BookStack Directory: Part 4
"D" is for Darlings-- some of my personal favorite BookStacks
Hello hello. Thanks to those who encouraged me to keep going with this directory. I love so many of the BookStacks already highlighted in the installments focused on BookStacks by Authors, Book Industry Pros, and Channel Changers.
Today I’m letting my personal tastes reign, sharing a dozen BookStacks I always open as soon as I can when new posts show up in my feed. Their posts often include recs aligned with my personal reading taste, often a book or two I haven’t heard of yet. They’re often funny, always thoughtful and engaging. Or their way of approaching their newsletter makes me think about reading or what I’m doing with my life, including writing this newsletter, in a new way.
Their styles range from quirky and playful to earnest to flashes of downright pretention at times, and I love them all. I’m calling them Darlings for the sake of this ridiculous alphabetical system I established to help me organize the vast expanse of readers writing for other readers on this platform— and because I’m not the only one who loves them! These folks are quite popular among other readers who write on this platform.
I owe some of them gratitude for helping me believe I could find an audience beyond my dozen friends who initially signed up for my little newsletter. If you’re trying to find your footing among all the content about books on here, these are some good people to get to know! This my small way to repay their support.
I add newsletters to each installment until I get the Post too long for email message, so this is a long list but I still wish it could be longer. The upcoming installments focused on Enthusiasts who take readers deep into the work of a particular genre, author, period or school of literary thought ALSO includes some of my favorite people, as does the following post featuring the Faculty who will give you a college-level education straight to your inbox if you want, plus the Fans— I’ve saved some of the best readers and writers I’m excited to feature for that last installment as well.
Here we go:
features ’s selections of the best-written books from US & UK prize shortlists & major reviews, & masterclasses by their authors on prose style. If stylish prose and impressive writing make a book for you and if you appreciate strong opinions girded by transparent and debatable criteria, this newsletter might be for you. It often helps me decide which new literary books to buy. Plus, the Auraist publishes an original series The Demon Inside David Lynch: TV Drama's Worst Fiasco, a genre-blurring “critical novel of verve and urgency about fanaticism, generational hatred, rampant cheesiness, and our post-truth state, whoever’s responsible for it.”
There are many others I enjoy reading who have supported this directory and will be included in future installments. I’m saving some of the best for last— every installment of this directory includes awesome readers who write.
writes , described as a community of readers and writers exploring the intricate relationships between life, literature, and the profound narratives that bind them together. That’s a sweeping and poetic goal, and I always cheer on Matthew’s down-to-earth approach to it, focused on connecting to others and sharing how literature played a part in big shifts in his own life. He’s truly nice and thoughtful, and as someone named for an East of Eden character, I’m invested in his monthly posts based on his year-long Steinbeck reading challenge! (hard “g”) lightens up Mike’s hot takes on an ecclectic mix of books with GIFs that get to the heart of the way a book might make you feel. The way he describes books lets me know exactly whether it might be for me, and we share a love of short exquisite books too. It’s the newsletter most likely to introduce me to a book I will love but otherwise might never have discovered. And— I’d give my left arm for an editor like Donna to keep me honest and catch all my typos. writes and how could I not love it given I’ve been known to describe my own taste along those same lines? I appreciate her story, the pure genius of self-prescribing writing a newsletter about books and culture as an antedote to professional burnout. I open this newsletter expecting an ecclectic, authentic perspective with a twist from a reader with global experience commenting on American culture, and it always delivers. offers in-depth reviews heavy on world literature in translation and I’m always impressed by the amount she reads and the way she tries to understand each work based upon what the author was trying to achieve and the significance of its themes. Yet she never loses sight of her own experience as a reader, reflected in her “buy, borrow, bust” framework for rating each read. finds meaning in life through literature, art, design and culture. One thing I love about this newsletter is how clearly walks readers through her personal interpretations of the cultural artifacts she discusses, while leaving so much room for a reader to arrive at their own conclusions. She’s definitely on board with the pretentions inherent in the language of art-and-design, yet also able to appreciate when it’s appropriate to throw that under the bus. Reading this newsletter helps me tune my antennae and my attention in a too-much-to-choose-from world. of started writing here around the same time I did and it’s been fun to read another newcomer who “fucking loves reading” and finds that to be enough reason to join the crowded space of people sharing thoughts about books and how those thoughts shape personality and experience. I have discovered a new perspective on shared favorites and some books I didn’t know about, too. Her photos give me shelf and travel envy, in the best way. with promises a newsletter for book people who lost their way. She knows it’s not easy to live an intellectual life amidst the daily responsibility to survive in a world that rewards career climbing and striving. Her newsletter features book reviews and tips for those who want to read more as well as essays on how she overcame her perfectionism and found more ways to enjoy life and cultivate a life of the mind. Plus, her selfies always offer creative outfit inspiration.
of Read More Books also writes , a Substack featured publication where he’ll walk you through some of the classics in large-group read along format. I love Read More Books for its Discussions that engage a lot of other readers who recommend good books unfamiliar to me and also for its focus on not only what Jeremy’s reading but his family members’ favorites, too. books, bookstores, author interviews, links to podcasts and book news by Gayla Gray, winner of the Speedy award for the person most likely to be the first to like a new BookStack post. I made that award up but seriously: she’s a huge champion of all the book nerds on Substack, invites a lot of guests to share their book-related expertise in her newsletter and shares her own lists of people writing about books, too.
You’ll recognize
by by its adorable Ghostie mascot. She’ll help you curate your [pop] cultured reading lifestyle with weekly posts on reading life, common book problems, crazy things happening in the book world, book reviews and lists. With her ecclectic taste, fun tone and tendency to hit you once in awhile with a bolt of recognition that life is hard so better be nice, she helps me find books that keep me awake and feeling something, whatever my mood. She and are buddy reading East of Eden this summer and I don’t think it’s too late to join in! was the first title I had in mind for my newsletter— but I was pleased to discover that property already occupied by a writer who does the concept of themed mood reads so well. ’s concise reviews make the best use of headlines and bullet points to make it easy to get a sense of whether or not a book will pique my interest. She mixes in just-right references to comparable titles or an author’s previous work to seal the deal, exhibiting her deep book knowledge in the least show-offy way. The books she recommends might not always be right for me, but this is also a newsletter most likely to put something new on my list.
That’s all for this round. If you’re enjoying the directory, please subscribe so you don’t miss any of them!
In case you missed it
Thanks to
of for giving a shout out to the BookStack Directory recently on , which helped a lot of folks find it! If you enjoy this and have an opportunity to share it with a new audience, your support is greatly appreciated and I’m happy to provide anything you might need.
Previous installments of the BookStack Directory here:
I feel so happy and proud to be included in this list, among some of my personal favorites BY one of my personal favorites. I love that you are doing this Abra and introducing us to so many cool book people. 🤓📚❤️
I accept the "Speedy" award, and I click the "heart" on every newsletter that I read because all writers want to know they've been "seen." Thank for including me in your BookStack Directory. :)