Letter 14: Noteworthy Newsletters
Letter 14: Noteworthy Newsletters
When we share our favorites
Three cheers for making it to Wednesday! Emily and I are hitting pause on our contributed letters today to share our most favorite email newsletters.
Remember when it was said, Email is dead? Well, they were more than wrong. As the younger ones send their snaps, the older crowd finds the right tunes for their stories and the mature ones update their feeds; email remains a steady standby. Part of our desire in starting The Learning Curve was because of our love of email newsletters. I don’t know about you, but I still get a hit of joy when I realize it’s the day of the week that brings my favorite people’s thoughts right into my inbox.
So join us today for a run-down of our very favorites. Maybe they are old standbys to you or new follows; either way, we would love to hear from you about your favorite email newsletters! Tell us in the comments below.
As always: Share the love! — Molly
“Keep good company, read good books, love good things and cultivate soul and body as faithfully as you can.”
Louisa May Alcott
Emily
“Every Friday morning I send out a list of 10 things I think are worth sharing — new art, writing, and interesting links straight to your inbox.”
Austin Kleon has written three best-selling books about the artist’s (or creator’s) life. I was able to hear him speak several years ago at the Texas Conference for Teachers of English, and he is funny, insightful, personal, and approachable. I read his blog and his newsletter, and I listen to just about every podcast interview he does. He’s just great.
“A weekly(ish) look at some of the ups and downs of art and culture.”
Alan Jacobs is a professor at Baylor University and a well-known author of many nonfiction works, as well as a biographer of C.S. Lewis. His newsletter includes his musings on life, art, literature, academia, nature, and music.
The Morning (NYT)
“Make sense of the day’s news and ideas. David Leonhardt and Times journalists guide you through what’s happening — and why it matters.”
Leonhardt is an outstanding journalist, and I appreciate how he lays out each side in these divisive times. After reading the newsletter, I am better informed and equipped to see a situation for what it actually is rather than rely on the biased take of different media outlets.
Clean Everything (Wirecutter)
“Get step-by-step advice on how to keep everything in your home looking (and feeling) squeaky clean.”
I love nerding out to this newsletter and its tips and tricks for cleaning, well, everything. My favorite issues have been how to wash pillows, polish silver, and deep clean your dishwasher (this was a bit of a trick—you don’t really have to do much!).
Molly
“A newsletter devoted to the family meal, however you define ‘family’ and however you define ‘meal.’”
If you love recipes for which you probably have all the ingredients in your pantry, this newsletter is an excellent choice. I’ve been a big fan of Jenny’s for over a decade; I own her cookbooks, follow her on Instagram and love her additions to the (beloved) Cup of Jo. Her newsletter includes perfect-for-the-current-season recipes and never feel overwhelming. Bonus: Her husband is a well known editor and so her emails can also include excellent book recommendations.
This is not newsletter-related but this recipe of Jenny’s is one I make ALL THE TIME, especially this time of year. So easy and so delicious. I couldn’t help myself and had to share it here.
“Daily emails to dismantle white supremacy”
This daily newsletter is an excellent racial equity resource. Each topical (criminal justice, tech, covid-19, etc.) newsletter shares current events with a focus on anti-racism. I appreciate how each letter has clear sections — Take Action, Get Educated, Key Takeaways — allowing readers to educate themselves, apply their knowledge and move forward. A willingness to listen is always the first step in a difficult conversation.
“A newsletter about the history behind today’s politics”
Professor Heather Cox Richardson, an American historian and professor of history at Boston College, writes with impeccable perspective about how daily events play out in relationship to American history. Researched with precision and copious amount of detail, Professor Richardson removes bias and presents the facts. I’ve been a devout reader of this newsletter for several years, but it is incredibly helpful during really tough mainstream media overloaded seasons.
In Her Words (NYT)
“Where Women Rule the Headlines”
The joy of this read is that it’s diverse, varied and topically organized. I don’t read every edition, but I always find powerful nuggets when I do. The editors pull stories from the news that share truths about women in all capacities—in the home, workplace, relationships, and so forth. It can be overwhelming to keep up with the news during most days, but having gender-focused pieces shared in email format is a relief for me in ways I didn’t know I needed.
Both
“The most wisdom per word of any newsletter on the web.”
Emily introduced this newsletter to me when we started working on TLC in the beginning of 2021 and without fail, it’s one of my favorites of the entire week. This is a save-up newsletter. And by this, I mean I save it up for when I have a focused ten minutes in my day to really sit and savor. Upon reading James Clear’s selected quotations and sentiments for that week, I immediately refocus the thoughts that just won’t stop spinning in my head and reframe them in a more thoughtful, intentional way. —Molly
P.S. We’d love to hear about your favorite email newsletters! Please share your suggestions in the comments below.
