Substacks recommended by Ben Westhoff

Recommended by Ben Westhoff

NARCAS: Women, Drugs and Crime

By Deborah Bonello

Original reporting and storytelling about women, drugs and crime, from a woman on the edge.

No Tags

No Tags is a podcast and newsletter from Chal Ravens and Tom Lea chronicling underground music culture.

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.

Umar Lee’s Newsletter

I may write about anything

ChinaTalk

By Jordan Schneider

Deep coverage of technology, China, and US policy. We feature original analysis alongside interviews with leading thinkers and policymakers.

Great insight and interviews about China, from tech to politics to culture. Highly recommended.

- Ben Westhoff

CrashOut by Ioan Grillo

By Ioan Grillo

I write about crime and drugs, police and gangster politics, guerrillas and psychedelics, and the people who live and die through it all.

Ioan is right in the thick of things, when it comes to reporting on the Mexican drug cartels. He's a great reporter.

- Ben Westhoff

ZOGBLOG by Zack O'Malley Greenburg

By Zack O’Malley Greenburg

A Jay-Z biographer and former Forbes editor brings you an insider's perspective on the intersection of music, media and money—with takeaways relevant to any entrepreneur.

Birdy Work

By Dayn Perry

Commentary on the St. Louis Cardinals by Dayn Perry. Proudly reader-supported.

The best insight about the St. Louis Cardinals you'll find anywhere!

- Ben Westhoff

JoeBlogs

By Joe Posnanski

JoeBlogs is where I write about sports, memory, joy, and the strange, happy ways they all connect.

I have been reading Joe Posnanski's writings about baseball for over a decade, and he is always insightful — and very often funny!

- Ben Westhoff

Cinema Sangha

Movie reviews and essays with an occasionally spiritual bent.

The Longform Lowdown

By Chris Walker

Narrative and character-driven stories by journalist Chris Walker, alongside picks of the best serialized podcasts and longform articles around the web.

Chris Walker is a fantastic journalist.

- Ben Westhoff

Drugs + Hip-Hop

Recommended by Ben Westhoff