchdog or reform journalism), and helped shape the moral compass of the day. The magazine featured both political and literary content, publishing serialized novels-in-progress, a chapter at a time. In this way, McClure’s published such writers as Willa Cather, Arthur Conan Doyle, Herminie T. Kavanagh, Rudyard Kipling, Jack London, Lincoln Steffens, Robert Louis Stevenson, and Mark Twain. Examples of its work include Ida Tarbell’s series in 1902 exposing the monopoly abuses of John D. Rockefeller’s Standard Oil Company, and Ray Stannard Baker’s earlier look at the United States Steel Corporation, which focused the public eye on the conduct of corporations. – Wikipedia.

North American Review

1815-1927

1815 to 1939

Boston

“One of America’s leading literary journals of the 19th and early 20th centuries. Early contributors included William Cullen Bryant, Daniel Webster, John Adams, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and Francis Parkman. Two of the Review‘s best-known editors, in the 1860s and 1870s, were James Russell Lowell and Henry Adams. In the late 1870s, under new ownership, the Review was transformed into a national periodical noted “for its critical influence and outstanding writing concerning social and political issues”. Contributors then included William Gladstone, Oliver Wendell Holmes, Mark Twain and H.G. Wells.” – Encyclopedia Britannica online.

Ogma

Ogma Magazine Website

2020

Ireland: Ogma

“Ogma is a digital and print zine for creatives with a passion for storytelling. We publish work by writers and content creators featuring narrative essays, original fiction, poetry, prose, artwork and interviews! ” – Website.

Overland Monthly

1868-1923

1868-1935 at Internet Archive (Black & White)

San Francisco

Monthly. Edited by Bret Harte, the Overland Monthly; devoted to the Development of the Country began publication in 1868 in San Francisco and continued through 1875. It contained non-fiction, short stories and poetry. In 1880 the publishers founded the Californian, which then became the Californian and Overland Monthly and in 1883 was re-titled the Overland Monthly. In 1923 it merged with the magazine Out West, and continued until 1935. Some writers associated with the magazine were Alice Cary, Jack London, Mark Twain and Henry George.
— Information from Wikipedia entry for “Overland Monthly”.

Poetry

Poetry Magazine Website

1912-1961 at Internet Archive (Black & White)

Chicago: Poetry Foundation

“Poetry has been published in Chicago since 1912, and is online of the leading monthly poetry journals in the English-speaking world” – Wikipedia.

Sequential: Canadian Independent Comic Book Magazine

2019-2020

Montreal: Canadian Independent Comic Book Magazine

The goal of the magazine is to bring stories about creators in the Canadian Independent Comic Book Community and their creations to a national readership.

Shelf Unbound

Shelf Media Group Website

Issues 2013 – Present

Waukesha, Wisconsin: Shelf Media Group

“Shelf Unbound indie book review magazine features the best of small press and self-published books.” – Website.

Stay Bookish

1917-1918

A magazine published by and for young women who read books, this contains articles by writers, book reviews, reading recommendations, and articles about readers. 5 ISSUU digital issues.

Storizen

Storizen Website

Issues 2013 – Present

New Delhi, India:

“Empowering Authors, Bloggers, and Writers around the Globe.” – Website.

Top Shelf

2016-2021

Boston: TopShelf

A guide to current authors and books. It mainly contains interviews with successful authors.

Writer’s Digest

Writer’s Digest Website

1920-1961 at Internet Archive (Black & White)

Cincinnati, OH: F&W Publishing

Writer’s Digest began in 1920 and is still active. “It is an American magazine aimed at beginning and established writers. It contains interviews, market listings, calls for manuscripts, and how-to articles.” -Wikipedia.