Substacks recommended by David Roberts || Sparks From Culture

Recommended by David Roberts || Sparks From Culture

Maya C. Popa

Writing on the inner conditions of sustainable creative work

I don't read enough poetry. No one reads enough poetry. Maya's Substack is the solution.

- David Roberts || Sparks From Culture

Noted

By Jillian Hess

Tips from the world's best note takers

American Inequality

By Jeremy Ney

Mapping the country's greatest economic challenges

She's Gone Chilaquiles

By Anna Schott

essays, memoir, food analogies

The Literary Obsessive

By Eleanor Anstruther

People, books, me; The Literary Obsessive charts that which catches my eye.

Inheriting Inequality

By Allison Tait

Everything begins and ends with an inheritance. Law professor, UC Press author, and Bloomberg-quoted expert on the laws, the marriages, and the ghosts that decide who inherits what.

Excellent essays about wealth and money.

- David Roberts || Sparks From Culture

GOOD MORNING PROJECT

By Carll Tucker

Daily reflections for those with an appetite for literacy—exploring America’s moral crisis, the meaning of life, and the enduring power of literature, history, and the arts.

the Human Carbohydrate

By Stella Tsantekidou

I am good for you

Always interesting and thought provoking and often funny.

- David Roberts || Sparks From Culture

Maiden Mother Matriarch

By Louise Perry

A podcast about culture and politics, hosted by Louise Perry.

Great conversations. I have a high bar for podcasts and MMM clears it.

- David Roberts || Sparks From Culture

The Pressures of Privilege

By Diana E Oehrli

For people isolated by privilege - and the professionals who guide them.

The Bittersweet Weekly

By Emily Henderson

For readers searching for a richer perspective on the bittersweet moments that make up modern life.

Because it's charming.

- David Roberts || Sparks From Culture

The Ivy Exile

Redemption of a recovering flack. Ex-Brown/PBS/Columbia. Somewhere between Manhattan and America.

Changing The Channel with Kirsten Powers

New York Times bestselling author Kirsten Powers offers fresh thinking about how we can make big changes in our lives, communities and country.

Writes about her journey and reasons for moving abroad in an illuminating and compelling way.

- David Roberts || Sparks From Culture

Cartoons Hate Her

Social dynamics and culture from the hybrid mind of a terminally online-normie mom

A great writer on relationships.

- David Roberts || Sparks From Culture

Homo Vitruvius by A. Jay Adler

Memoir, poetry, fiction, drama, and essays on all things human: explorations into our reason for being in the world. Living through language and ideas from a professor of English and writer.

The Teachers Way

By Molly Moynahan

Molly Moynahan posts about teaching, writing, sobriety, parenting, culture, and living with grace and humor.

APT&AWRY

By Dominic AA Randolph

Clumsy wisdom...

This Won't End Well: On Loving Greek Tragedy.

By Elizabeth Bobrick

If Greek tragedies were merely stories of heroes destroyed by gods or fate, they'd never have stood the test of time. I'll show you how relevant they still are to our shared human experience of loss, anger, love, and error, both in families and cities.

Brilliant essays on Greek tragedies and how they relate to our own time.

- David Roberts || Sparks From Culture

Oldster Magazine

By Sari Botton

Exploring what it means to travel through time in a human body, at every phase of life.

Sav Huitema

By Savannah Huitema

Scrambled Eggs & Whiskey

By Maya Slouka

Life, literature, and late night thoughts

Rich People Shit

By Carson Griffith

A newsletter about cultural capital, the invisible currency behind everything

Carson is an accomplished journalist who knows the world of the wealthy very well. She writes objectively about the wealthy, which is rare these days.

- David Roberts || Sparks From Culture

Enough Already with David Spinks

Essays on how to how to reorient your relationship with work and success, and find enoughness within.

Woman of Letters

By Naomi Kanakia

I write about the Great Books, classic literature, and the contemporary publishing world.

Deservedly gaining attention as one of the best literary newsletters on Substack.

- David Roberts || Sparks From Culture

Untrickled

A 30-year journalist looks at culture, politics, economics and lifestyle through the lens of economic inequality. Author, The Trailer Park Rules, rated 4.7 stars on Amazon https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CYW3MRRB Strapped: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DJNRCQSJ

Beyond Bloomsbury

By Victoria K. Walker

An ongoing anthology that celebrates the lives and work of historical artists and writers.

Unfixed

By Kimberly Warner

When broken is the fix.

Just Saying

By Lirpa Strike

Personal essays and thoughts on culture, ideas, and current events.

Under the White Coat

By Dr. Amber Hull

A Physician's Unflinching Guide to Human Sexuality and Life in Medicine.

Writes about sex in a practical and helpful way.

- David Roberts || Sparks From Culture

Footnotes and Tangents

By Simon Haisell

Slow reads of great books. Book guides and a reading community to help you get more from the best stories.

Politics Off-Center

By Lawrence Goldstone

I’m Lawrence Goldstone, a political and legal historian who wants to replace jargon and obfuscation with clear thinking and cogent analysis.

Feed Me

By Emily Sundberg

A daily newsletter about the spirit of enterprise.

Essential information on the intersection of culture and business with a respectful dollop of gossip

- David Roberts || Sparks From Culture

The No Stress Club

By Jennifer Galante Han

Weekly fashion commentary from someone who actually works in it - written to make you laugh and look better.

quite useless

By a. natasha joukovsky

deep thoughts on art, desire, and superficiality

Mary Tabor "Only connect ..."

By <Mary L. Tabor>

The arts, books, movies, a course: Write it!, The Writing Life, (Re)Making Love: a memoir (fully up now), Who by Fire: a novel (snippets), Cooking With Mary, Watercolors and story in Letters to My Granddaughter.

The Granny Who Stands on her Head

By Ann Richardson

After a lifetime of reflection, I write short posts with a touch of gentle humour. Yes, I write on being old, but life is too interesting to be limited to one small part.

BordoLines

By Susan Bordo

Deep dives into politics, gender, history, popular culture and mass media from award-winning, influential feminist philosopher.

Coley Crawford

Welcome to Orange County, where looks and money are everything.

Peak Notions with Laura Kennedy

Peak Notions is the ideologically exhausted person’s guide to untangling ideas, identity, and the chaos we live in

Beautiful writing on life and love.

- David Roberts || Sparks From Culture

FLESH WORLD by Jessica DeFino

Reporting on the absurd world of beauty culture. / “The newsletter the beauty industry fears.” - the Herald.

I am increasingly interested in the intersection among beauty, status, and wealth (which I focus my writing on.)

- David Roberts || Sparks From Culture

Snaps

By Deirdre Lewis

sketches, flash fiction, musings and observations

Deirdre writes exquisite vignettes.

- David Roberts || Sparks From Culture

Good Humor

Humor, heart and everything in between. Will discuss anti-inflammatories, aging, how not to f-k up your marriage and interviews with Funny AF Women from an empty nester mom still waiting for her kids to text her back.

And Sings My Soul

By Cici Sullivan

I was blind, but now I see. A collection of testimonies from my 30-year road from religious abuse to making peace with myself and finding God.

[B]OLD AGE with Debbie Weil

In my best-selling newsletter, I share the bittersweetness of old age, from the blessings to the bullshit. I write about the strange contradiction of growing old: it’s wonderful… and it also sucks.

Amazement Seeker by Rona Maynard

Celebrating discovery in art, writing and the moment as it flies