Welcome to Jansplaining!
I’m Jan Harayda, an award-winning critic and journalist on the Gulf Coast of Alabama, carrying a torch for my native New Jersey and my old haunts centered on the New York publishing world. Thank you for stopping by!
I’ve been the book columnist for Glamour, the book editor of Ohio’s largest newspaper, and a vice president of the National Book Critics Circle. Lately I’ve been writing for Medium, a platform with more than a million subscribers worldwide, mostly about books and the media. I’ve also written for many other print and online media, including the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post, Newsweek, and Salon.
All of it has left my love of reading and writing undiminished but tempered by an alarm about declining standards in journalism and book publishing. Jansplaining is community for people who have concerns about both but still appreciate the deep joys of reading and writing.
Why should you subscribe?
You won’t miss anything. Every new edition of Jansplaining goes directly into your inbox.
You’ll get free book and media reviews and commentary—and more—written by a pro. And you’ll be able to comment on all posts and join a lively discussion group about classic stories I hope to launch this year. If you become a paid subscriber, you’ll also have access to special features, including posts in my “100 Books I Like” series, which reviews some of my favorite books in 100 or fewer words.
Your support will help me keep doing what I love and the world needs badly: high-quality professional reviews and commentary that aim to meet a much higher standard than what you find on Amazon and Goodreads.
