Even within the constraints of its genre, Hallmark Magazine manages to excel in more ways than I can note. The cynical among us might loathe the idea in theory -- "real women" with "real pressures" and "mortgages" and "loveless marriages" and "two kids in juvie" don't have a ton of time to sift through tripe about, like, Faith Hill's mothering techniques -- but Hallmark Magazine is tonally attuned to its readership in a way that few publications are.

The title is as intriguing as the tagline -- "Life through an Eastern lens." I view mine through the prism of a jaded urban cynic, but I'm open. East West smartly positions each section -- news, features, food -- with a decidedly Eastern flair. And most of the writers, save a few, are of Asian heritage, too. Even the horoscope is via your Chinese astrological sign. In short, the 3-year-old EW works, neatly blending East/West experiences for a targeted readership.

JazzTimes' March issue doesn't extend an olive branch to newbies, nor does it offer much in the way of visual flash. That said, it reads as well as any arts or entertainment publication out there. Skillful writers, ranging from civil-liberties gadfly Nat Hentoff to jazz critic of record Gary Giddins, abound in its pages. You might not know much about what they're saying, but you'll be transfixed by the way they say it.

While paging through Time, I often think to myself, "Hmm, I'm really enjoying the dispatches from Damascus, but what really makes this magazine sing is its trimonthly style and design coverage." Remember the story about that fashion guy, the one with the hair? Of course you don't, because you no more read Time for such effluvia than you do Vogue for its foreign-affairs exposition or Architectural Digest for Joel Stein's peppy wit. And thus the new issue of Time Style & Design arrives with the deck stacked against it. Just who is this magazine for?

Consider the New York magazine reader, whose interests are said to range "from the hottest hairstylists to the best neurologists" -- a promotional phrase that conjures up a trend-obsessed shopper looking for a brain surgeon and a hairdresser simultaneously, the latter to groom the stubble on her postoperative skull....

Upon purchasing my column fodder the other night, I happened upon a pile of prom magazines. Correct me if I'm wrong, but it's still February, no? We're sure forcing these kids to grow up fast, what with the SATs and the MySpace and the orthodontics and all. Of the eight titles populating the shelf, Your Prom appeared the most professional on its surface. I hesitate to call it a magazine, though, as indistinguishable dress ads occupy a solid 250 or so of its 354 pages. It ranks as the rare title which boasts so little content that nearly every item …

One's first inclination might be to mock any title so self-reverential as to label itself Good. But even 20 pages in, it becomes quite clear that its founders have invested an awful lot of time and effort in distinguishing their product from the dreck populating most newsstands. It's perhaps the best-thought-out magazine launch of the last half-decade.

The March issue of In Style is a doorstopper, with much of the weight coming from ads and editorial featuring bags. As in very big, very expensive, Prada-, Gucci-, Hermes-sort of handbags. But as a cruel month, March is known for its lion/lamb issues, and In Style goes to similar extremes: While the issue might be heavy on giant purses, it's also filled with questions from star-struck readers -- and these tend to be lighter than air. "How do I get my skin to glow like Lindsay Lohan's?'' Katelyn Paquette, of Scottsdale, Ariz., asks. Is this a set-up, or what?

Body + Soul is, by any measure, a triumph of presentation. The beaming gazes, the omnipresent tints of green, the lightly hued backdrops to its sidebars -- an awful lot of effort went into making sure this magazine looks as Zen as it reads. Upon closer inspection, however, a realization slowly sets in: Hey, I've seen all this stuff before. A seven-day-detox plan, "great skin for life," tips for fighting fatigue, spa/retreat recommendations... Is there a single story in Body + Soul that hasn't been written numerous times by other wellness or women's magazines?

As far as fan-only titles go, Parachutist does just dandy. Unlike other enthusiast publications (especially those which, like Parachutist, are published by a booster organization), the mag keeps its fanboy tendencies in check. Rather than the usual our-activity-is-the-bestest-ever-and-anybody-who-doesn't-like-it-is-an-inert-couch-donkey screeds, Parachutist views its central pastime with a discerning eye.