Your favorite newsletter’s favorite newsletters
A chain-letter love note to an expanding multiverse
In 2022, The New York Times predicted that newsletters were on their way out. In hindsight this was, with respect to the Times … a pretty uninspired prognosis. Yes, some media brands were second-guessing $$ newsletter deals. Sure, Meta’s Facebook pulled the plug on its would-be Substack competitor. But into the void those megaliths left — and into the larger, darker, duller void of a painfully commercialized and over-optimized pseudo-“social” web — untold thousands of small, independent writers launched their own newsletter projects.
I write “untold thousands,” a lame evasion, because it’s hard to nail down the precise number of editorial newsletters in the world. Substack has put its count in the “hundreds of thousands” range; last year, Beehiiv said it hosted a flat 10,000 newsletters. It increasingly feels to me like we’re living in some kind of self-replicating, ever-expanding newsletter multiverse, where the edges recede before I can even catch a glimpse of them. There are newsletters devoted to tinned fish, I have learned; to the depiction of diseases in film and TV; to compost heaps, dog gossip, surplus grocery stores, collage and estate sale jewelry.
As I started to compile this year’s newsletter guide, in fact — a little tradition I kicked off last year — I got a bit lost pondering the sheer scale of this space, and the challenges of finding its smaller, weirder niches. No one really needs *my* recommendations, which reflect one specific and more-or-less static view of this unwieldy web. Instead, I wanted to produce a guide that captured some of the chaos and sprawl and serendipity of the expanding newsletterverse and all the strange crannies inside it.
To do that, I borrowed a convention from chain emails and asked seven newsletter writers I love to send me the names of their favorite newsletters. I then emailed those writers for their favorites, then those favorites for their favorites, then THOSE favorites for their favorites … etc. 🫠
The resulting guide and network map include 135 newsletters recommended by more than 50 writers, spanning topics from animation to martial arts to Rhode Island food culture. Most of these recs are independent, though some are published by mainstream media. In both cases, plz note that I’ve only vetted my own first-round recs, in italics … so subscribe at your own risk and per your own judgment!!
This was fantastically, refreshingly fun, and I’m so amped to kick off the year with it. Can’t say I planned things this way, per se, but the timing is thematic. In 2025, I intend to spend a lot more of my curatorial time and energy in the newsletterverse, surfacing writing and art you might not otherwise encounter. I also hope to break from my staid journalistic background just a bit and produce more creative and experimental work — like these visual essays y’all have liked a lot or the still-in-progress “Gmail Will Break Your Heart” endeavor.
Perennial reminder that — if you enjoy and value these types of projects — you can support Links with a paid monthly subscription. You get a laptop sticker and other perks; I pay my mortgage. We all win!
Now, without further ado … let me introduce you to some new newsletter friends.
Your Favorite Newsletter’s Favorite Newsletters
View list in Google Docs | View on Substack | Read the “chain email” behind this project
8Ball by . “Sean has always been smart and prescient (he coined “the vibe shift," for instance) and has recently revived his regular publishing; I’m re-subscribing to the paid tier.” —Ben Dietz, [SIC] Daily
A Fête Worse Than Death by . “Her newsletter is great because she’s not writing to look good. She’s frequently petulant and discursive and uncareful and those are three of my favorite things.” —Choire Sicha, Dinner Party
A Thing or Two by Claire Mazur and Erica Cerulo. “Just the breeziest, weirdest, most consistently delightful set of recommendations I get in my inbox every week.” —David Pierce, Installer
A Year of Bach by . “Bach is the greatest, and I haven’t yet heard his complete catalog, so in 2024, I’m listening to every Bach composition and writing about it here.” (Recommended by Edith Zimmerman, Drawing Links)
After School by .
“Casey is the only reason I know what’s happening on TikTok.” —Ogheneochuko Akpovbovbo, As Seen On
“Casey is a kindred spirit with a daily newsletter. I appreciate the relentless pace. Great links examining youth culture.” —James Ellis, Public Announcement
American Weekender by Amy Cavanaugh and Kenney Marlatt. “The travel newsletter for food people, featuring expert recommendations from longtime food writers who love exploring America.” (Recommended by Meaghan Garvey, Scary Cool Sad Goodbye)
An Irritable Métis by . “My friend Chris La Tray writes about what I’d loosely call indigenous identity and the natural world, which is a piss poor way of describing the wonders of this newsletter. If you like Montana, if you liked Braiding Sweetgrass, if you like thinking more about the world that surrounds you — this is the newsletter for you.” —Anne Helen Petersen, Culture Study
And It Don’t Stop by . “Christgau, the 82-year-old “dean of rock criticism,” mentored me and more than a few of my journalist friends, and it’s a blessing that he’s still reeling off one-liners I instantly want to text to them.” —Nick Catucci, Embedded
Animation Obsessive by Jules and John. “My favorite kind of newsletter—immensely informed and well-researched deep dives into animation history and process. It’s really exciting to be invited into the world of animation and all the hidden figures that have shaped film and visual culture.” —Celine Nguyen, Personal Canon
Another Newsletter by . “This is an occasional treat, by which I mean that it’s always a treat, but it’s pretty occasional in its frequency. Aaron is an accomplished photographer, art director and agency-founder; he’s also the curator of Hard Copy, the photo show coming to LA next week. His newsletter tracks a series of associations between creative pieces - usually pictures and songs, and I love the sublime connections he makes between seemingly unrelated works.” —Ben Dietz, [SIC] Daily
As Seen On by .
Dishy, whip-smart news round-ups and (less frequent, but typically fascinating) analytical essays on business and culture by an intimidatingly in-the-know 20-something. Akpovbovbo makes me feel sort of old and slow, but clearly I don’t hate it. —Links
“I don’t know her and I don’t really know who she is but she always brings me things I need to know and am surprised by and I guess I better pay her since she went full-paywall for 2025.” —Choire Sicha, Dinner Party
“I am not a reader of business and culture newsletters, but I read As Seen On every time because it is that good.” —Martha Adams, Martha’s Monthly
Attention Economy by . “Everything you need to know about writing except for the writing itself.” —Kelton Wright, Shangrilogs
Back Row by . “Such incredible reporting. We are so lucky to have Amy.” —Casey Lewis, After School
Beautyshambles by . “Cat is the most compulsively readable writer I know.” —Rachel Tashjian, Opulent Tips
by Samantha Irby. “Everyone is going to say this one, but in this case (only!) everyone is correct. But I am the most correct.” —R. Eric Thomas, Here For It
by Jonah Weiner and Erin Wylie.
“Unbeatable recon. Feels good to read every time.” —James Ellis, Public Announcement
“The obvious answer for a reason—endlessly insightful and practical.” —Ock Sportello, Never Hungover
Cafe Hysteria by . “Writes about culture like she’s seen every deranged thought that’s ever been through my head (complimentary).” —Clara, Hmm That’s Interesting
Channeling by . “J Wortham is one of my favorite writers, and their Substack is consistently one of the most thoughtful on the platform, full of grace and little flourishy asides that I find lowkey inspiring.” —Chris Gayomali, Heavies
Citation Needed by Molly White. “Keep up with the happenings in the tech world without all the boosterism.” (Recommended by David Karpf, The Future Now and Then)
by Benjamin Riley. “Understanding generative AI using the lens of cognitive science.” (Recommended by David Karpf, The Future Now and Then)
Cold Antler Farm by . “If you’ve ever fantasized about quitting your corporate job and farming full time, Jenna actually did it. Read for a reality check.” —Kelton Wright, Shangrilogs
by Eli Schoop. “Short, sweet, mean.” —Ock Sportello, Never Hungover
Creative Destruction by . “Critical thinking, frameworks for understanding, smart opinions about our role in building a regenerative world.” —Patrick Tanguay, Sentiers
Culture Study by .
“No one on earth is better at Reading The Vibe than Anne Helen Petersen, who always seems to be writing about the thing I’m feeling or wondering about.” —David Pierce, Installer
“She has a way of naming and exploring phenomena bubbling up in the culture that makes reading feel like consuming anthropology about modern times; also, I get so many good book recs from her community of readers.” —Laura Olin
Curious Electric by Dirk Krause. “Consistently sends links to the web’s wacky and delightful creative technology experiments.” —James Ellis, Public Announcement
Dark Properties by Willa Köerner. “This is for you if you too are a city dweller working with the computer and dreaming of the garden as your horizon.” —Kristoffer Tjalve, Naive Weekly
Deez Links by . I long considered Deez Links an essential link round-up read, but Cai has lately made it much more than that: I love the wit and personality that animate her freeform musings on stuff from media trends to celebrity look-alike contests. —Links
Dinner Party by Choire Sicha (for New York).
“Choire Sicha then, Choire Sicha now, Choire Sicha forever.” —Laura Olin
“A daily evening newsletter written by Choire Sicha?? Literally what could be better!?” —Kyle Chayka, One Thing
Dividual by . “No surprise that the man-in-the-chair of HTML Giant would have an excellent newsletter. It’s worth the subscription just for his lectures on logic and the unconscious in text generation: ‘rapid, intuition-based prose drafting that focuses on structure, spatial environment, framing, and the body over more traditional literary tropes.’” —Sarah Elaine Smith, White Noise Maker
Donkeyspace by . “He’s a really good writer and deep thinker about games.” —Lynn Cherny, Things I Think Are Awesome
Drawing Links by . “Zimmerman’s comics are pure wisps of unforced feeling.” —Nick Catucci, Embedded
DrawTogether by . “If you are looking to be more creative in the new year, Wendy MacNaughton’s drawing club is a much lighter lift than The Artist’s Way. Engaging with this newsletter is like revisiting the elementary school art class that was your happy place.” —Claire Mazur, A Thing Or Two
Dynomight Internet Newsletter. “Very funny and odd economics/philosophy writing, mostly about hypotheticals. A cousin of xkcd.” —Evan Goldfine, A Year of Bach
Embedded by and . “Kate Lindsay searches for the internet’s humanity, and usually finds it.” —Ethan Sawyer, Human Pursuits
Esque by . “A fashion newsletter with a great point of view; I loved the recent post on Wicked-adjacent silhouettes.” —Delia Cai, Deez Links
Evil Witches by . “We are people who happen to be mothers.” (Recommended by Edith Zimmerman, Drawing Links)
Expanding Dan by . “Unashamed Steely Dan deep dives. Extremely niche and divisive.” —Evan Goldfine, A Year of Bach
Expedite by . “Kristen just knows how to write about restaurant technology that doesn’t make it sound like an exclusively B2B Substack.” —Alexa Gagosz, Rhode Island Food Club
Extracurricular by . “Tembe writes some of the most innovative book content and her criticism is incredible.” —Martha Adams, Martha’s Monthly
Feed Me by . “Essential.” —Rachel Tashjian, Opulent Tips
. “I regularly disagree with him (and let him know! Lol! Don’t worry, he loves to hear it!) but I always read him and I appreciate a straight man who gets messy. Sorry to his haters of all stripes but I won’t stop reading!” —Choire Sicha, Dinner Party
. “I love an advice column, and this is one of the best on the internet right now. I first encountered Granados’s writing through her novel Happy Hour, which is infectiously fun and coolly analytical about the human condition. In her newsletter, she writes about love, fashion, style, and living with glamour and conviction.” —Celine Nguyen, Personal Canon
Gabrielle by . “Emma has written some of the best pieces about sex and relationships I’ve read this year, hands-down.” —Matt Muir, Web Curios
Gloria by Leslie Price and Michelle Curb. “A ‘newsletter for adult women’ that manages to capture topics and dilemmas I’m talking about with my friends while also offering new perspectives and handy advice.” —Laura Olin
by Harry Krinsky and Randa Sakallah. “Essays/riffing on social dynamics in very Brooklyn/Oakland-centric parlance.” —Delia Cai, Deez Links
Gossip Time by .
“Allie has an incredible ability to succinctly and hilariously sum up even the most complex celebrity gossip.” —Emily Kirkpatrick, I <3 Mess
“Bless Allie Jones and her weekly dispatches on celebrity, culture, and influence (and Hillary Duff).” —Lauren Halvorsen, Nothing for the Group
Gradient Ascendant by . “Rare hybrid of programmer, journalist, and novelist. Clear-eyed views on AI. Valley insider who doesn’t like Koolaid.” —Patrick Tanguay, Sentiers
Group Hug by . “I end up restacking pretty much every post from Elise Granata’s newsletter. It’s a practical, realistic, clear-eyed look at how we can build community, what’s hard about it, and how we can overcome obstacles and keep moving forward. Excellent.” —Lisa Sibbett, The Auntie Bulletin
Hacker Newsletter by Kale Davis. “Totally my bubble :), and saves me from hours of lost time on Hacker News.” —Dirk Krause, Curious Electric
Have Your Cake by . “Because I’m gluten-free and she’s a master worker at pastry.” —Lynn Cherny, Things I Think Are Awesome
Heavies by .
“Gayomali is a wildcatter on the frontier of men’s fitness, diet, and grooming—a fast-expanding area desperately in need of thoughtful mapping.” —Nick Catucci, Embedded
“Wellness trend reports and ponderances that don’t make me want to self-harm (and often make me laugh—imagine!)” —Em Seely-Katz, Esque
Herb Sundays by . “A weekly love letter to musicians and their creative brains, by the record label owner and entrepreneur Sam Valenti. What started a few years back as a Sunday morning listening series has turned into a wonderfully generous and revealing look into Sam’s own encyclopedic musical mind, and his deep, never-ending curiosity about the music-makers who’ve inspired him.” —Ben Dietz, [SIC] Daily
Here for It by . “This newsletter never fails to make me laugh. I love the way R. Eric looks at the world and the way he manages to find light and humor in everything. He is a joy!” —Katie Hawkins-Gaar, My Sweet Dumb Brain
Hmm That’s Interesting by . I think it’s a testament to the intelligence and compulsive readability of Clara’s work that she consistently gets me to click into essays on subjects I don’t otherwise understand or follow. Russian literature! Pop culture tempests! (Did I mention the pristine mix of the high and lowbrow?) You can’t really predict what she’ll find “interesting,” but it always is somehow. —Links
by Ethan Sawyer. Sawyer publishes smart interviews with an impressively eclectic and zeitgeisty range of culture and media folks; I’m also here for his meandering, transportative personal essays, which sometimes feel — in the best way! — like a throwback to the blog era. —Links
Hung Up by . “I have a bad memory but at any given moment I can quote 3-5 random sentences or phrases that Hunter Harris has written. She is so funny and helps me understand and contextualize my obsession with pop culture and celebrity gossip.” —Claire Mazur, A Thing or Two
I <3 Mess by . “The funniest newsletter I’ve ever encountered but also one of the most prescient when it comes to predicting the weirdest proclivities of the fashion world.” —Em Seely-Katz, Esque
I Will Do Whatever I Want by . “Like reading someone’s diary in the best possible way. Mackenzie makes me laugh out loud every time.” —Emily Kirkpatrick, I <3 Mess
Installer by David Pierce (for The Verge). “I’m mad at David because he forces me to open my email app on the weekend, but he always makes up for it with the perfect list of interesting news, content and gadgets/apps to fill the downtime with.” —Jacob Feldman, The Sunday Long Read
by Andrew Curry. “Great format by a futurist who picks two topics that are ‘interesting, provocative, resonant,’ and provides context and analysis.” —Patrick Tanguay, Sentiers
by Kyla Scanton. “Human-centric economic analysis to help all of us understand the world better.” (Recommended by Thomas Klaffke, Creative Destruction)
Last Call by . “Parsons’ NYC restaurant and bar recommendations are always on point — we add every spot to our Google map.” —Amy Cavanaugh & Kenney Marlatt, American Weekender
“Interesting mix of topics which usually reach outside my bubble, and it usually has a poem in it.” —Dirk Krause, Curious Electric
“Her links letter is an immediate open: It’s short (unlike mine!), timely, diverse and has a poem.” —Lynn Cherny, Things I Think Are Awesome
Liberation Martial Arts by Sam. “The martial arts space, particularly MMA, is often goofy and red-pilled, which is just one of the reasons I love the radical and liberatory approach to combat that Sam is building at LMA: inclusive, smart, and enriching. A breath of fresh air.” —Chris Gayomali, Heavies
Life in the Real World by . “Every morning, Karen goes for a walk in a beautiful park near her home in Kansas City, Missouri, and takes the most beautiful photos along the way. Karen’s missives are a dose of wonder and calm and remind me how powerful it is to connect with nature right outside your door.” —Katie Hawkins-Gaar, My Sweet Dumb Brain
Long Live by . “In a sea of fashion newsletters pushing overconsumption, Erika’s always inspired me to seek out eBay/secondhand.” —Casey Lewis, After School
Lowpass by Janko Roettgers. “Janko is just out here relentlessly breaking news about the future of entertainment. I used to work with Janko, so I know how hard he works and how right he is pretty much all the time.” —David Pierce, Installer
Make Me Good Soil by . “Sophie is simply a beautiful writer and her newsletter offers readers a stunning dive into her poetic approach to living with chronic illness. She also weaves everything through the lens of the natural world, and each send feels creaturely and poignant in a way most other writers will never achieve.” —Willa Köerner, Dark Properties
by Martha Adams. “Obsessed with her book reviews. So diverse and insightful.” —Ogheneochuko Akpovbovbo, As Seen On
Milking It by . “Nic’s newsletter is reliably full of interesting book recommendations, especially queer stories and lots of debuts.” —Martha Adams, Martha’s Monthly
Mood Mail by David Marshal and Yuzhimi. I was turned onto this monthly image-only missive by an aesthete no lesser than Ruba Abu-Nimah, to give you a sense. —Ben Dietz, [SIC] Daily
My Sweet Dumb Brain by . Katie is one of the wisest writers I know; her weekly meditations on life and work and feelings are so beautifully restorative. I *always* feel better after reading, which I can say of nothing else on the internet. —Links
Naive Weekly by . An indispensable weekly round-up of digital art and poetry, and a reminder that the internet can still inspire and awe — if you know where to look, that is. (Which Kristoffer always does!) —Links
Never Hungover by . “Never Hungover is a blog, updated at whatever frequency I can muster, about things that interest me.” (Recommended by Meaghan Garvey, Scary Cool Sad Goodbye)
North Carolina Rabbit Hole by . “I haven’t lived in North Carolina in 15 years, but I still love Jeremy’s deep-dives into the state’s minutia. Every state needs a newsletter like this, though I’m pretty sure there’s only one Jeremy Markovich.” —Jacob Feldman, The Sunday Long Read
by Lindsay Weber. “An excellent, no-frills series of NYC theatre recommendations compiled by Who Weekly’s Lindsay Weber.” —Lauren Halvorsen, Nothing for the Group
Nothing for the Group by . “This may be a little inside baseball, but I love this newsletter focused on the professional theater ecosystem and making a living wage as an artist.” —R. Eric Thomas, Here For It
Nothing Here by Daniel Harvey, Marlee Jane Ward, Corey Jae White and Lidia Zuin. “A multi-headed monster of snark, critique, and relevance on ‘culture, politics, ecology, climate change, the end of the world, and all that good shit.’” —Patrick Tanguay, Sentiers
by Kyle Chayka and Nate Gallant. “Smart and polished lifestyle blogging!” —Delia Cai, Deez Links
Opulent Tips by Rachel Tashjian. “It’s fun to read anything Rachel writes. So many links to click and surf. The invitation-only, natural style of the email is truly special.” —James Ellis, Public Announcement (No link to this one, as it is indeed a private newsletter!)
by Celine Nguyen.
“Writes mostly about literature, with a level of research, care, and thought that I deeply admire; my reading list always expands after reading her essays.” —Clara, Hmm That’s Interesting
“Celine’s recaps of her months in reading/watching/thinking are always fascinating and it’s rare to see someone taking the entirety of their cultural consumption so seriously.” —Kyle Chayka, One Thing
“I like newsletters that let me wander deep inside the psyche of whoever’s writing it, while also delivering some smart, cultural-adjacent commentary, and this one nails that.” —Willa Köerner, Dark Properties
by Shelby Lorman. “I am always in awe of Shelby’s smart takes on everything. She puts into words what I’m thinking before I even know I’m thinking it.” —Emily Kirkpatrick, I <3 Mess
by Tim Marchman. “Devoted to the wonders of canned fish.” —Evan Goldfine, A Year of Bach
Positive Damage by . “Brown covers non-alcoholic drinking culture in a way that’s both educational and inspiring.” —Amy Cavanaugh and Kenney Marlatt, American Weekender
Programmable Mutter by .
“Farrell, a political science professor, consistently publishes the best analyses of politics, technology, AI, and Silicon Valley. If I had a little less dignity, I would be Farrell’s #1 reply guy, because every post is amazing.” —Celine Nguyen, Personal Canon
“Sharp analysis of the absurdities, excesses, and impacts of Silicon Valley today.” —Dave Karpf, The Future Now and Then
Public Announcement by James Ellis and Chris Black.
“My daily driver; the perfect combination of links, commentary, and Chunes.” —Ethan Sawyer, Human Pursuits
“Short and sweet, doesn’t waste your time.” —Dirk Krause, Curious Electric
Read Max by .
“Max is very smart about the internet, and also appears to have exactly the same taste in books as I do, so I’ve gotten a ton out of his recommendations. He likes weird music, though. Or maybe I do.” —David Pierce, Installer
“Recommending Max Read is a little like recommending MJ Lenderman or Juror #2—my guys already know. But no one can touch him when it comes to cultural commentary for grown dudes and dads.” —Nick Catucci, Embedded
“Consistently smart takes on internet culture’s Current Thing; he logs on so you don’t have to.” —Jacob Feldman, The Sunday Long Read
Rhode Map by Dan McGowan (for The Boston Globe). “The Globe’s must-read daily newsletter on all things Rhode Island by veteran political reporter Dan McGowan. (Yes, Dan is a colleague, but I was a super fan before I even started working with him.)” —Alexa Gagosz, Rhode Island Food Club
“I wish every Substack was this Substack and every writer was Meaghan.” —Ock Sportello, Never Hungover
“Meaghan Garvey lives a life that’s worth documenting; every SEND is an adventure.” —Ethan Sawyer, Human Pursuits
“The most pristine, perfect aura on the whole internet belongs to Meaghan Garvey. On the basis of writing quality alone, she’s running circles around just about every literary darling you could think of. If you understand that dive bars and blown-out Upper Midwest towns are sites of cosmic splendor, this bud’s for you.” —Sarah Elaine Smith, White Noise Maker
by Eleonor Botoman. “Thoughtful, thorough explorations of esoteric and unexpected media with a specific expertise surrounding fragrance.” —Em Seely-Katz, Esque
Seeda School by . “Honestly I have no idea how Ayana is able to publish so frequently, with each send feeling fresh and vital... the Seeda School newsletter blends a coach-like vibe with a futuristic, imagine-anything energy and always inspires me.” —Willa Köerner, Dark Properties
Semafor Media by Ben Smith and Max Tani (for Semafor). “I like the dedicated time slot of a Sunday evening, unusual enough to remember when it’s coming, and the density of new, often exclusive info.” —Kyle Chayka, One Thing
Sentiers by Patrick Tanguay. “Weekly links to reading about strategy and futures thinking, which is always loads more interesting than I have just made it sound.” —Matt Muir, Web Curios
Shangrilogs by .
“Kelton lives in a log cabin in a snowy mountain town of 180 people and 52 dogs. That’s enough reason to read! But her writing — about exploring the outdoors, being a good neighbor, taking care of pets and plants and, now, a baby — is fantastic. It’s a must-read for me.” —Katie Hawkins-Gaar, My Sweet Dumb Brain
“Kelton always makes my heart move. Here’s a representative post.” —Anne Helen Petersen, Culture Study
by Robert Evans. “One of the most salient political commentators of our time who dissects important events and ideas with empathy and earned wisdom.” —Em Seely-Katz, Esque
She’s a Beast by Casey Johnston. “Casey Johnston has single-handedly repaired my body image. (But for real: If you’re interested in getting strong — physically and emotionally — there’s no better resource and community.)” —Lauren Halvorsen, Nothing for the Group
[SIC] Daily by .
“SIC is about 100 links every Friday covering culture, fashion, tech, politics, society, and pretty much everything else besides. Given the volume of web I consume it amazes me how much they manage to find each week that is new to me.” —Matt Muir, Web Curios
“I always find something interesting from Ben that I wouldn’t have otherwise found!” —Casey Lewis, After School
Snake Super Health by . “The best newsletter out for insane fitness people who want to become a bit more normal or normal fitness people who want to become a bit more insane.” —Ock Sportello, Never Hungover
by Andrea Hernández. “Love CPG and love Andrea’s voice.” —Ogheneochuko Akpovbovbo, As Seen On
SubMakk by . “A great mix of incredible craft talks on writing and Zillow-as-a-spectator-sport.” —R. Eric Thomas, Here For It
Swamp Person by . “Meagan Hatcher-Mays works in… something adjacent to the U.S. Congress? She also cohosts a podcast with her best friend, Lindy West, so if you know Lindy‘s work, this is somebody who is as funny as Lindy but mostly writing about politics. It is literally the only politics newsletter I want to read.” —Lisa Sibbett, The Auntie Bulletin
Tap In by Frazier Tharpe (for GQ). “Frazier Tharpe is the rare hater who is just as compelling to read as a lover, and his column on movies, TV, and music — which we recently launched at GQ, where I’m the site director — never fails to surprise and scandalize me.” —Nick Catucci, Embedded
Teniade Topics by .
“One of my favorite pop culture newsletters: It is funny, sharp, and honest.” —Clara, Hmm That’s Interesting
“Marion Teniade is a former (current?) pop culture journalist with a DELIGHTFUL newsletter. It’s so smart, and so funny, and I actually understand most of the pop culture references. When I found it, I immediately read her entire archive. You don’t have to be very online to connect with this newsletter. If you were watching movies in the ‘80s, ‘90s, and ‘00s, you’re set.” —Lisa Sibbett, The Auntie Bulletin
The Auntie Bulletin by . “Relatively new but I read every issue; perfect for anyone who wants to be an important person in the lives of kids who aren’t their own.” —Anne Helen Petersen, Culture Study
The Browser by Caroline Crampton and Robert Cottrell. “Daily recommendations of the best longreads from around the web. Probably my best source of high-quality writing.” —Matt Muir, Web Curios
The Convivial Society by . “A newsletter exploring the relationship between technology and culture.” (Recommended by Thomas Klaffke, Creative Destruction)
The Crush Bar by . “A comprehensive resource for UK theater news compiled and reported by Edinburgh-based journalist Fergus Morgan. (His annual Fringe coverage is indispensable!)” —Lauren Halvorsen, Nothing for the Group
The Future, Now and Then by . “Well-informed and smartly opinionated. Critical tech and politics seeped in historical lessons.” —Patrick Tanguay, Sentiers
The Globe Rhode Island Food Club by Alexa Gagosz (for The Boston Globe). “A niche newsletter, and I don’t live in or really go to Rhode Island, but I wish every city had such a great ground-level dining newsletter. Consistently rich and interesting.” —Kyle Chayka, One Thing
The Half Marathoner by . “A running newsletter that isn’t (just) about running.” (Recommended by Edith Zimmerman, Drawing Links)
The Honest Broker by . “A trustworthy guide to music, books, arts, media & culture.” (Recommended by Thomas Klaffke, Creative Destruction)
The Intrinsic Perspective by . “Bridging the two cultures of science and the humanities.” (Recommended by Thomas Klaffke, Creative Destruction)
The Lighthouse by . “The absolute gentlest path to becoming a better version of yourself.” —Kelton Wright, Shangrilogs
The Mix by . “I consider Robert the modern-day cocktail-writing godfather.” —Alexa Gagosz, Rhode Island Food Club
The Party Cut by . “Lee does a fantastic job of shining a light on under-the-radar restaurants in Chicago.” —Amy Cavanaugh and Kenney Marlatt, American Weekender
The Real Murphy by . “This is the recent rebranding of the long-running Blood & Champagne, a smorgasbord of design, architecture and pop culture links sent weekly. It’s ballasted by interview-driven editorial profiles on (mostly) dads working in creative fields, inspired by Murphy’s own experience as a single dad.” —Ben Dietz, [SIC] Daily
The Reported Essay by . “My favorite new Substack newsletter of 2024 is a must-read for anyone who wants to learn more about the craft (and business) of being a freelancer, beautifully penned by a celebrated author and longtime professor.” —Jacob Feldman, The Sunday Long Read
The Rot by Cassie Marketos. “Cassie’s newsletter consistently delivers very practical tips and advice for at-home composting, but it also feels like more than that, as each send is smartly written in her welcoming and sassy tone. She inspires me to be a better composter!” —Willa Köerner, Dark Properties
by A.J. Daulerio. “This is a newsletter about sobriety but I am not sober or even sober-curious and I get so, so much out of it. A.J. Daulerio is a true gift.” —Claire Mazur, A Thing Or Two
The Sunday Long Read by Don Van Natta Jr., Jacob Feldman et al. The weekly longform round-up par excellence. I don’t really trifle with pretenders! If it published in the past week and was long and good, you’ll find it in this newsletter. —Links
The Upside by various authors (for The Guardian). “Journalism that uncovers real solutions: people, movements and innovations offering answers to our most pressing problems.” (Recommended by Thomas Klaffke, Creative Destruction)
Things I Think Are Awesome by .
“This leans hard towards tech, AI and creativity, but if you’re in any way interested in the intersection between tech and art (in all forms) then it’s required reading (even if simply as a useful counterpoint to ’all AI is evil’ discourse).” —Matt Muir, Web Curios
“Mosty AI, a tad long, but also has links outside my bubble.” —Dirk Krause, Curious Electric
Unsolicited Existence by . “Every week without fail, Alejandra finds something refreshing and bracingly real to say. Anyone who has tried to write a newsletter for longer than a week will know how hard that is.” —Sarah Elaine Smith, White Noise Maker
by Andrew Chen. “Andrew Chen is one of the cofounders of the New York City menswear brand 3sixteen, and his Substack ebbs on a slower, more digestible wave of liking stuff that feels futuristic and sustainable.” —Chris Gayomali, Heavies
Web Curios by Matt Muir. “Web Curios is an internet institution. It’s the internet’s essential newsletter. Someone should make a giant sculpture of Matt.” —Kristoffer Tjalve, Naive Weekly
West Wing Playbook by Lauren Egan, Eli Stokols and Ben Johansen (for Politico). “It’s unique, voicey, and makes whatever is going on in and around the White House feel closer.” —Alexa Gagosz, Rhode Island Food Club
Wheelysports by . “I got into pro cycling this year (thank you, Netflix) and was desperate for a newsletter that would keep me updated on news while also explaining the sport’s peculiar beauties. Wheelysports does all that and more.” —Jacob Feldman, The Sunday Long Read
Where to Eat: New York City by Nikita Richardson (for The New York Times). “Provides New York restaurant recommendations, whether they be flashy new spots or beloved classics. It’s simple, but well written. You don’t even have to be in New York to want to devour it.” —Alexa Gagosz, Rhode Island Food Club
White Noise Maker by . “White Noise Maker was my first blog — the one I wrote before writing on the internet meant anything. (If you were around for the LiveJournal era, you know what I’m talking about.)” (Recommended by Meaghan Garvey, Scary Cool Sad Goodbye)
Why Is This Interesting? by and . “They’ve been posting interesting stuff forever.” —James Ellis, Public Announcement
Wild Information by . “Through elegant, first-person accounts that are also fueled by careful research, Claire weaves together several of my favorite topics, mainly the internet/computing + ecology/biology. Wild Information feels like a direct portal into Claire’s highly interesting, intelligent and curious mind.” —Willa Köerner, Dark Properties
Words From Eliza by . “She might be the voice of her generation (or at least a voice of a generation).” —Ethan Sawyer, Human Pursuits
Wordy Bird by . “A reminder of what good writing actually is amid the mid-prose of Substack.” —Rachel Tashjian, Opulent Tips
World Wide Letter by Jisu Lee. “Infrequent newsletter that shares one date-specific website on special days. The curation is quirky and the language Korean (thanks Jisu and Google Translate).” —Kristoffer Tjalve, Naive Weekly
Did you actually read this far?! Did you just scroll to the bottom to see how long this was? If the former — in which case, shit, congrats — maybe you’d like to share this guide with others.
I knew I’d fill the space of deleting social with something.
i had to read to the bottom to check if i was cool enough to already be subscribed to anything else on the list!!