Our Readers

Readers Write has always been my favorite section of The Sun. In my many years of subscribing, I don’t believe I’ve ever read a contribution I didn’t relate to in one way or another. It’s a glimpse into the lives of strangers who divulge their fears, desires, failings, and triumphs—each one a master class in the challenging art of the short essay.

I just finished “Luxuries” [December 2024] and feel compelled to share a little luxury of my own: Once a month I make a cup of tea and take thirty minutes out of my often-stressful, guilt-ridden, and disconnected existence to sit quietly and savor Readers Write. My anxiety and loneliness subside, and I’m reminded that I am a real human being after all.

I have been a reader of The Sun for only a few months. Yours is one of the few email notifications I enjoy seeing in my inbox. Because there are no pop-ups or adverts, I can fall completely under the enchantment of the writing. You have created not just a magazine but a community. Too many other publications present writing that’s not from the heart, but rather designed to fit the fashion of the day. It has been a long while since I recall reading anything that lingered in my mind the way stories from The Sun do. Where other magazines create anxiety and doubt, yours evokes the soul. May this community grow and be everlasting.

I stopped subscribing to The Sun a couple of years ago when the topics covered in your pages were just too dark for me to handle. Inspired to dive in again this morning, I read Teri Stein’s essay “Penumbra” [October 2024] and was drawn to its truth. The manner in which she weaved together Roe v. Wade, her personal trauma, the shortcomings of our legal system, and ingrained racism was masterful. I’ve shared her essay with others—despite not usually sharing articles that make me sad or angry—because all the women I know should read this.