London-based Boat magazine issues its 100-page "Detroit issue"

[Carey]

Boat magazine's slogan is "an antidote to lazy journalism." So here comes its industrial-strength take on Detroit. I picked it up today at Leopold's [[8 pounds/$12).

On first glance it looks artsy and wide-ranging, sophisticated and politically correct, city-centric and suburban-aware. There are cool photos from a mainly London-based crew of shooters, including some aerial views, a couple of shirtless Detroit Pistons and only one from the Packard Plant. Top notch author Jeffrey Eugenides and "Sweet Juniper" blogger James Griffoen are two of a number of contributors with local roots, though Eugenides hasn't lived here since he hit the big time, and it shows when he calls the Michigan Central Station the Grand Trunk.

The tone is relentlessly upbeat. As Eugenides writes: "The reason I agreed to contribute these brief thoughts about Detroit for Boat Magazine has to do with the correctness of the editors' attitude. This issue of Boat Magazine seeks to take a stand against ruin porn. It is everything a ghoulish filmmaker wouldn't understand."

Of interest: There are only two ads, both from Ford Motor. And the ubiquitous Toby Barlow gets a "special thanks." Boat's Detroit issue will be read with gusto across Europe and wherever young hipsters roam. I'd like to read the comments of others once they have a chance to see it.

[Jimaz]

Boat Magazine

[Zozo]

Not sure why they went with a picture of NYC Queens native and professional basketball player Ben Gordon on the cover

[stromberg2]

My friend, Ben Blackwell, from the Dirtbombs, wrote a nice piece about the house fire his family endured a couple years back. Kudos to him!

Stromberg2

[rooms222]

Nice Video!

http://vimeo.com/boat/seeitthrough

[Lt. Dan Bassett]

old news; this.
http://detnews.com/article/20111129/...-poet-laureate

[Carey]

Just curious: What's old news? Neal Rubin didn't appear to have had a chance to look at the magazine.

[Lt. Dan Bassett]

ehhhh. there's been a dog-eared copy of "Boat/Detroit" at Astro on MI Ave. for days. at the end of the day it's still tourist imports ridin' our "complex" dix and then skedaddlin' to their next working vacation.