The Study Hall Podcast

Peter Rubin is head of publishing at Automattic and an editor at Longreads, a website that curates longform stories and publishes original writing. In this conversation with host Daniel Spielberger, Peter chats about the art of the longread, internet curation during the post-Twitter age, the IP potential of longreads, and the attention economy. 

More info about Longreads’ member drive: https://longreads.com/join/

More info about Study Hall: studyhall.xyz

Music by KT The Terrible

Erin Somers is a reporter at Publishers Lunch. Her writing has appeared in The New York Times Magazine, Bustle, Esquire, and numerous other outlets. In this episode, she chats about her new novel, The Ten Year Affair. In this conversation with host Daniel Spielberger, Erin discusses how authors cultivate a sense of mystique and recounts her experience reporting from a Philip Roth festival. 

For more information about The Ten Year Affair: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Ten-Year-Affair/Erin-Somers/9781668081440

For more information about Study Hall: studyhall.xyz

Music by KT The Terrible

Jacob Silverman is a reporter and author of “Gilded Rage: Elon Musk and the Radicalization of Silicon Valley,”  In this conversation with Daniel Spielberger, Jacob discusses his reporting on cryptocurrency, Silicon Valley’s connection to the weapons industry, and Twitter/X’s involvement with the Saudi Royal family. Jacob also offers insight into how tech billionaires became right-wing and what this foretells for American politics. The author offers tips on how to pursue difficult journalism and hold the powerful accountable. 

More info about “Gilded Rage”: https://bookshop.org/p/books/gilded-rage-elon-musk-and-the-radicalization-of-silicon-valley-jacob-silverman/90640a782bd09515?ean=9781399419987&next=t

More info about Study Hall: studyhall.xyz.

Music by KT The Terrible

Charlie Porter is a fashion critic whose work has been published in The Financial Times and The Guardian. In this conversation, Charlie chats about his debut novel “Nova Scotia House.” The novel follows Johnny, a middle-aged gay man who is trying to make sense of his past relationship with Jerry, a former lover who died of AIDS-related complications in 1995. The novel explores the legacy of queer counterculture and the AIDS crisis. Charlie discusses his pivot to fiction and shares insight into how writers and artists can expand their horizons and pick up a new interest.

In addition, Charlie chats about the state of fashion journalism.

More info about “Nova Scotia House”: https://bookshop.org/p/books/nova-scotia-house-charlie-porter/261a846e401d0852

More info about Study Hall: studyhall.xyz 

Music by KT The Terrible 

Delia Cai writes the newsletter Deez Links. In this conversation, Delia chats about the newsletter boom, Bari Weiss’s possible LUCRATIVE CBS News deal, and the creator/journalist dynamic. Delia previously was a staff writer at Vanity Fair. She’s the author of the novel “Central Places.” 

Keep up with Delia’s work: https://www.deezlinks.com/

More info about Study Hall: Studyhall.xyz 

Music by KT The Terrible.

Derek Beres is a co-host of The Conspirituality Podcast.  His work examining health disinformation has appeared in The Guardian, Mother Jones, and The New York Times. In this conversation, Derek discusses the origins of the MAHA movement and how journalists can counter health disinformation. 

Listen to Conspirituality: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/conspirituality/id1515827446

Derek’s recent opinion piece for The New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/09/opinion/maha-health-wellness-influencers.html

More info about Study Hall: studyhall.xyz 

Music by KT The Terrible

Sarah Miller is a writer whose work has appeared in The New Yorker, The New York Times, and Popula. In this conversation with host Daniel Spielberger, Sarah chats about her recent N+1 essay chronicling her ayahuasca journey in Peru. She also discusses her essay for The New Yorker on botox. Sarah shares her approach to essays, explaining why she tackles difficult topics like climate change and mental health with humor. 

Sarah’s essay on ayahuasca: https://www.nplusonemag.com/issue-50/essays/pirates-of-the-ayahuasca/

Sarah’s essay on botox: https://www.newyorker.com/culture/the-weekend-essay/desperate-for-botox

Her newsletter: https://therealsarahmiller.substack.com/

More info about Study Hall: studyhall.xyz 

Music by KT The Terrible 

Osita Nwanevu, a columnist at The Guardian and contributing editor at The New Republic, discusses his new book “The Right of the People: Democracy and the Case for a New American Founding.” In this conversation with host Daniel Spielberger, Osita outlines his proposal to transform the American government and shares how media institutions can become more democratic. 

More information about “The Right of the People”: 

https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/704686/the-right-of-the-people-by-osita-nwanevu/

More info about Study Hall: Studyhall.xyz 

Music by KT The Terrible

Kylie Cheung is a reporter at Abortion Everyday. In this conversation with host Daniel Spielberger, Kylie chats about her new book “Coercion Surviving and Resisting Abortion Bans.” Kylie discusses the various manipulative tactics conservative politicians utilize to criminalize abortion and what’s missing from mainstream media coverage of reproductive justice. 

For more information about “Coercion”: https://www.plutobooks.com/9780745350615/coercion/

More info about Study Hall: studyhall.xyz 

Music by KT The Terrible 

Kaila Yu is a writer, former model, and lead singer of Nylon Pink. In this conversation, she discusses her new book “Fetishized:A Reckoning with Yellow Fever, Feminism, and Beauty.” In the book, Yu chronicles her own journey in the entertainment industry and delves into the harmful stereotypes about Asian women. In this conversation, Yu offers advice on marketing, memoir writing, and more.

More info about Yu’s book: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738645/fetishized-by-kaila-yu/

More info about Study Hall: studyhall.xyz.

Music by KT The Terrible