Max Read
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winner of the village voice "best personal tumblr" award, 2011
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Articles by Max Read
Send questions about the office, money, careers and work-life balance to workfriend@nytimes.com. Include your name and location, or a request to remain anonymous. Letters may be edited. Struggling With Not Drowning I began a new job a little under a year ago, and I really don’t have enough to do. I’ve let my supervisor know that I have bandwidth to take on more projects, and he’s done his best to give me some, but on many days, I find myself at a loss.
When a job goes from dreamy to dreary
Q: About three years ago, my company hired an incredibly toxic person to oversee my software engineering team. That person has slowly made things a living hell, taking what was creative work and transforming it into a dead-end, robotic job. As a result, 12 people have quit in the last six months — around 20% of the team.
When a Job Goes From Dreamy to Dreary Original
Send questions about the office, money, careers and work-life balance to workfriend@nytimes.com. Include your name and location, or a request to remain anonymous. Letters may be edited. Morale Killer About three years ago my company hired an incredibly toxic person to oversee my software engineering team. That person has slowly made things a living hell, taking what was creative work and transforming it into a dead-end, robotic job.
When a Job Goes From Dreamy to Dreary
(Work Friend) Q: About three years ago my company hired an incredibly toxic person to oversee my software engineering team. That person has slowly made things a living hell, taking what was creative work and transforming it into a dead-end, robotic job. As a result, 12 people have quit in the last six months -- around 20% of the team.
How to handle a manipulative creep
Q: I work in a role that was specifically created to support a department head who’s not my direct manager. Over the past few months, our once close professional relationship has shifted in an uncomfortable way. He became upset that I spent time socially with other co-workers outside the office but not him, and told me he felt hurt and “rejected” that I maintain boundaries between my work and personal life.
How to Handle a Manipulative Creep at the Office
Send questions about the office, money, careers and work-life balance to workfriend@nytimes.com. Include your name and location, or a request to remain anonymous. Letters may be edited. Boundary Collapse I work in a role that was specifically created to support a department head who’s not my direct manager. Over the last few months, our once close professional relationship has shifted in an uncomfortable way.
How to Handle a Manipulative Creep
(Work Friend) Q: I work in a role that was specifically created to support a department head who's not my direct manager. Over the past few months, our once close professional relationship has shifted in an uncomfortable way. He became upset that I spent time socially with other co-workers outside the office but not him, and told me he felt hurt and "rejected" that I maintain boundaries between my work and personal life.
My boss goes on benders. What are my options?
Q: I’ve worked at a small company of 10 employees for nearly eight years. Overall, I work with great people and enjoy what I do. The pay is good, the hybrid schedule is flexible, the PTO is generous. The glaring issue is that the founder of the company is an alcoholic. For long stretches of time, he disappears completely from day-to-day work. He is essentially unreachable and does not carry out his responsibilities, leaving the rest of us to pick up the slack.
My Boss Goes on Benders. What Are My Options?
You have a preview view of this article while we are checking your access. When we have confirmed access, the full article content will load. Send questions about the office, money, careers and work-life balance to workfriend@nytimes.com. Include your name and location, or a request to remain anonymous. Letters may be edited. Alcoholic and Absentee I’ve worked at a small company of 10 employees for nearly eight years. Overall, I work with great people and enjoy what I do.
My Boss Goes on Benders. What Are My Options?
(Work Friend) Q: I've worked at a small company of 10 employees for nearly eight years. Overall, I work with great people and enjoy what I do. The pay is good, the hybrid schedule is flexible, the PTO is generous. The glaring issue is that the founder of the company is an alcoholic. For long stretches of time, he disappears completely from day-to-day work. He is essentially unreachable and does not carry out his responsibilities, leaving the rest of us to pick up the slack.
Tooth brushing at work has me foaming at the mouth
Q: I work in a small library. My co-worker has braces, and, after eating, she brushes and flosses using the sink in the break room. I find this gross. Several months went by before she realized her toothpaste was flicking off her electric brush all around the sink. She seems more mindful about cleaning up after herself now, but I still think this is gross. There are four single, all-gender restrooms in our library, but she doesn’t seem to want to use them.
Tooth Brushing at Work Has Me Foaming at the Mouth Original
Send questions about the office, money, careers and work-life balance to workfriend@nytimes.com. Include your name and location, or a request to remain anonymous. Letters may be edited. Spit Take I work in a small library. My co-worker has braces and after eating, she brushes and flosses using the sink in the break room. I find this gross. Several months went by before she realized her toothpaste was flicking off her electric brush all around the sink.
Tooth Brushing at Work Has Me Foaming at the Mouth
(Work Friend) Spit Take Q: I work in a small library. My co-worker has braces, and, after eating, she brushes and flosses using the sink in the break room. I find this gross. Several months went by before she realized her toothpaste was flicking off her electric brush all around the sink. She seems more mindful about cleaning up after herself now, but I still think this is gross. There are four single, all-gender restrooms in our library, but she doesn't seem to want to use them.
My boss is addled by ChatGPT. Do I have to play along?
Q: Ever since my 40-year-old boss discovered ChatGPT, he’s running everything through it, even asking it to write drafts and analyze documents. I’m going on 60 and have spent my entire work life relying on my brain and bona fide resources to do my work. Now, I’ll write up a draft of something, and I’ll hear, “OK, just run that through ChatGPT.” Or “Can you ask ChatGPT if XYZ?” I’ve explained that ChatGPT is not always correct and have literally pointed to specific examples.
My Boss Is Addled by ChatGPT. Do I Have to Play Along? Original
Send questions about the office, money, careers and work-life balance to workfriend@nytimes.com. Include your name and location, or a request to remain anonymous. Letters may be edited. In Work-Love With a Chatbot Dear Work Friend: Ever since my 40-year-old boss discovered ChatGPT, he’s running everything through it, even asking it to write drafts and analyze documents. I’m going on 60 and have spent my entire work life relying on my brain and bona fide resources to do my work.
My boss is addled by ChatGPT. Do I have to play along?
(Work Friend) Q: Ever since my 40-year-old boss discovered ChatGPT, he's running everything through it, even asking it to write drafts and analyze documents. I'm going on 60 and have spent my entire work life relying on my brain and bona fide resources to do my work. Now, I'll write up a draft of something, and I'll hear, "OK, just run that through ChatGPT." Or "Can you ask ChatGPT if XYZ?" I've explained that ChatGPT is not always correct and have literally pointed to specific examples.
Sinister Synergies
From a distance—looking down, say, from a penthouse office in a glass-paned downtown skyscraper—the U.S. economy of the 1990s and early 2000s could feel almost boring. Between Black Monday in 1987 and the Global Financial Crisis twenty years later, growth was steady, markets were mostly stable, and inflation was historically low.
My husband can’t get a job. Should I divorce him?
Q: My husband is a very smart and capable person, but he became very sick in early 2020, and he has barely worked since then, despite tirelessly applying for positions. What can he do? We recently moved so I could go to graduate school for music, but the stress of trying to make enough money to live on (even with help from my mom) has made it nearly impossible to focus and develop my skills. It’s literally ruining my life.
My Husband Can’t Get a Job. Should I Divorce Him?
Send questions about the office, money, careers and work-life balance to workfriend@nytimes.com. Include your name and location, or a request to remain anonymous. Letters may be edited. Marriage vs. Unemployment Dear Work Friend, My husband is a very smart and capable person, but he became very sick in early 2020, and he has barely worked since then, despite tirelessly applying for positions. What can he do?
My Husband Can’t Get a Job. Should I Divorce Him?
1 hour ago A record number of student loan borrowers are in delinquency and default. Some are making the drastic decision to leave the country and abandon their loans. Amanda Lynn Tully spent her teenage years as a ward of the State of Colorado and believed a college degree was her ticket to a better life. So, …
My Husband Can't Get a Job. Should I Divorce Him?
(Work Friend) kAmk6>m"i |J 9FD32?5 :D 2 G6CJ D>2CE 2?5 42A23=6 A6CD@?[ 3FE 96 3642>6 G6CJ D:4< :? 62C=J a_a_[ 2?5 96 92D 32C6=J H@C<65 D:?46 E96?[ 56DA:E6 E:C6=6DD=J 2AA=J:?8 7@C A@D:E:@?D] (92E 42? 96 5@n (6 C646?E=J >@G65 D@ x 4@F=5 8@ E@ 8C25F2E6 D49@@= 7@C >FD:4[ 3FE E96 DEC6DD @7 ECJ:?8 E@ >2<6 6?@F89 >@?6J E@ =:G6 @? W6G6? H:E9 96=A 7C@> >J >@>X 92D >256 :E ?62C=J :>A@DD:3=6 E@ 7@4FD 2?5 56G6=@A >J D<:==D] xEVD =:E6C2==J CF:?:?8 >J =:76] rFCC6?E=J 96 :D 5@:?8 2? @?=:?6 >2DE6CVD AC@8C2> :?
My Husband Can't Get a Job. Should I Divorce Him?
(Work Friend) Q: My husband is a very smart and capable person, but he became very sick in early 2020, and he has barely worked since then, despite tirelessly applying for positions. What can he do? We recently moved so I could go to graduate school for music, but the stress of trying to make enough money to live on (even with help from my mom) has made it nearly impossible to focus and develop my skills. It's literally ruining my life.
I think my employee has ADHD. Should I tell him?
Q: My company has an employee who is intelligent and hardworking. He is a logistics specialist and has no trouble with the day-to-day work of handling shipments. The problem is with the other part of his job, which involves classifying products in many different ways for transportation purposes. He is slow to complete these tasks and talks of getting stuck. The issues he gets stuck on are often minor, as in many cases there is more than one reasonable classification.
I Think My Employee Has A.D.H.D. Should I Tell Him? Original
Send questions about the office, money, careers and work-life balance to workfriend@nytimes.com. Include your name and location, or a request to remain anonymous. Letters may be edited. Don’t Butt In Dear Work Friend, My company has an employee who is intelligent and hard-working. He is a logistics specialist and has no trouble with the day-to-day work of handling shipments.
My Co-Workers Had an Affair and Misused Funds. But I'm Dealing With the Fallout.
(Work Friend) kAmk6>m"i |J 4@>A2?J 92D 2? 6>A=@J66 H9@ :D :?E6==:86?E 2?5 92C5H@C<:?8] w6 :D 2 =@8:DE:4D DA64:2=:DE 2?5 92D ?@ EC@F3=6 H:E9 E96 52J\E@\52J H@C< @7 92?5=:?8 D9:A>6?ED] %96 AC@3=6> :D H:E9 E96 @E96C A2CE @7 9:D ;@3[ H9:49 :?G@=G6D 4=2DD:7J:?8 AC@5F4ED :? >2?J 5:776C6?E H2JD 7@C EC2?DA@CE2E:@? AFCA@D6D]k^6>mk^Am kAmk6>mw6 :D D=@H E@ 4@>A=6E6 E96D6 E2D<D 2?5 E2=<D @7 86EE:?8 DEF4<] %96 :DDF6D 96 86ED DEF4< @? 2C6 @7E6? >:?@C[ 2D :? >2?J 42D6D E96C6 :D >@C6 E92?
When the bad boss is your friend
Q: I’m struggling with adjusting to a new working relationship with my former boss and dear friend. She was a key player in a multiyear project where there was a major disruption early on and a project manager left. My former boss took over running the project voluntarily, working more hours than she was paid to. For several months, she held the project together almost single-handedly. Now there is a new project manager, things are settling down and my former boss won’t relinquish the reins.
Send questions about the office, money, careers and work-life balance to workfriend@nytimes.com. Include your name and location, or a request to remain anonymous. Letters may be edited. Zoom Trauma I work as a social media manager at a nonprofit. This past year I convinced my organization to sign a two-year contract with a third-party app to help with our social media tracking and analysis.
This Work Zoom Shouldn't Have Gone X-Rated
(Work Friend) kAmkDEC@?8mq@F?4:?8 q24< p7E6C 2 s:DEFC3:?8 +@@> r2==k^DEC@?8mk^Am kAmk6>m"i x H@C< 2D 2 D@4:2= >65:2 >2?286C 2E 2 ?@?AC@7:E] %9:D A2DE J62C x 4@?G:?465 >J @C82?:K2E:@? E@ D:8? 2 EH@\J62C 4@?EC24E H:E9 2 E9:C5\A2CEJ 2AA E@ 96=A H:E9 @FC D@4:2= >65:2 EC24<:?8 2?5 2?2=JD:D] p J62C :?E@ E96 4@?EC24E[ x >6E H:E9 @FC C6A 2E E96 2AA @?
Should I tell my housekeeper, ‘I’m here for you?’
Q: My housekeeper has been working for me since 2019, a few hours every other week. Our relationship is very good but professional: I don’t know anything about her life. Nonetheless, if she needed me outside of a work context, I would want to be there for her. To be clear, I don’t know her immigration status, only that she is not a native English speaker. But I worry that she could be profiled if ICE came to our city.
Should I Tell My Housekeeper, ‘I’m Here for You’?
You have a preview view of this article while we are checking your access. When we have confirmed access, the full article content will load. Send questions about the office, money, careers and work-life balance to workfriend@nytimes.com. Include your name and location, or a request to remain anonymous. Letters may be edited. Breaking Boundaries My housekeeper has been working for me since 2019, a few hours every other week.
Talking with Max Read about AI and the Left
Max Read of Read Max and I debated whether or not the left is taking Artificial Intelligence seriously enough.
A.I.'s pandemic moment
This newsletter is brought to you by Squarespace. If you, like me, would like to have a personal or professional home on the internet, but prefer it to be somewhere that is not a “social media account” through which you are obligated to “post,” allow me to recommend: Squarespace. What I like about my Squarespace website (you can see it here) is that it’s mine, and that I can set it up and design it how I like.
Stop Pretending You ‘Need’ Your Phone ‘for Work’
Send questions about the office, money, careers and work-life balance to workfriend@nytimes.com. Include your name and location, or a request to remain anonymous. Letters may be edited. The Eternal Phone Problem I hate my phone. I hate how large it is. I hate that it takes up so much of my energy. I hate how much of my time it sucks. But I also have a job. The nature of my job (like most jobs) requires me to be contactable for a specific times on specific days.
Stop Pretending You 'Need' Your Phone 'for Work'
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Questioning a diagnosis and picking up the slack
Q: Our medical specialist colleague has for several years claimed long-COVID exemptions for working after 5 p.m. and taking overnight on-call commitments at the hospital. Aside from long COVID, my colleague seems fit and well. This exemption has led to grinding yet unspoken resentment. Our colleague’s “HR-supported” nonavailability for those nonsociable shifts means that the rest of us have had to bear the brunt of her weekend, evening, overnight and on-call commitments.
Suicide Rightism, Vulgar Enlightenment, and Chud Capitalism
Max Read and I had our (sort of) biweekly gab session. We talked about Max’s recent piece on the cult of suicide on the right, Jeffrey Epstein’s philosophical pretensions, and the material basis of the MAGA coalition. Max and I try to do these chats every two weeks on Wednesdays at 2 pm—we did Tuesday afternoon this week because of scheduling issues—and then they are available the next day for our paid subscribers.
Will Leaving My Terrible Job Make Me Look Flaky? Original
You have been granted access, use your keyboard to continue reading. Credit...Photo illustration by Margeaux Walter for The New York Times Supported by SKIP ADVERTISEMENT Jan. 24, 2026 Send questions about the office, money, careers and work-life balance to workfriend@nytimes.com. Include your name and location, or a request to remain anonymous. Letters may be edited.
Questioning a Diagnosis and Picking Up the Slack
(Work Friend) kAmk6>m"i ~FC >65:42= DA64:2=:DE 4@==628F6 92D 7@C D6G6C2= J62CD 4=2:>65 =@?8\r~'xs 6I6>AE:@?D 7@C H@C<:?8 27E6C d A]>] 2?5 E2<:?8 @G6C?:89E @?\42== 4@>>:E>6?ED 2E E96 9@DA:E2=] pD:56 7C@> =@?8 r~'xs[ >J 4@==628F6 D66>D 7:E 2?5 H6==] %9:D 6I6>AE:@? 92D =65 E@ 8C:?5:?8 J6E F?DA@<6?
The commenters won
Greetings from Read Max HQ! Today’s newsletter is about commenters in the Trump administration. A reminder: This newsletter is my full-time job. Everything you read here is a product of a lot of thinking, reading, reporting, writing, more thinking, procrastination, self-contempt, etc. If you appreciate it--if you find the writing helpful, informative, entertaining, “a good enough way to pass the time”--consider rewarding that work with a paid subscription.
Why doesn’t my boss respect sick days?
Q: I work a retail job. I have, on the surface, a good relationship with my manager: We work well together, and we talk to each other about our personal lives. But whenever I’ve come down with a cold or the flu — which happens a few times a year — he doesn’t show much understanding. If I’m at work and say that I’m feeling sick, he doesn’t ask if I need to go home. Furthermore, the onus is on me to find someone to fill in the next day.
Why doesn’t my boss respect sick days?
Q: I work a retail job. I have, on the surface, a good relationship with my manager: We work well together, and we talk to each other about our personal lives. But whenever I’ve come down with a cold or the flu -- which happens a few times a year -- he doesn’t show much understanding. If I’m at work and say that I’m feeling sick, he doesn’t ask if I need to go home. Furthermore, the onus is on me to find someone to fill in the next day.
Read Max x Unpopular Front with Vinson Cunningham
Max Read and I were joined by Vinson Cunningham of TheNew Yorker, where he co-hosts the Critics at Large podcastand writes about media, culture, and the arts. Vinson is also the author of the novel Great Expectationsand was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in criticism in 2024 and 2025. We talked about the killing of Renee Good, the siege of Minneapolis, Venezuela, the combination of violence and spectacle in the Trump regime, and the mob, in all senses of the word.
The Boss Who Hates Sick Day Requests Original
You have a preview view of this article while we are checking your access. When we have confirmed access, the full article content will load. Credit...Photo illustration by Margeaux Walter for The New York Times Supported by SKIP ADVERTISEMENT Jan. 10, 2026 Send questions about the office, money, careers and work-life balance to workfriend@nytimes.com. Include your name and location, or a request to remain anonymous. Letters may be edited. The Boss Who Needs to Be a Boss I work a retail job.
Why Doesn't My Boss Respect Sick Days?
Q: I work a retail job. I have, on the surface, a good relationship with my manager: We work well together, and we talk to each other about our personal lives. But whenever I've come down with a cold or the flu -- which happens a few times a year -- he doesn't show much understanding. kAmk6>mx7 xV> 2E H@C< 2?5 D2J E92E xV> 766=:?8 D:4<[ 96 5@6D?VE 2D< :7 x ?665 E@ 8@ 9@>6] uFCE96C>@C6[ E96 @?FD :D @? >6 E@ 7:?5 D@>6@?6 E@ 7:== :?
My job is making me sick
Q: I work in a satellite office for a U.S.-based company, and my manager and I have been locked in a three-year battle of the wills I never signed up for (but she’s going to win because she writes my evals). She’s a first-time manager with little experience in our region yet she insists on doing her job and mine — badly. She undermines me in front of my team, dismisses my near decade of experience and performs the corporate theater of “asking for my input” when she’s decided her course of action.
My Job Is Making Me Sick
You have a preview view of this article while we are checking your access. When we have confirmed access, the full article content will load. Credit... Supported by SKIP ADVERTISEMENT Dec. 27, 2025 Send questions about the office, money, careers and work-life balance to workfriend@nytimes.com. Include your name and location, or a request to remain anonymous. Letters may be edited.
My Job Is Making Me Sick
(Work Friend) kAmkDEC@?8m&?56C>:?65 3J 2 uFEFC6 {6256Ck^DEC@?8mk^Am kAmk6>m"i x H@C< :? 2 D2E6==:E6 @77:46 7@C 2 &]$]\32D65 4@>A2?J[ 2?5 >J >2?286C 2?5 x 92G6 366? =@4<65 :? 2 E9C66\J62C 32EE=6 @7 E96 H:==D x ?6G6C D:8?65 FA 7@C W3FE D96VD 8@:?8 E@ H:? 3642FD6 D96 HC:E6D >J 6G2=DX] $96VD 2 7:CDE\E:>6 >2?286C H:E9 =:EE=6 6IA6C:6?46 :? @FC C68:@? J6E D96 :?D:DED @? 5@:?8 96C ;@3 2?5 >:?6 \\ 325=J]k^6>mk^Am kAmk6>m$96 F?56C>:?6D >6 :?
The Read Max year in review 2025
Greetings from Read Max HQ! To celebrate the end of 2025, I sent out an email to dozens of Read Max contributors, readers, inspirations, and haters, and asked: Will you make me a year-end top 10 list?
A mi jefe se le pasaron las copas en la fiesta de Navidad Original
You have a preview view of this article while we are checking your access. When we have confirmed access, the full article content will load. Credit...Fotoilustración por Margeaux Walter para The New York Times Supported by SKIP ADVERTISEMENT 21 de diciembre de 2025 Read in English Envía tus preguntas sobre la oficina, el dinero, la carrera profesional y la conciliación de la vida laboral y familiar a workfriend@nytimes.com. Incluye tu nombre y dirección o solicita permanecer en el anonimato.
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