Eleven (really 15) books we read this year we'll be thinking about for a while

The Read Max year in review 2025 • Over 30 lists and 15,000 words from Read Max friends, foes, and family

The best movies and music I saw/heard this year • A Read Max year-end roundup

What is "slop," exactly? • Besides the word of the year

Talking Trump's Reiner comments, Brown shooting misinformation, and white men in media with John Ganz and Jay Kang • Also: Bari Weiss!

Talking A.I. bubbles and Trump's racist rant with John Ganz • The latest edition of our biweekly conversation

Three books of smart, funny, hillbilly noir; a gorgeous documentary about Hollywood's images of cyberspace; and more • Roundup 12/08/2025

Will A.I. writing ever be good? • Some notes on A.I. writing

EXTENDED SALE! A political-thriller fantasy adventure in Blitz-era London, a cool Hong Kong y2k action comedy, and more • Roundup 12/01/2025

Read Max Recipe Corner: How to attend a party • Two key recipes to being popular

The Read Max Gift Guide 2025 (and SALE!) • 28 or so things we want for the holidays this year

Talking 'American Canto' and Jeffrey Epstein with John Ganz • Is there something wrong with political journalism?

A Philip K. Dick meets Tom Clancy 'Heart of Darkness,' an actually good kids' TV show, and more • Roundup 11/18/2025

Help us help you (find holiday gifts and other knick-knacks) • New Read Max subscriber benefit: Personalized gift/knick-knack/item search

Whatever happened to U.B.I.? • Guaranteed income in the A.I. age

A surreal occult adventure in occupied Paris, an offbeat real-time nuclear rom-com thriller, and more • Roundup 11/11/2025

Predictions markets and the suckerfication crisis • Why is Kalshi tweeting like UnusualWhales?

Talking Zohran and Kalshi with John Ganz and Jay Kang • Charisma, cringe, and Marjorie Taylor Greene

Elmore Leonard-like "surf noir"; a great, stupid Hong Kong-style '90s action flick; and more • Roundup 11/03/2025

Platform Temperance • Notes on a new wave of the Techlash

A deeply unsettling near-forgotten horror masterpiece, an overlooked collection of great weird fiction, and more • Roundup 10/26/2025

Talking with John Ganz about Trump's scummy base and the new anti-tech progressivism • Read Max x Unpopular Front 1

An extremely fun '80s pulp horror-espionage epic, a '90s occult-horror action flick, and more • Roundup 10/20/2025

Four years of Read Max on Substack • Our annual report

A fantastic weird occult medieval horror novel, a terrifying and effectively perfect cosmic-horror movie, and more • Roundup 10/13/2025

Can OpenAI build a social network? • What does Sora tell us about the future of A.I.?

A forgotten '80s/'90s literary masterpiece, a hyperactively gorgeous animated sci-fi sports (?) thriller, and more • Roundup 09/30/2025

What if the Post Office had its own A.I. model? • Public-option A.I.

A cracking occult spy novel, a great Robert Redford war epic, and more • Roundup 09/22/2025