Issue 77: The Reading Life of... Kate Jones

Introducing you to one of my favorite readers

I began writing this newsletter out of a desperate longing to read. Writing felt justifiable—active, productive. Reading, in contrast, seemed restful, leisurely, and it made me feel guilty. Yet it’s what I was longing for - long stretches of time to be alone with my intellect.

I came to Substack with an agenda. I was curious to peek into lives mirroring mine—busy, unglamorous mid-life existences. I sought kindred spirits carving space for deeper thoughts amidst the prosaic. I hoped that I would become friends with these people and we would create for each other a sense of community - no, you are not crazy for wanting that, you are not alone and I will help you stay accountable. Months passed. Now, tentatively, I have it—Substack friends who whisper, Me too.

Today, I am so nervous and excited to start introducing some of them to you. In what I hope will become a somewhat regular interview series, I will share some of my favorite readers… people just like you and me, who have decided to m…