Sunshine (magazine)
Encyclopedia
Sunshine was a "feel good" monthly digest
Digest size
Digest size is a magazine size, smaller than a conventional or "journal size" magazine but larger than a standard paperback book, approximately 5½ x 8¼ inches, but can also be 5⅜ x 8⅜ inches and 5½ x 7½ inches. These sizes have evolved from the printing press operation end...

, filled with uplifting short articles and anecdotes.

Overview

Sunshine was subtitled A Soulful Magazet. The issues were purposefully slim, often just 42 pages long, including the back cover, with short quick-to-read articles. Each page was filled with warm anecdotes and advice. Published on Route 66
U.S. Route 66
U.S. Route 66 was a highway within the U.S. Highway System. One of the original U.S. highways, Route 66 was established on November 11, 1926 -- with road signs erected the following year...

 in Litchfield, Illinois
Litchfield, Illinois
Litchfield is a city in Montgomery County, Illinois, United States. The population was 6,815 at the 2000 census, and 6,588 in 2009. It is located in south central Illinois, south of Springfield and on the northern edge of the Greater St. Louis Metro-East area.-Attractions:The Ariston Cafe is one of...

, it was distributed worldwide. Inside the front cover of many issues was an appeal on behalf of the Sunshine Magazet Circle of Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...

, an organization that distributed issues of Sunshine to "hospitals, old folks homes (sic), holiday guest centers, etc." It was a volunteer operation and readers were encourage to buy an extra subscription for the use of that organization. Gospel singer Rosa Page Welch said that there were three things she saw everywhere in her world travels, Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola is a carbonated soft drink sold in stores, restaurants, and vending machines in more than 200 countries. It is produced by The Coca-Cola Company of Atlanta, Georgia, and is often referred to simply as Coke...

, Standard Oil
Standard Oil
Standard Oil was a predominant American integrated oil producing, transporting, refining, and marketing company. Established in 1870 as a corporation in Ohio, it was the largest oil refiner in the world and operated as a major company trust and was one of the world's first and largest multinational...

 and Sunshine magazine.

Religion

Many librarians would group the title with religious titles, but there is no overt proselytism
Proselytism
Proselytizing is the act of attempting to convert people to another opinion and, particularly, another religion. The word proselytize is derived ultimately from the Greek language prefix προσ- and the verb ἔρχομαι in the form of προσήλυτος...

. Inside the front cover is the disclaimer "Sunshine Magazine is not the instrument of any organizations or doctrine. In an Independent stature, its sole interest is to serve its readers".

Although nonsectarian, Sunshine did not shy away from religious topics, generally slanted toward Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...

. The Volumes of Sunshine offered for sale were suggested as gifts to clergymen, as well as social workers, teachers, speakers and radio broadcasters.

Good News

Printed inside the front cover was the assertion: "A little magazine of uplifting stories and anecdotes to cheer people up." It was similar in format to Reader's Digest
Reader's Digest
Reader's Digest is a general interest family magazine, published ten times annually. Formerly based in Chappaqua, New York, its headquarters is now in New York City. It was founded in 1922, by DeWitt Wallace and Lila Bell Wallace...

 and Coronet (magazine)
Coronet (magazine)
Coronet was a general interest digest magazine published from October 13, 1936, to March 1971 and ran for 299 issues. The magazine was owned by Esquire and published by David A. Smart from 1936 to 1961.-Typical issue:...

. The stories were, however much shorter. Examples of its content include:
  • How to Be a Hero, Irving Leibowitz
  • Frosting on the Cake – a periodic feature, Five bullet points asserting the use of common sense

Volumes of Sunshine

Annual editions of bound monthly issues were sold under the name [ Year ] Volume of Sunshine (e.g. 1963 Volume of Sunshine). The annual volumes, began with a comprehensive index of key topics, a section of the poetry included, as well as in index to the authors.

Alternatively, one could buy "best of" editions called a Book of Sunshine, 32-page, edited editions, culled from multiple editions of the slightly larger monthly magazine.

Legacy

Sunshine was touted as a good place for new writers to get published. The headquarters building "House of Sunshine" was later renamed Sunshine Park.
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