Read Max

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.

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.

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?

Greetings from Read Max HQ! In today’s edition, some thoughts on predictions markets and suckerfication crisis facing American men. As every week, a brief reminder that this newsletter is funded by paying subscribers, whose support and generosity allows me to keep at least one newsletter every week open to all readers.

Greetings from Read Max HQ! In today’s edition, some thoughts on predictions markets and suckerfication crisis facing American men. As every week, a brief reminder that this newsletter is funded by paying subscribers, whose support and generosity allows me to keep at least one newsletter every week open to all readers.

Greetings from Read Max HQ! This week, a collection of thoughts about a new trend in tech criticism masquerading as a lumpy and overstuffed essay. A reminder: This piece, and all the pieces you read on the Read Max newsletter, is funded almost entirely by paying subscribers of this newsletter. I am able to write these columns and record the podcasts and videos thanks to the support of nearly 4,000 people who value what I do, for whatever strange reason.

Greetings from Read Max HQ! In this week’s newsletter, a consideration of OpenAI’s new video-generation app “Sora,” a subject I discussed on KQED on Wednesday in a segment you can listen to here. On Monday, I’ll be discussing “The Aesthetic Allure of Fascism” with Juliet Jacques and Nadia Meeran in a Zoom conversation hosted by the Future Narratives Lab.The event starts at 1:30 p.m. ET; you can register to attend here.

Greetings from Read Max HQ! In this week’s edition, a consideration of Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another, in particular its choice of cars. Medium-sized spoilers abound, so read at your own risk. A reminder: Read Max is almost entirely funded by paying readers.

Greetings from Read Max HQ! In this week’s issue: Public-option tech, and especially A.I.! A reminder: Notwithstanding the support for this newsletter from the Economic Security Project, the vast majority of this newsletter’s income (which is to say my income) is derived from paid subscriptions.

Greetings from Read Max HQ! In this week’s issue, an interview with elections analyst “Ettingermentum” on the politics and personality of alleged Charlie Kirk shooter Tyler Robinson. Also! I am participating in the “Creator’s Division” for Vulture’s Movies Fantasy League this year.