Auraist. The best writers on Substack. | Picking the best-written books | Substack

Join 50K+ Substackers for our picks of the most beautifully written books from US and UK prize shortlists and major reviews, and masterclasses by their authors on prose style.

The Demon Inside David Lynch

The Demon Inside David Lynch: TV Drama's Worst Fiasco

Phew 1 ^ Ella-Laura ^ Juegos Sexuales ^ All Ready for the Big Night ^ The Contempt-Filled History of Twin Peaks

Apr 21, 2024 • Sean McNulty

The Demon Inside David Lynch: TV Drama's Worst Fiasco 2

Something of an Anti-Climax ^ The Absolute Rock Bottom ^ The Descent into Hell

Apr 21, 2024 • Picking the best-written books

The Demon Inside David Lynch: TV Drama's Worst Fiasco 3

Comic-Turn Green Glove Versus Pantomime-Pinballing-Blob BOB ^ The One ^ The Erasures ^ The Prank

Apr 21, 2024 • Picking the best-written books

The Demon Inside David Lynch: TV Drama's Worst Fiasco 4

Abasement and Contempt ^ Research Chemicals ^ Rampant Cheesiness ^ A Festival of Fetishes ^ Unyoung Nathan Barleys ^ Mike Pences with Greying Waxed…

Apr 21, 2024 • Picking the best-written books

The Demon Inside David Lynch: TV Drama's Worst Fiasco 5

Phew 2 ^ The Manage Mother’s Poison Explanation ^ + Stretched Finnegans Wake Allusions + Stretched Kalki Allusion + Stretched I Ching Allusion and the…

Apr 21, 2024 • Picking the best-written books and The Demon Inside David Lynch

Authors on prose style

The best-written recent nonfiction

And Anjet Daanje answers our questions on prose style

Dec 5, 2025 • The best writers on the Stack, The Demon Inside David Lynch, and Sean McNulty

'Once you’re writing to convey information, the prose is dead.'

The best-written recent literary fiction

Nov 7, 2025 • The best writers on the Stack, The Demon Inside David Lynch, and Sean McNulty

A new pick from our subscribers' submissions

Plus the best-written recent nonfiction

Oct 24, 2025 • The best writers on the Stack, Sean McNulty, and The Demon Inside David Lynch

Stephen Marche: 'It is worth spending a year on a book to make it one percent better.'

Read Marche's answers to our questions on prose style and AI writing

Oct 10, 2025 • The best writers on the Stack and The Demon Inside David Lynch

Books of the Century

One of the best-written novels of the century

Plus our final pick from recent literary fiction, and one of the best books on prose technique.

Jul 6, 2025 • The Demon Inside David Lynch and The best writers on the Stack

One of the best-written novels of the century: Harrow by Joy Williams

Read the opening pages below

Jul 6, 2025 • The best writers on the Stack and Sean McNulty

Booker Prize winner Paul Lynch picks his best-written works of fiction of the century to date

Read the opening pages from his selections below

Feb 28, 2025 • Picking the best-written books and The Demon Inside David Lynch

Auraist's best-written books of the century to date

As chosen by our contributors and the best literary Substackers

Dec 15, 2024

The best-written Scottish novel of the century

Read the opening pages from our pick below

Dec 6, 2024 • Ryan O’Connor

Prize shortlists

US debut novels: the best-written of the year

And more of the best-written recent releases

Dec 7, 2025 • The best writers on the Stack, The Demon Inside David Lynch, and Sean McNulty

The best-written recent nonfiction

And Anjet Daanje answers our questions on prose style

Dec 5, 2025 • The best writers on the Stack, The Demon Inside David Lynch, and Sean McNulty

Business books: the best-written of the year

Our pick from Scotland’s goals against Denmark on Tuesday night: this injury-time screamer. To our US, Canadian, and Mexican readers: get ready for this…

Nov 21, 2025 • The best writers on the Stack, The Demon Inside David Lynch, and Sean McNulty

'I had to go through a period, interestingly, of reading LESS, kind of starving my own organism to the point where it was capable only of…

The winner of this year’s Bollinger Everyman Wodehouse Prize for comic fiction will be announced on the 1st of December.

Nov 16, 2025 • The best writers on the Stack, The Demon Inside David Lynch, and Sean McNulty

Recent Releases

US debut novels: the best-written of the year

And more of the best-written recent releases

Dec 7, 2025 • The best writers on the Stack, The Demon Inside David Lynch, and Sean McNulty

The best-written recent nonfiction

And Anjet Daanje answers our questions on prose style

Dec 5, 2025 • The best writers on the Stack, The Demon Inside David Lynch, and Sean McNulty

'Woe be it upon me to edit George Saunders!'

The best-written recent literary fiction»

Nov 30, 2025 • The best writers on the Stack, The Demon Inside David Lynch, and Sean McNulty

'Once you’re writing to convey information, the prose is dead.'

The best-written recent literary fiction

Nov 7, 2025 • The best writers on the Stack, The Demon Inside David Lynch, and Sean McNulty

The best-written recent releases in speculative fiction and nonfiction

Every week we identify the best-written works of fiction, speculative fiction, and nonfiction from recent releases and shortlists for major prizes, and…

Oct 26, 2025 • The best writers on the Stack, Sean McNulty, and The Demon Inside David Lynch