Our purpose is to help readers thrive in an age of distraction and noise by creating a platform where readers feel at home.
Why we're creating a better book app for people who love to read.
By readers for readers
We're a small team of three that started with a mission to build a platform we love to use as much as we love to read — and as unreasonably voracious readers, that bar is sky-high.
Great design is a sign of respect
We're committed to great design and a streamlined interface (read: zero ads, distractions, or clutter) so you can focus on what really matters — your books.
Getting "digital for readers" right — finally
We put trust and authenticity at the center of everything we do. We want to make untrustworthy, irrelevant reviews and spammy book advertising a thing of the past. These issues were recently profiled in the New York Times, where Italic Type is cited as a "promising alternative" to the incumbents.
The value of books
We're inspired by the power of books — to change minds, to see yourself or the world more clearly, to inspire action. The real value of a book is not the price sticker — it's what you get from it that matters, who you discuss it with.
Five Things That Make Us Different
1
We care about curation, not just collection
In our State of the Reader survey, eight times as many folks said prioritizing all the books they'd like to read was more challenging than discovering them in the first place. Our Queue Labels help you remember what drew you to a book so you don't get lost in a haze of options.
2
We elevate meaning over metrics
Other platforms make reading into a sport: challenges, streaks, and metrics dominate. But we see a good book as something to savor, not a race to be rushed through. Our Book Boards are a tranquil space to slow down, reflect, and engage.
3
We use our indoor voice
The whole point of being a reader is, well, reading. We're committed to great design and ruthless about relevance: anything that distracts you from your books is a non-starter. As one user put it, "Italic Type keeps me focused on the most important thing — my experience with the book — and cuts out the noise."
4
We're built for community, not crowds
We don't believe readers benefit from an endless feed — especially when most content comes from strangers and sponsors. We understand that the intimacy of your close-knit reading communities is a feature, not a bug.
5
We're independent and ad-free
We're a small-but-mighty team of three working on Italic Type full-time. We're committed to building a sustainable business that treats readers with the respect they deserve - which means no ads, no distractions, and no Amazon (which owns Goodreads and its vast troves of data).
Become a Paid Supporter
Join a movement of readers who care.
Italic Type will always be free to join. And we will never sell your data or attention.
But we do rely on our early founding members who pay a subscription fee to help us cover our monthly operating costs.
You'll be first in line for access to new features and programs. And you get a tote!
Join NowMeet the Team
Emily Achler
Co-Founder and Community Builder
Emily is an experienced tech marketer, brand strategist, and writer. She applies her insights from a decade of leading book clubs to create the Italic Type platform and community for readers, by readers.
Jason Skicewicz
Co-Founder and Developer
Jason is a computer scientist and full stack developer who is on a mission to shake up the technology world of the publishing industry.
Christina Pappas
Co-Founder and Researcher
Christina is a mixed-methods user researcher with an MBA from Berkeley-Haas and a fondness for speculative fiction. Book recommendations are her love language.