Substacks recommended by Erik Davis

Recommended by Erik Davis

Subcultures, outliers, the view from the fringe. A mix of reporting, essay and memoir.

Great subculture coverage, thoughtful, sympathetic-but-critical, and well written. Snark free (except when absolutely necessary).

- Erik Davis

Transmutations

By The Berkeley Alembic

The bubbling essence of the Berkeley Alembic, a nonprofit center committed to experiments in transformation.

Ward of the State

By Martin Billheimer

Transmissions from the depths of Bubbly Creek, Chicago. Up all night, we watch the riverrun while others sleep. The caretaker welcomes and thanks you!

Auraist. The best writers on Substack.

By Sean

Trusted by 50K+ readers, we pick the best-written books from US and UK new releases and prize shortlists, and publish articles by world-class authors on prose style and AI writing. Plus the satire The Demon Inside David Lynch.

Auraist is committed to one of my supreme principles as a writer: polishing the prose until it gleams, which is IMO just as important in nonfiction. Craft is more important than take.

- Erik Davis