Support the Journey
After 24 years navigating oceans, I’ve learned that the best voyages require both a worthy destination and companions who believe in the journey.
Beyond the Bookshelf is where we chart courses through literature and life, exploring how the written word shapes who we are and who we’re becoming. Each week, I spend countless hours reading, researching, and crafting essays that navigate the passages between books and being—always with strong coffee as my compass and jazz as my soundtrack.
If these explorations have enriched your own reading journey, I’d be grateful for your support in keeping this work afloat.
What Your Support Enables:
Deep Dives, Not Surface Skims: Your support gives me the time to read books completely—often twice—and craft reflections that go beyond quick takes to explore what these works truly reveal about the human experience.
Literary Navigation for All: By supporting my work, you help keep Beyond the Bookshelf free and accessible to readers everywhere, including students, veterans, and others who might not be able to afford yet another subscription.
Thoughtful Engagement Over Empty Metrics: Your contribution means I can spend less time chasing growth and more time responding to reader comments, fostering genuine conversations about books that matter.
Charting Unexplored Waters: With your backing, I can venture beyond bestseller lists to discover overlooked gems, forgotten classics, and international voices that deserve a thoughtful reader’s attention.
Ways to Support This Voyage
Free Crew Members: Every reader matters on this journey. Free subscriptions keep you connected to all our explorations, and your voice in our discussions helps chart our course. No financial commitment required—your presence and participation are valuable contributions to our community.
Supporting Crew ($12/year): For those who can, paid subscriptions help me dedicate the time this work deserves. Your support ensures I can continue navigating literature’s deeper waters and sharing what I discover. Think of it as splitting the cost of one good book across an entire year of literary exploration.
Lighthouse Keepers ($125/year): Like the keepers who ensure the light never fails, these special supporters help maintain Beyond the Bookshelf as a beacon for thoughtful readers. Lighthouse Keepers receive my deepest gratitude in the form of a handwritten letter each year, along with a personally selected copy of my Book of the Year—the title that most shaped my thinking and that I believe will illuminate yours. This is for those who believe deeply in the power of literature to guide us through uncertain waters.”
Send Provisions (Gift a book):
Every sailor knows the value of a well-stocked library. If you’d prefer to support my work by adding to my reading collection, you can gift a book from my wish list. Each book gifted earns you a complimentary year of paid subscription—because those who help stock the library deserve full access to where those books take us.
Drop a Coin in the Tip Jar:
For those who prefer to offer support when a particular essay resonates, my tip jar is always open. Every contribution, no matter the size, helps keep the winds in our sails.
However you choose to be part of this journey—as a reader, supporter, or book benefactor—thank you for believing that thoughtful literary exploration matters in our accelerated world.
Here’s to the books that take us beyond the shelf and into deeper waters.
