Playboy Magazine

Playboy is an American men's magazine, founded in Chicago, Illinois in 1953, by Hugh Hefner and his associates, and funded in part by a $1,000 loan from Hefner's mother. The magazine has grown into Playboy Enterprises, Inc., with a presence in nearly every medium. Playboy is one of the world's best known brands. In addition to the flagship magazine in the United States, special nation-specific versions of Playboy are published worldwide.

The magazine has a long history of publishing short stories by notable novelists such as Arthur C. Clarke, Ian Fleming, Vladimir Nabokov, P. G. Wodehouse, and Margaret Atwood. Playboy features monthly interviews of notable public figures, such as artists, architects, economists, composers, conductors, film directors, journalists, novelists, playwrights, religious figures, politicians, athletes and race car drivers. The magazine throughout its history has expressed a libertarian outlook on political and social issues.

To date, Harry Turtledove has had two short stories published in Playboy: The Weather's Fine and The Girl Who Took Lessons.

Playboy in "Hindsight"
Michelle Gordian brought a copy of Playboy with her to 1953 in order to copy a short story by Arthur C. Clarke. When Pete Lundquist saw the centerfold, he was shocked at her owning such pornography and surprised at her claim that she bought it over the counter at a drugstore. However, he was somewhat reassured when he learned of the Clarke story since he didn't think he would be involved with something unsavoury.