Substacks recommended by Sara Petersen | In Pursuit of Clean Countertops

Recommended by Sara Petersen

Big Salad

By Joanna Goddard

Life advice, fun recommendations, and dating gossip — from Joanna Goddard and the Cup of Jo team.

Tea Notes

By erin boyle

Dispatches and digests from Erin Boyle. Very rarely about tea.

Over the Influence

By Jo Piazza

A hilarious and often factual romp through the world of social media, old-school media, publishing and whatever else catches our fancy.

Real Self-Care

By Pooja Lakshmin MD

A newsletter from psychiatrist Dr. Pooja Lakshmin MD

Books + Bits

By Pandora Sykes

A Pandora's Box of culture reccs and little life-enhancers, by Pandora Sykes.

Between Us

By Chelsea Conaboy

Many of the stories we're told about the nature of parenthood are wrong. Let's write a new one.

More to Hate

By Kate Manne

Fatphobia, misogyny, and more

Excerpts from Pocket Observatory

By Meg Conley

Hi! I’m Meg Conley. I write about the intersection of capitalism, culture and care work at Pocket Observatory. Select essays are republished to Substack. If you'd like to receive my official (FREE) newsletter, subscribe here + I'll take care of the rest!

Hmm That's Interesting

By Clara

Culture thoughts of/for/by the Chronically Online, from that girl you may have seen on Instagram or TikTok (alas). Essays, pop culture, interviews, and literature.

Now We're Talking with Doree Shafrir

A newsletter about navigating life as a human and a mom.

Bringing Down The Flowers

By Hannah Matthews

A gathering of love letters to her/his/their/your/my/our constellations of abortion care. A ribbon that runs through all of our lives. An overshare. An essay collection. An invitation. An irregular newsletter.

Mothers Under the Influence

By Kathryn Jezer-Morton

gently, persistently scratching the enamel of the momfluencer industry

Mad Woman

By Amanda Montei

Essays, conversations, and criticism on books, culture, and feminism. Also a new writing group for founding subscribers.

There are very few writers who can marry brilliant academic writing with delicious pop culture writing and Amanda is one of them. Whether you have feelings about maternal burnout, The Bachelor, or the politics of gender, Amanda will help you understand those feelings!

- Sara Petersen

Embedded

By Nick Catucci

Your essential guide to what’s good on the internet. Written by Kate Lindsay and edited by Nick Catucci.

The Audacity.

By Roxane Gay

Writing that boldly disregards normal restraints.

Is My Kid the Asshole?

By Melinda Wenner Moyer

I bring science and nuance to parenting advice and challenge fear-mongering, shame-inducing content.

Hung Up

By hunter harris

A twice-weekly newsletter about movies, tv, and personal pop culture obsessions. Hung Up is essays, interviews, recommendations, reviews, gossip, line readings, love notes, cool stuff to share with your friends.

The Review of Beauty by Jessica DeFino

A critical review of beauty culture from “the woman the beauty industry fears” (the Sunday Herald).

Absolutely obsessed with Jessica DeFino's smart, irreverent, funny as hell commentary on the cult of the beauty industry.

- Sara Petersen

Professor Tompkins is Out of Office

By Professor Tompkins is Out of Order

With Hitha

By Hitha Palepu

A weekly digest of advice, recommendations, and reads from multi-hyphenate Hitha Palepu

Donita Reason

By Angela Garbes

explicitly laid out like a fruitcake

Abortion, Every Day

By Jessica Valenti

All things abortion. Feminist commentary & community.

Nisha's Internet Tote Bag

By Nisha Chittal

Good things to read + good things to cook, every Sunday, from journalist Nisha Chittal.

From the Desk of Alicia Kennedy

Essays, criticism, and interviews on food culture, media, and politics sent out on Monday morning. Paid subscribers receive additional posts on Fridays and have access to commenting, the recipe archive, and more.

Burnt Toast by Virginia Sole-Smith

Dismantling diet culture and anti-fat bias, especially in health, fashion, and parenting. (But non-parents like it too!)

Along with the must-listen podcast, Maintenance Phase, Virginia Sole-Smith's newsletter is responsible for completely exploding my knowledge of diet-culture. In the best way!

- Sara Petersen

Evil Witches Newsletter

By Claire Zulkey

We are people who happen to be mothers.

Well To Do

By Rina Raphael

The latest, greatest, and strangest of the wellness industry.

bitches gotta eat!

By samantha irby

judge mathis recaps + occasional sad garbage

Men Yell at Me

By lyz

Written from a journalist in a red state, this newsletter is personal, political, sometimes funny and always raises hell.

There is no writer I trust more with my rage than Lyz Lenz. Whether she's incinerating sexist politicians, Good Mom™ ideals, or the Justin Timberlakes of the world, she's doing it brilliantly and hilariously.

- Sara Petersen

HONEY STAY SUPER

By Kimberly Harrington

A newsletter about creating a new life after 50, after marriage, after kids, and after publishing. So sick of learning and growing I could barf. Making you think, cry, laugh, and feel. Read me, won’t you?

Culture Study

By Anne Helen Petersen

Think more about the culture that surrounds you

Anne Helen Petersen is the type of writer who could write not one but SEVERAL books about the Chip and Joanna Gaines extended universe and guarantee that each one of those books would illuminate something beautiful, something broken, and something weird about American culture.

- Sara Petersen

Everything Happened

By Evie Ebert

Strong opinions, loosely held.