Tempting book boxes and subscriptions
Even for a scornful tightwad like myself
Saturday Morning Serial is the weekend section of Library Binding. It’s a personal corner where I publish short stories and essays on literature and life.
I’m going to kick things off by saying that we’re all suffering from subscription fatigue, at least a little. Or a lot, depending on how many subscriptions you have.
Every company wants a subscription these days. Things that we used to buy one-off (ahem, movies, albums, printer ink, and MS Word) are now harder to truly acquire, own, and enjoy apart from some type of subscription service.
Sheesh!
That being said, I’m now going to present you with a slew of literary goods that operate on some type of subscription model. 😅
Why I’m leery of subscriptions
Besides flat-out fatigue, many people—myself included—are feeling increasingly burned, milked, or yanked around by the subscriptions they currently have with big-timers like Amazon, Spotify, Netflix, Microsoft, and, well, insert brand name here.
These guys are increasing prices and lowering quality, and it makes me want to close my eyes, pinch the bridge of my nose, and exhale as one who has known all along it would come to this. I enjoyed Ted Goia’s recent article on the topic.
But what about those artists, writers, and small-business owners who ARE striving to put something great out there for you and me to enjoy?
As someone who has never...
I’ll be honest. I’ve never subscribed to a book box like one of those book-of-the-month type things. Example: Set your preferences, and we’ll send you a brand-new book every month that matches your taste!
I don’t really need this nudge because I have NO TROUBLE finding books that I want to read that match my taste. My TBR is longer and more grizzled than Merlin’s beard.
When I Googled “book box subscriptions” in preparation for this article, I immediately saw that many of those first-page results didn’t match my taste at all. I wasn’t interested in any of the buzzy titles featured on the home pages, and a brief scan of the About pages revealed that we didn’t share the same values.
I’ve also never bought one of those bookish gift boxes either. As much as I love looking at the adorable boxes online, when it comes down to it, I don’t really want a book that’s accompanied by tiny trinkets, such as a “Be Kind” decal, one square of chocolate, and a spoonful of bath salts.
So, when I plunged into the depths of the internet to find gems for this list, I decided to include only what interests me personally.
So, most of what you’ll see here revolves around classic books—no surprise there. It also skews literary, which often slides into the pretentious, so you salt-of-the-earth folk will have to forgive me. I found that I was drawn to physical books worth owning and keeping—beautiful editions—versus a trendy bestseller, which will likely end up in the donation bin.
I hope something here sparks your interest.
Without further ado, here we go—
Book Boxes and Subscriptions for Readers Who Love the Classics
Tea and Ink Society’s Seasonal Reading Box
I love these boxes because they align with the four seasons, and I’m definitely a seasonal reader. I like the quarterly cadence rather than a monthly commitment. The book editions are of high quality, and the one gift (not ten) feels substantial and thoughtful. (I interviewed owner Elsie Callender here. She’s lovely!)
The Literary Book Club
I’m attracted to this lush-looking book box subscription because you receive a truly gorgeous edition of the book, plus gifts sourced from U.S.-based small businesses. I’m not sure if they wrap the gifts and prompt you to open them on a certain page number, which is a cute idea, or if that’s only for the blind-date boxes.
Persephone Press Monthly Subscription
If you want to fill your shelves with beautifully crafted hidden gems, then you may like setting yourself up with a six- or twelve-month subscription with Persephone. You can select your books upfront or let Persephone surprise you. It looks like you also get a one-time gift of one of their pretty fabric book sleeves.
Persephone specializes in female authors from the interwar period. They strive to bring worthy out-of-print titles back into circulation. Although they focus on women authors, I’m not getting an off-putting girl-power vibe. I’ve read and loved many of their recommended titles.
The Manderley Press Subscription
Here’s another book subscription where, three times a year, you get two titles from Manderley’s “carefully curated collection of forgotten classics, elegant reprints and remarkable stories.” You also get a bookmark and a tote. Every title is predetermined, an early release from the Manderley catalog.
British Library Crime Classics Subscription
Here’s a book subscription for you sleuth-loving, puzzle-solving readers out there. For a very affordable price, you get a classic crime novel each month, along with a bookmark and related reprinted ephemera from the British Library (archival content, maps, news clippings, etc.). I don’t have to tax my little gray cells to know this sounds like fun.
Slightly Foxed Quarterly
“The magazine for people who love books.” Four times a year, you receive a magazine where thoughtful and articulate readers write eloquently about books and why they matter. These guys strive to introduce you to “books that are no longer new and fashionable but have lasting appeal.” Another fun perk: They include a quarterly printed catalogue of recommended reading.
Hearth and Field magazine
“Be less frantic & more grounded.” This quarterly magazine isn’t necessarily tailored to (but appeals to) the bookish soul. Essays, recipes, reprints—you can access most everything online, but, as they say, “It’s better in print.” The print editions do look handsome.
Don’t forget all those paid memberships...
There are many, many Substacks that offer tempting paid tiers. Tons of Patreons and digital memberships. A few that come to mind are Miranda Mills’s Seasons of Story, Beth Brower Scribbles Away, and Faith K. Moore’s Drawing Room.
💰 If you’re rich and don’t know how to spend it (just for fun!)
Heywood Hill
This bespoke subscription service from the famed London indie bookseller delivers titles curated personally for you. The Tailored Quarterly option serves up 40 books per annum for £1,200. It makes the Tailored Twelve seem like a steal at £410.
Beehive Books
Snag a super-glorious edition of your favorite classic book for a price in the neighborhood of $100 a pop. Each cover is like nothing I’ve ever seen.
What subscriptions, boxes, or memberships did I miss?
Let me know in the comments. Do you subscribe to any boxes or magazines? I’d love to hear about what you’ve loved and not loved.
💌 Remember The Novel Envelope?
I, too, tried my hand at a monthly subscription. I used StampFans to send a monthly paper packet to subscribers for a mere $5 per. It contained the full text of a short story, discussion guide, book list, and whimsical extras. It was (almost) the most fun thing I’ve ever done, but it took so much time—truly stretched me to my limit—and I didn’t have enough subscribers to justify continuing. Plus, the print quality wasn’t up to my standards.
But I do look back on it with nostalgia. Who doesn’t love getting mail?
I’d love to do something similar in the future, but I’m not sure how to approach it.
My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. –Ps. 139:15
I’ll leave you with one irresistible indulgence—one last subscription for you to consider.
Your devoted,
Michelle
I’m an Amazon affiliate. If you click a link and buy something, I may get a minuscule commission at no cost to you.
I haven't done book boxes or subscriptions but I liked reading about them and visiting their sites. What a wonderful resource you have put together. And these could be a wonderful gift for someone. And yest do the snail mail. Hope you are having a lovely Sunday!