Substacks recommended by John Kampfner

Recommended by John Kampfner

Weekend long-read about a topic in Germany.

A quick post that join the dots on the big news story and the world of books. Makes you smarter, faster. Subscribers in nearly a hundred countries agree.

A brilliant combination of literary comment and current affairs - this is really and truly a news literacy project

- John Kampfner

Active Measures

By Edward Lucas

Russian & Chinese mischief, countermeasures, CEE regional security, spycraft, cyber

Based in Bohemia

By Rob Cameron

Politics, history, memory and place in the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Central Europe.

Auraist. The best writers on Substack.

By Sean

Trusted by 70K+ 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.

Lustig's Letter

By Robin Lustig

I've been around a while, so this is where I try to distil my 50+ years as a reporter into something that might help you make sense of this crazy world.

Dispatches

By Tom Tugendhat

Thoughts from Parliament and around the world

Charting Gen AI

By Graham Lovelace

The global newsletter that keeps you informed on generative AI’s impacts on creators and human-made media, the ethics and behaviour of the AI companies, the future of copyright in the AI era, and the evolving AI policy landscape.

Lionel Barber

Informed commentary on media and politics in an upside-down age, from the former editor of the Financial Times (2005–2020).

Authoritative global perspective

- John Kampfner

The New World

A new independent media organisation dedicated to quality journalism in an age of upheaval

A great magazine, which I enjoy writing for, and very good online too. While so much of UK media is turning inwards, its brief is to look further afield

- John Kampfner

Wealth of Nations

By Simon Nixon

European political economy and geoeconomics

ZEITGEIST

By Katja Hoyer

German history, politics and culture

A Point of View

By Tim Walker

A corner of cyberspace where I want us to have a respectful conversation. My pledge to you is good writing, the odd laugh and from time to time the odd scoop. Let's also try to do some good. My latest play When Maggie Met Larry on BBC Sounds.

The Jaggy Thistle

By Kenny Farquharson

Kenny Farquharson on Scotland. Politics. Culture. Essays. Photography. From an award-winning Times newspaper columnist.

Material World

By Ed Conway

Unexpected stories from the underbelly of the modern world

The vocL Brief

Collective insights of Britain’s responsible business leaders

Tomorrow's Europe Today

By Denis MacShane

Make sense of shifting politics in Europe

The German Review

By Jörg Luyken

Independent analysis and reporting on German politics, economy and society – helping international readers understand Germany beyond the headlines.

Notes from the Underground with David Aaronovitch

The best Substack in the Anglosphere by top British journalist, David Aaronovitch

Writing from London

By Nick Cohen

Politics and culture from the UK and beyond by Nick Cohen

Up to the minute, no holds barred writing and interviews on global and UK politics

- John Kampfner

KILLING EVE

By Luke Jennings

Official Substack of Killing Eve creator Luke Jennings. Subscribers get weekly instalments of new Killing Eve adventures. Paid subscribers get exclusive access to bonus and behind-the-scenes material.

Karolina Wigura

I'm a historian of ideas and sociologist, who writes on emotions, philosophy, and human life. Recently, I co-authored Posttraumatische Souveränität. https://www.suhrkamp.de/rights/book/posttraumatic-sovereignty-fr-9783518127834

New entry. Brilliant analysis of European democracies... and the other sort, hopefully in decline

- John Kampfner

My personal Substack

A Substack on the connections between politics and the economy from the author of Why Politics Fails.

The Political Inquiry

By Tom Egerton

Independent political analysis.

News with a Foreign Accent

By Barbara Serra

A migrant journalist's take on current affairs, the threat of Fascism, bilingualism and being a foreigner

War and Peace

By Mark Urban

Defence, diplomacy, intelligence, counter-terrorism, & geopolitics from a guy who survived 40 years of battlefields, summits, and press briefings, with a side hustle writing military history. Expect the odd post about the media & its coverage of that

David Gow: Cosmopolitan Villager

Co-ed sceptical.scot. Ex European Business Editor, Guardian. Consultant editor, Jacques Delors Centre, Berlin. FRSE.

Progressive Realism

By David Lammy

Foreign Secretary David Lammy writes about his approach to UK foreign policy.

Citizen of Everywhere

Recommended by John Kampfner