Frequently Asked Questions

What is Curious Reading Club?

It’s a subscription reading service where you get great, hand-picked, mind-expanding non-fiction delivered straight to your door every month—for less than retail price.

What else do I get?

Your membership also grants you access to exclusive online author Q&A sessions, bonus email interviews and recommendations, and more.

Who can join?

Because shipping costs can be really expensive, our premium membership is only open to subscribers based in the United States. If you live somewhere else, you can sign up for our free email list instead.

How do you choose the monthly read?

We start by reading (a lot). But we also listen to suggestions and take advice from our community. The main criteria is that we want to share thought-provoking works of non-fiction.

What kind of books do you choose?

Most often it’s a brand new hardback release, sometimes it’s a recent gem… and once in a while you’ll get a classic. But here are the non-negotiables: good stories, great writing. We like reading about science, technology, society, politics and history; we get juiced by sharp memoirs and unusual biographies. We are big fans of big ideas — especially the kind that challenge we what know, or connect the dots to new ways of thinking. You can see a few typical recommendations here.

OK, but who is “we”? Who are you?

I’m Bobbie Johnson. For nearly 25 years I’ve been an award-winning publisher, writer, editor and reporter in the UK and the US: with bigger names like the Guardian, MIT Technology Review and the Steve Jobs Archive, and smaller ones like Matter and Anxy. My therapist says a lot of things about me, but the one I probably appreciate most is that I’m a “verocious” reader. I love working with authors to get their stories out to the world, and I love talking about ideas with smart people like you.

How much does Curious Reading Club cost?

Our premium Curious Membership costs $25 per month, including tax and shipping. Sadly, right now it’s only available to readers in the United States.

But I live outside the US. Can I still join?

Not really. But you can sign up for our email list, which will give you a heads up on our Q&A sessions and most of our emails, but doesn’t include the monthly print shipment. It’s a great option if you live somewhere we can’t deliver.

I prefer to read on my e-book device. What about me?

Bad news: Curious Membership only covers printed material, not e-books. Good news: If you sign up for our email newsletter you can still get pretty much everything—you just have to buy the book yourself.

How do I know what books to expect?

We announce the next month's pick by email on the 1st of each month: print subscribers should receive their mailouts within a couple of days. Previous picks and recommendations are available to look at here.

What if I already own this month’s pick?

Don’t worry. If we choose a book you already have, then just let us know and we'll credit you for an extra month. Don't worry about sending the book back to us—think of it as an extra copy to share!

Can I change my address?

Just follow the instructions in your first purchase email to change your address, or email us at [email protected].

Does this support authors? What about bookstores?

We support them all. We pre-order our stock direct through publishers where we can, which means your money is going back to authors just as it would if you bought it from the store. And we’re not competition to your (probably great) local brick-and-mortar stores, we’re a complement to them.

Can I cancel?

Canceling is easy, just follow the instructions in your subscription emails. If you  bought an annual membership and still have some months left, we'll keep sending packages to you until your time runs out. We want to make sure you get what you paid for, after all.

Why are you doing this?

Because it’s fun and because we can. It’s basically an extension of what we do already in private, but open for anyone to join in. If what you’re actually trying to ask is “how does it make money?” then the answer is simple: Membership fees are designed to cover our costs, and we also earn affiliate fees from Bookshop.org on our other recommendations. The intention is to build something that can sustain itself. We don’t run this club for profit, and try to keep prices as low as possible while staying alive.

Doesn’t this sound a lot like [insert book club here]?

Yep! Book clubs are great, aren’t they?

I have a question that’s not here. How do I get it answered?

Just drop a line to [email protected].