The Utne Reader is a periodical founded in 1984 by Eric Utne. It maintains a digest format and runs articles that originally appeared elsewhere much like Reader's Digest. In addition to a few original pieces each issue, the magazine features quotations; an unusual policy for an alternative publication. Utne Reader also printed open-minded and nearly positive articles on the Mythopoetic Men's Movement when it first surfaced in the early 1990s—one of the few publications to do so. Unlike the Reader's Digest, which tends to publish articles with a more traditional leaning, Utne is a more progressive journal.

The magazine recently adjusted itself, changing the size and style of paper for which it was printed. The newer paper is much more environmentally-friendly yet still retains a "glossy" feel to it. Some concerned readers wrote in about it, however the magazine humorously explained what had occurred and that they had not switched to traditional glossy paper. They also dropped the "Reader" and are now simply "Utne."

"Utne" (pronounced ) is the surname of the family who co-owns and works on the magazine. It rhymes with "chutney". Utne is a small hamlet in Hardanger, western Norway. "UTNE", in Norwegian, means "far out" and probably has some pre-germanic elements, i.e. before approx. 200 CE. Other place-names in the area also has an element of pre-germanic and unknown origins.

Since the new Editor-in-Chief, Nina Utne, took over the magagine in November of 2005, the letters U.T.N.E have also become an acronym: "Understanding the Next Evolution".

Utne Reader recently announced the retirement of a similar publication, Whole Earth Review.

External link

• http://www.utne.com/

United States magazines