Lewis H. Lapham be the reason I initially subscribe to Harper 's . he template and influence be still present . I enjoy my reading hobby and this magazine touch a lot of my reading hot button . investigative reporting be my red meat hot botton . perhaps the best book on that subject be Into the buzzsaw by Kristina Borjesson . if one read that , than one understand , what they need to know about a `` free press '' . despite those draw back -lrb- read the book -rrb- , Harper 's manage to touch some hot wire that be ever present in today 's envirnoment of elaborate pr facade . for example , the `` global warming ' that be allegedly cause by carbon dioxide . read -lrb- google -rrb- \/ climate Change : there be money to be make by Ken Silverstein Harper 's . another hot botton of mine be books\/literature , and Harper 's not only review several book , but select some for very in-depth anayls . another hot button of mine be science and they have a feature , every month : finding , which be quite good -lrb- short but sweet -rrb- . also , some article , at time , feature science story . another great feature they have every month be they `` Index '' feature , which relate some factual statistics on current topic that be in the public eye . another feature be `` reading '' , which be a eclectic assortment of various odds & end that cover thing that one would never imagine to come across . perhaps one of the most outstanding reason to subscribe be Harper 's provide access to its vast archive , date back to 1850 ! I access a article that note historian Charles Beard write in December 1931 title ` the myth of rugged american individualism ' . in it he document 15 example of government handouts\/subsidies to business when the country be sink into depression . it demolish the notion that business have single-handedly achieve the building of the country -lrb- or even its own special project -rrb- due to the acumen and strength of character of big american entreneur , reveal the extent to which government -lrb- as fund by the taxpayer -rrb- be not just instrumental , but a indespensable participant . government be engage in these project in such a way that corporation be primary beneficiary to the detriment of the public-such as the elaborate construction of network of highway favor the auto industry and big oil instead of cheap public transit . the giant business have enjoy tremendous benefit while command public policy agenda , distort public policy priority and expendature in way that be not in -lrb- or even against -rrb- the public interest . and then , even as they reap immense government subsidy , they have the audacity to preach ` individualism ' and self-sufficientcy to the american public , to tell Americans that we should demand nothing \/ expect nothing from the government we elect to address OUR need . this article of the past be representative of what a magazine should write today . unfortunately , it be not the case . all in all , a very worthwhile magazine in today 's mainstream media full of emptiness .