Read Max

is a twice-weekly newsletter about the future by the award-winning1 journalist Max Read. It is an idiosyncratic and sometimes funny guide to new and forward-looking ideas, trends, and networks in tech, politics, culture, and media.

Topics may include but are not limited to

✅ the internet

✅ the tech industry

✅ the 90s

✅ deep forum lore

✅ action movies

✅ conspiracy theories

✅ digital culture

✅ the political economy of science fiction franchises

Subscription to Read Max

Paid subscribers receive:

💫 At least two newsletters every week, exploring and explaining internet culture, the tech industry, funny memes, and other artifacts of our weird new future

💫 A weekly roundup of reading/streaming recommendations

💫 Access to subscriber-only, hand-aggregated, artisanally written, fully comprehensive syllabuses/explainers on topics like Web3, the FTX collapse, and the Metaverse

💫 Access to subscriber-only lists of Good Movies to Stream and Good Books to Read

💫 Cool Read Max merchandise like this sick “Dad Thriller” long-sleeved t-shirt, while supplies last

💫 A sense of cosmic tranquility/well-being

💫 Max Read’s eternal thanks

Schedule of Read Max

⏳ Read Max comes twice weekly, more or less. Beyond that, no one can really say.

Learn by doing

🏃‍♂️ The best way to understand the uses and purposes of Read Max is to subscribe.

Biographical note

📝 Max Read is a journalist, screenwriter, editor, and the owner-operator of Read Max, a weekly newsletter guide to the future. His work concerns the weird ways the internet makes us think, feel and organize ourselves. His writing has appeared in various publications with the words "New York" in the title, including New York magazine, The New York Times, and The New York Times Magazine. He's also the former editor of multiple defunct websites, including Gawker and Select All. His essay "Going Postal" was selected for the Best American Essays collection, and his New York feature "The Year in Memes" was nominated for a National Magazine Award. In 2011 he also received the "Best Personal Tumblr" award from The Village Voice. He lives in Brooklyn with his wife and child.

Max is managed by Jermaine Johnson at 3Arts. The best way to get in touch with him is to email maxread@gmail.com The beer in the photograph is an Oxbow Brewing Company Northern Lager.