Live like you mean it.

Issue five on sale now.

Universal Citizen is a quarterly non-fiction journal with a real-world, hands-on approach. We publish essays, critical reviews on many subjects, opinion pieces, memoir excerpts, some poetry and short fiction; in short, the best writing we can bring our readers.

An eclectic publication striving to deliver thought-provoking, insightful writing from as many points of view as possible on a broad range of subjects, we've gotten some rave reviews from some pretty impressive names. Most recently, R. Seth Friedman of Factsheet Five had this to say: "...lots of tight, compelling writing that wouldn't be out of place in Harpers, The Utne Reader, or other major magazines...a well-written and varied zine that is sure to have a wide appeal."

We think you'll agree.

The fourth issue of Universal Citizen is now on sale. The links below lead to samples of the writing in this issue, as well as from the first three. Current and back issues are available from the address at the bottom of this page (three bucks each).

A lot of zines have letters from the editor. Few of them have letters that read as intimately and personal as Citizen, which appears in every issue of the zine. Editor Casey Kane addresses the reader as she would a close friend, and shares the sort of insights both her readers and her friends have come to expect from her.

It's no big mystery why MTV doesn't devote any of its legion of shows to modern poetry: it's not really part of the mass culture. At least, if it is, we're not too aware of it. Why is that, and how should we go about fixing it? Blair Ewing checks in with some weighty observations and solid recommendations.

Everyone likes movies. Some like them more than others. Mike Pablo is one of those people. Letterbox or pan and scan? Subtitled or dubbed? Butter or plain? Read about one man's subtle transformation from a guy that liked movies to a hardcore film buff.

What do you get when you cross three generations of iron will, supernatural plagues, angry Gods, incest, patricide, a blind hermaphrodite prophet, and a headlong flight from destiny that tragically fails? One hell of a good story with one hell of a big moral. Kris Kane takes the Oedipus Cycle for a spin around the block.

American perceptions of the Russian national character have changed quite a bit since the former USSR defaulted on the cold war, but do Americans have an accurate idea of what to expect from a visit to Russia? Put aside your ideas of the new Slavic Mafia, drunken Premiers, and cold, grey people. Kate Fink shows us the inner warmth and charity of the citizens of the ex-evil empire.

Universal Citizen is published quarterly by Menace Publishing & Manufacture. We hope you enjoy these excerpts, and we hope you consider buying a copy of the most recent issue or purchasing a subscription for yourself or a friend. $3 for single copies, $12 for a subscription from the address below. We also encourage submissions and feedback.