Winners of National Magazine Awards

The American Society of Magazine Editors announced the winners of its National Magazine Awards (adorably nicknamed the "Ellies") last night. Among a formidable collection of finalists, there were a few (but not many) surprises:

GENERAL EXCELLENCE

• Under 100,000 circulation: San Francisco
• 100,000-250,000: Mother Jones
• 250,000-500,000: New York
• 500,000-1,000,000: GQ
• 1,000,000-2,000,000: Men's Health
• Over 2,000,000: National Geographic

SINGLE-TOPIC ISSUE

Recognizes magazines that have devoted an issue to the in-depth examination of one topic

Winner: Wired

MAGAZINE SECTION

Recognizes the excellence of a regular, cohesive front- or back-of-back section

Winner: New York

REPORTING Honors the enterprise, skill and analysis that a magazine exhibits in covering an event or problem of contemporary interest and significance

Winner: The New York Times Magazine: Gerald Marzorati, Editor for “The Deadly Choices at Memorial,” by Sheri Fink, August 30

PUBLIC INTEREST

Recognizes magazine journalism that illuminates issues of public importance

Winner: The New Yorker: David Remnick, Editor for “The Cost Conundrum,” by Atul Gawande

FEATURE WRITING

Honors the stylishness and originality with which the writer treats her or his subject

Winner: Texas Monthly:  Evan Smith, President and Editor-in-Chief; Jake Silverstein, Editor for “Still Life,” by Skip Hollandsworth

PROFILE WRITING

Honors the vividness and perceptiveness with which the writer brings his or her subject to life

Winner: Esquire:  David Granger, Editor-in-Chief for “The Man Who Never Was,” by Mike Sager, May

ESSAYS

Recognizes the writer’s eloquence, perspective, fresh thinking and unique voice

Winner: National Geographic:  Chris Johns, Editor-in-Chief for “Top Ten State Fair Joys,” by Garrison Keillor

COLUMNS AND COMMENTARY

Recognizes excellence in short-form social, economic and political commentary, including humor

Winner: Newsweek:  Jon Meacham, Editor for three columns by Fareed Zakaria: “Worthwhile Canadian Initiative,” February 16; “The Way Out of Afghanistan,” September 21; “Theocracy and Its Discontents,” June 29

REVIEWS AND CRITICISM

Honors the knowledge, persuasiveness and original voice that the critic brings to her or his reviews

Winner: The New Yorker:  David Remnick, Editor for three reviews by Elizabeth Kolbert: “Green Like Me,” August 31; “Flesh of Your Flesh,” November 9; “Hosed.”

FICTION

Recognizes excellence in fiction published in magazines

Winner: McSweeney’s Quarterly:  Dave Eggers, Editor for “Memory Wall,” by Anthony Doerr, October 1; “Raw Water,” by Wells Tower, October 1; “Further Interpretations of Real-Life Events,” by Kevin Moffett; March 3

PERSONAL SERVICE

Honors the outstanding use of print journalism to serve the readers’ needs and aspirations

Winner: New York:  Adam Moss, Editor-in-Chief for “For and Against Foreskin,” by Chris Bonanos, Michael Idov and Hanna Rosin, October 26

LEISURE INTERESTS

Recognizes excellence in service journalism focusing on recreational activities and special interests

Winner: New York:  Adam Moss, Editor-in-Chief for “The Great New York Neoclassical Neapolitan Pizza Revolution,” by Rob Patronite and Robin Raisfeld with Michael Idov, July 20-27

DESIGN, PRINT

Honors the effectiveness of design, typography and artwork in support of the editorial mission of the magazine

Winner: Wired:  Chris Anderson, Editor-in-Chief for March, May, August Issues.

PHOTOGRAPHY / PRINT

Honors the effectiveness of photography, photojournalism and photo-illustration in support of the editorial mission of the magazine

Winner: Vanity Fair:  Graydon Carter, Editor for March, September, November Issues

PHOTOJOURNALISM

Recognizes the informative photographic documentation of an event or subject

Winner: National Geographic:  Chris Johns, Editor-in-Chief for “Shattered Somalia,” photographs by Pascal Maitre; text by Robert Draper, May

PHOTO PORTFOLIO

Honors creative photography and photo illustration, including portraiture

Winner: The New Yorker: David Remnick, Editor for “Portraits of Power,” photographs by Platon, December 7

MAGAZINE OF THE YEAR

Honors publications that successfully use both print and digital media in fulfilling the editorial mission of the magazine

Winner: Glamour: Cynthia Leive, Editor-in-Chief; Jill Herzig, Executive Editor; Geraldine Hessler, Design Director; Glamour.com: Ben Berentson, Online Managing Director for April, September, November Issues

In short: West Coast magazines did especially well. The East Coast magazines (especially New York and The New Yorker) continued their predictable dominance. National Geographic, too, continued its run as a perennial winner. The Magazine of the Year award, given for the first time this year and with an interesting print/digital duality, went to the only traditionally women's magazine that emerged as a finalist in any category. Anna Wintour of Vogue was inducted into the Magazine Editors’ Hall of Fame Award.

In passing: If there's a fiction category, why not a poetry category? Tremendous poems appear in today's magazines.

Of my initial favorites, only Mother Jones ended up with a win. But I'd like to shout-out my team again anyway:

• The Virginia Quarterly Review (Photojournalism, Fiction)
• The Boston Review (Public Interest, first NMA nomination)
• Orion (Essays, first NMA nomination)
• The Antioch Review (Fiction)
• The Paris Review (General Excellence, Print, under 100,000 circulation)
• Mother Jones (General Excellence, Print, 100,000-250,000 circulation)
• Harper's Magazine (Reviews and Criticism)

Comments

[Waldo Jaquith]

Thanks, Anna. :)

[Anna Clark]

Thanks back for your good work, Waldo!