Substacks recommended by david roberts | Sparks from Culture by David Roberts

Recommended by david roberts

Just a dissociated writer keeping it unreal.

Alice's first post was consistent with the high quality and compelling interest of her memoir, which I loved. I'm looking forward to reading more.

- david roberts

All The King's Men

By Cici Sullivan

Sometimes scandalous/always amusing stories about love, dating and relationship adventures of a 40-something in NYC.

Amy Gabrielle's Substack

Midlife, widowed mom to one tween boy. I write about some of the crazy sh*t grief made me do after my husband died from cancer in 2021.

Beyond the Bookshelf

By Matthew Long

Exploring Life and Literature.

Matthew is a deep thinker and a deep writer. He is a vital part of my Substack community.

- david roberts

Cambridge Ladies' Dining Society

By Ann Kennedy Smith

Exploring books, literary lives and Cambridge women’s history

A writer's writer!

- david roberts

She's Gone Chilaquiles

By Anna Schott

Chips and salsa, essays, memoir, food analogies

The writing is superb. I'm hooked on Anna's memoir.

- david roberts

Living Danishly with Helen Russell

Author of 6 books inc The Year of Living Danishly and How to Raise a Viking. Former editor marieclaire.co.uk turned Scandinavia correspondent. I write about what it means to live a good life around the world (when not herding mini Vikings...)

The Chaotic Reader

By Marissa Gallerani

For the readers who cannot be defined by one genre, for the book club dropouts, for the undecided and aspiring writers, you've come to the right place. Writing, teaching, books, interviews with artists and a dash of chaos. Come along for the ride.

Great takes on literature and life.

- david roberts

English Republic of Letters

By Jeffrey Streeter

A glimpse of distant horizons via "beautifully crafted essays and observations" covering literature, memoir, and faraway cities from a recovering cultural bureaucrat joining up the dots of an international life.

As I Was Saying with Poorna Bell

Social commentary and essays from career to mental wellbeing, capturing the general WTF of life and topical news, by award-winning author, former HuffPost Exec editor and lifter of heavy weights, Poorna Bell.

Acts of a Recovering Drama Queen

By Ren Powell

Writing against Melodrama by Engaging with the Natural World. ➤ Essays/Poems/Hybrid Writing.

Notes from the Town Hermit

By Tiffany Chu

A Fellowship for the over-thinkers and deep-feelers looking for writing that makes you feel seen.

I like Tiffany's writing.

- david roberts

The Priory

By Karen Swallow Prior

Prayers of Attention

The Library of Celaeno

By Librarian of Celaeno

The Library of Celaeno is a cosmic repository of wisdom located deep in the Taurus Constellation.

Talking to Myself

By Caroline

Musings from an overactive mind. Gallows humor and overthinking since...actually, I can't remember when I wasn't this way.

Caroline makes me think about the important things in life. She educates, amuses, and inspires.

- david roberts

Apocrypha

By M. E. Rothwell

Writings of uncertain authenticity.

Great writing on Books

- david roberts

Inside Reader

By Martha Nichols

A deep dive into books, media, and writing — and the impact of AI — by the author of FIRST-PERSON JOURNALISM

Essential for first person writing.

- david roberts

Personal Canon Formation

By John Halbrooks

A newsletter about how we read and listen to enrich our lives

John writes beautifully about literature and brings a curiosity of spirit and deep scholarship to his posts.

- david roberts

[B]OLD AGE with Debbie Weil

Sharing what it's really like to get old, from the blessings to the bullshit. Get personal essays, Q&As, advice on growing [b]older—all from author, book coach, and [b]old woman Debbie Weil. Join ElderStack, the community for [B]old Women.

Silent No More

By Demian Elaine' Yumei

Practical and Life-Changing Inspiration: essays, poetry, and songs to help you authentically rewrite the story of who you are and create the life you want.

Because Demian writes with such feeling from her lived experience.

- david roberts

Homo Vitruvius by A. Jay Adler

Essays on literature, culture, society, and all things human. Poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, and memoir. A writer's renascent light against the darkness. "Sing of human unsuccess / In a rapture of distress."

Jay writes with great passion, great knowledge, and great skill. If you love literature or history or ideas, subscribe!

- david roberts

Closely Reading

By haley

essays & musings about literature, film, and art from a literature phd, plus a new book club for close readers to read forgotten classics together

Art Every Day

By George Bothamley

The number 1 newsletter for Art Lovers This is great art - past and present - delivered to you daily. Monday to Friday

What could be better than beautifully curated art every day with concise explanations.

- david roberts

Good Humor

From the famous quote, “Arise good humor. Thou hast given me a joust of moral flavor.” Sir Wellington of Argyle, the discoverer of a heavy beef dish and a sock for golfers.

Consistently funny as advertised, but also consistently wise and thought provoking.

- david roberts

WTP

By Katie Burkhart

Asking, “What's the point?” to make the most of your time. Covering work, strategy, business, productivity, and culture in the value economy.

It;'s great and valuable writing about important topics, the latest being false values.

- david roberts

Debby's Substack: What to Believe

By Debby Waldman-What To Believe

My memoir, What to Believe, is about secrets, suicide, and the power of denial. Each week I'll publish another chapter. Between chapters, I'll write about mental health, grief, resilience, and hope.

Life (un)Learned

By Kim Van Bruggen

Where you unravel ingrained beliefs, examine limiting habits, and navigate life transitions with a recovering CEO.

Diverse writing, always interesting, always thoughtful.

- david roberts

Substack Writers at Work with Sarah Fay

For writers and creators who want real, meaningful growth on Substack ◻️ From the foremost Substack strategist Sarah Fay ◻️ Join thousands of paid subscribers ◻️ A top-3, bestselling, featured Substack globally

Excellent advice on writing in general and specifically on Substack

- david roberts

Lily Pond

Lily Pond covers cross-cultural experiences, plural identities and intergenerational clashes within the immigrant communities, dysfunctional family dynamics, violence & abuse against women, relational trauma, racism, emotional repression and healing.

I like your writing and appreciated that in your roundup of other writing, you made substantive comments. I think that's a valuable format.

- david roberts

June's Writing

By June Girvin

Welcome to the conversations. I talk about lots of things. Life, books, nature, knitting, or what's happening in the garden, sometimes memoir from 47 years of nursing. Wide-ranging ruminations. I usually post at the weekend, sometimes on Wednesday too.

June writes about life from a POV of lived experience and wisdom. I find myself relating to many of her thoughts.

- david roberts

The Literary Obsessive

By Eleanor Anstruther

A show case for my work, I stream fiction before it goes to print, publish essays & interviews, and champion indie lit fiction by increasing visibility, challenging stigma, and proving quality.

BordoLines

By Susan Bordo

I write about politics, gender, history, popular culture, and mass media—what moves me, what delights me, what irritates me, and what worries me—from movies and cable tv to mainstream news publications and broadcasts to commercials and ads.

I love Susan's wise and often funny posts on our culture. I always learn something, whether about feminism, movies/tv shows, or, in her last post, the real history of the fashion item known as the Shmatte.

- david roberts

Amazement Seeker

By Rona Maynard

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

Rona writes terrific essays.

- david roberts

Make Pure Thy Heart

By Paolo

Life through the lens of a curious vegan, absurdly optimistic creative. Centeredness & Clarity through creativity in the way we see things.

Letters from a Muslim Woman

By Noha Beshir

I share honest experiences of life as Western Muslim through the lens of mental health, motherhood, faith, and the multi-generational immigrant experience.

Beautifully written insights from the point of view of a multi-generational immigrant.

- david roberts

the Human Carbohydrate

By Stella Tsantekidou

I am good for you

Entertaining, sharp, and unexpected. And great sense of prose and timing.

- david roberts

Zuko's Musings

By Jenn Zuko

Stuff and nonsense about the nerdings-out I do on a thrice-weekly basis. Memoir, cultural commentary, literary analysis, theatrical and academic rantings. Unhinged personal essays. Pub reviews. Cool? Cool.

Musings that are more than musing; cool vocabulary words, expert analyses of fights (especially sword fights)

- david roberts

Alex Nowrasteh's Immigration Insights

By Alex Nowrasteh's (mostly) Deep Dives

Thoughts on immigration, economics, social science, public policy, and more

The Granny Who Stands on her Head

By Ann Richardson

my thoughts about living and dying and everything in-between

Writing in the Dark with Jeannine Ouellette

For people who do language. Writing saved my life—so I teach writing as if it might save yours.

Bluestocking Bombshells

By Laura Durnell ♿️ ♀️

A Literary, Art, and Sociocultural Salon Hosted by a Fed-Up Feminist

I value Laura's writing.

- david roberts

Feel The Rhythm

By Tommy Swerdlow

"The Rhythm" is a piggy bank to hold my pennies. The phrase comes from Cool Runnings a movie I wrote thirty years ago.

Great writing I can relate to.

- david roberts

Get Real, Man

By Latham

A newsletter exploring the search for more: more humanity, more honesty, more Truth

Latham's writing is pure and gripping.

- david roberts

Life Litter

By Jill

No brand, no message. What’s left

I look forward to and Jill's writing and find it invigorating.

- david roberts

Beyond the Comfort Zone with Renée Eli, Ph.D.

By Renée Eli – Beyond the Comfort Zone

Complex times usher us beyond comfort to the depths of human becoming. These letters are meditative essays devoted to the unfolding of us.

I love the gorgeous photography of places I'll never visit but can "travel to" thanks to this excellent substack.

- david roberts

Noted

By Jillian Hess

Tips from the world's best note takers

For anyone who loves literature, this is a wonderful look at the raw material.

- david roberts

Inner Workings

By Rachel Katz

Literary essays, published occasionally. On work culture, mothering, mysterious women’s diseases, and redefining success. Striving to deliver little nuggets of beauty and sparks of insight.

The writing is consistently sharp and interesting.

- david roberts

The Teachers Way

By Molly Moynahan

Teaching, writing, sobriety, parenting, culture, and living with grace and humor.

Quiet Reading with Tara Penry

A weekly refuge for our shared humanity inspired by authors, books, and this world of marvels.

I love Tara's theme of quiet reading. I find it new and valuable.

- david roberts

Caravanserai with Samantha Childress

Personal stories and incisive commentary on travel, culture, and expat life--because understanding breeds compassion.

Samantha writes compelling essays from the POV of an expat in unusual places, currently Jordan. She's an example of the type of writer that fires me up about Substack.

- david roberts