44 Comments

thank you again for the feature <3 i had so much fun doing this. and i agree - people should feel MORE comfortable sharing writing on here :) you guys make substack a lovely place to do so! xox

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Aww you could give us no better compliment! 💘

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I really enjoy reading Substack newsletters and think the more writers the better. However I have noticed some tend to have the same guests/links. I'm a newer subscriber but I really appreciate how y'all have already introduced me to 5 different Substackers I didn't already know about!

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Yay, thanks for subscribing! We're definitely trying to introduce readers to other newsletters they'll like — hoping it's a podcast effect, the more you listen, the more you listen?! And it's fun! So glad to hear you've liked it :)

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I read Emily’s piece and it stirred a combination of anger and self consciousness! I love sharing about my messy life as a therapist and while my writing isn’t life changing and perfect, I love sharing and connecting on here. I love lists and all the fun things we all get to share about that doesn’t include deep thinking. So, going to keep writing even if I don’t get to be at the cool people writing table.

I love Ruth Reichl, too! All of her books are so yummy and the stories are just intricate yet simple. I listened to The Paris Novel on audiobook and enjoyed it immensely because the narrator beautifully spoke the French that is woven frequently into the book.

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Also a big Ruth Reichl fan. Her memoirs are so honest and heart wearing and REAL. She's such a gem. You might like Blue Cotton Gown, a memoir by a midwife in WV. She has lived a really interesting life in my opinion. I could talk memoirs all day...

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Aug 19Edited

+1000 for Thriftbooks. They have an amazing loyalty program where you get every sixth book free AND if you disagree on the condition of a book you receive, they have a really easy to use chat interface where you can talk to a person and they'll refund you quickly. We buy 100% of my son's books from Thriftbooks and love it, he gets so excited when he sees the turquoise packages in the mail!

I think if you use this link you'll get a free book with your first purchase: https://www.thriftbooks.com/share/?code=FfA6SpSdTZ456qAaYApH9A%253d%253d

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Your son getting excited is so precious. Reminds me how *amped* the Barnes & Noble green logo used to get me. I would see it across the parking lot and my heart would start racing.

Thank you for the hot tips re: Thirftbooks!!

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Yes totally! Takes me back too only I was a borders kid 😂

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Same! 🥹

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And also seems great in particular for kids books. You can buy a lot for better prices!

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the best!!!!! i love it

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I think Substack does an incredible job of discoverability so I'm being wantonly promiscuous about my subscriptions. But I've got this nagging feeling about the homogenization of the form - that it's reaching a saturation point of sameness. Being old enough to remember the joys of blogging and Dooce, Mimi Smartypants, and Defective Yeti, I will always have a soft spot for reading the personal online but wonder how it will evolve over the next few years. I'm still in exploration and haven't yet settled into an established groove - but wonder how quickly the cycle will happen this time.

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Lol "wantonly promiscuous." I get it — I subscribe to something like 250 newsletters! Thanks for your POV, Daejin.

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I still think about a handful of bloggers who sites I read every day in my Google Reader! They have most GOMI'd though, womp womp...

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Emily's essay really put into words what I had been noticing on Substack over the past few months - sometimes I wonder if Substack is becoming the new lifestyle blog?

I read newsletters simply because I enjoy the culture content that's not the news! I've mostly stopped consuming Instagram and Youtube because the lifestyle comparison made me feel depressed. I like that reading newsletters makes me concentrate fully on one person's perspective, rather than flipping through 100 different people in 30 minutes à la Instagram, and I also like the flexibility. If a newsletter is feeling too parasocial for me, I'll just unsubscribe for a while.

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I think one of the reasons (among many) it got such a big reaction was because it did articulate what many people were thinking/feeling! Really interesting that IG and YT can lead to comparisons while Substack doesn't... I wonder if that will/is changing with Notes, which introduces more classic lifestyle content.

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Ok, I have to plug Raina's shop (the curtain link!) -- I bought from her shop and then RUINED two of the panels pouring out fabric dye into my sink (I moved the rug out of my kitchen, but forgot to pin the curtain up.... such a terrible thing to overlook when working with black RIT dye...). I cried to my husband (THIS IS WHY I CANT HAVE NICE THINGS!!!), and he calmly suggested that I message the shop owner and see if I could send it back to her to repair it. She immediately messaged back and said she would! West Elm would never!! 5 out of 5 stars for gorgeous craftsmanship and customer service.

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West Elm would NEVER I love this so much!

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Omg, incredible!!!

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This small business is selling election merch. I see at least one youth shirt. Just thought I’d share!! — https://love-and-lion.myshopify.com/collections/madam-president

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Ah thank you! She’s based in Nashville (my hometown 💛) too!

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Yes! I was born in Nashville too and still live here! 🙃🙃

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Aw, amazing!!! tell nash hi for me

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I am here because of y'all! Since starting to read your newsletter, I have subscribed to others you have recommended. I now look forward to them all (yours the MOST) in my inbox weekly! It's a world full of ideas and recommendations and thoughts that take me away from my normal scrolling down work-related content and news stories.

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That's exactly how I feel, too!!

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Save Me The Plums is one of my all time favorites - HIGHLY recommend "Delicious!". Just as good and makes me want to fall in love with food more and become a better cook.

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YES!! agreed—i need to try the recipes in the book!

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Save Me The Plums is also one of my favorites!!! 😀❤️👍

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i haven't stopped thinking about it

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This is a great reminder to get farro back into my rotation!!

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Honestly such an underrated grain

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i support it

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This is a fun summary of the origins of pojagi (the curtain style!). Started in the 14th century in Korea as a way to use up extra fabric bits! https://www.remodelista.com/posts/trend-alert-patchwork-cloths-curtains-pojagi/

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OHHH, so cool, thank you for sharing! Did you see this article (which the Remodelista one links to)? https://www.cooperhewitt.org/2017/01/31/korean-patchwork/ Also really interesting!

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Very cool! I've been so curious about making it but don't feel very confident on a sewing machine.

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Oooh would be such a fun project though! Please keep me posted if you do try.

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huge collab 💘 this made me smile ear to ear

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omg the curtains? so Bauhaus! so Anni Albers!

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Incredible, right??

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Aw yay, I love my stained glass window covering—truly gives me so much joy!!

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I already love Angelina's NL but felt I got to even know her even better through your round-up! I too had my jaw drop when I saw the NYC Ballet's new promo photos + am a Ruth Reichl fan. If Save Me the Plums was the only Reichl book you've read, Angelina, I'd highly recommend Garlic & Sapphires and also her fiction novel, Delicious!

Lastly, I loved Aja's description of her and Aliza talking in the car like teenagers. That is female friendship at its best + really made me smile!

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I also love Ruth Reichl! Thank you for such a lovely note, Kayli 💛

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Ah, she is the best, isn’t she?? I recently went with a friend to hear her in conversation for her debut of The Paris Novel and fan girled. 🤣

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