Let's Drink More Deeply from the Well
Exciting things afoot...
Gracious reader,
Thank you for being part of the Civic Renaissance Community.
Since the beginning, this newsletter has been an ongoing dialogue between old and new—a space to reflect on beauty, virtue, memory, learning, and the wisdom of the past to help us lead better lives in the present. Together, we’ve cultivated a growing community of readers who care not just about what is happening in the world, but about how we are to live well within it.
Starting this month, I’m inviting you to engage in a new way.
This new tiered structure is not about exclusion, but about invitation.
It’s a way of welcoming you to drink more deeply from the shared intellectual well of the past, and to grow together.
This shift is rooted first and foremost in service—to the enduring ideas we cherish, and to you, the thoughtful reader who engages with them. These tiers are designed for more meaningful engagement. This tiered approach is a mutual investment—where your support sustains the work and, in return, you receive deeper engagement, meaningful connection, and a shared journey of growth and reflection.
By creating intentional spaces and resources, I aim to foster a community where we can reflect, learn, and grow together without haste or distraction. Your support enables this work to continue with care and rigor, and it allows me to devote the time and attention necessary to offer you not just content, but an ongoing conversation and companionship in the life of the mind.
To borrow from Cicero, “If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.”
This space is intended to be both.
✨ The Agora — Free
“Attention is the rarest and purest form of generosity.” —Simone Weil
The Agora was the vibrant public square of ancient Greek city-states—a welcoming space where citizens gathered freely to exchange ideas, debate, and engage in the life of the community; it perfectly embodies the spirit of the free tier as an open, accessible forum for all who seek thoughtful conversation and shared exploration
What stays free:
Occasional new essays exploring timeless ideas—beauty, goodness, truth, civility, and the soul of our shared life
Select curated reading lists, reflections, and resources
This tier offers a taste of the feast. For many, that will be enough. I’m glad you’re here. Please, stay a while.
New addition: Access to the full archive will now be reserved for paid subscribers—not to gatekeep, but to honor the value of this growing body of work and ensure its sustainability.
🪞 The Stoa — $7/month or $70/year
“Be patient toward all that is unsolved in your heart and try to love the questions themselves.” —Rainer Maria Rilke
For readers who want to go further, think more slowly, and help sustain the work, welcome to The Stoa.
Inspired by the Stoas (pronounced sto-AH) of ancient Athens—those covered walkways and porches where philosophers gathered to teach, debate, and renew the civic spirit—this tier embodies a place of thoughtful dialogue and social renewal. Just as the Stoa was a vital hub for cultivating wisdom and community in the public square, this tier offers intimate access to my creative process, behind-the-scenes insights, and lively exchanges with a community of seekers dedicated to reviving the ideals of beauty, virtue, and the good life.
Rooted in the ethos of The Soul of Civility and my ongoing work, The Stoa is a digital porch where together we renew not only ideas but the very fabric of our civic and social lives.
What you’ll receive:
Full access to the archives—over 100 essays and dispatches from the intellectual life
Behind-the-scenes notes and fragments from my creative process (think marginalia, half-formed questions, what didn’t make the cut)
Monthly “Commonplace Book” email — a private collection of quotes, books, thoughts, and questions I’m collecting and wrestling with
Early access to podcast episodes, plus invitations to attend live recordings (virtual or in person)
Occasional games, quizzes, and other playful ways to encounter great ideas—for the love of learning, not performance
And most importantly: the knowledge that you’re helping create a space where enduring ideas can live and breathe
🕯 The Academy — $250/year
“The cultivation of leisure, understood as the capacity to be contemplative and attentive, is the foundation of culture.” —Josef Pieper
Named after Plato’s Academy, the original intellectual sanctuary and the world’s first enduring institution of higher learning, it conveys an intimate circle of dedicated thinkers and patrons shaping the future of the community.
This tier is for those who want to help build more than a newsletter—it’s for those helping build a culture.
You’ll receive everything in the Patron tier, plus:
A personal conversation (virtual) where I can thank you, hear what matters to you, and invite you to help shape the future direction of this community and its work
A reading guide for The Soul of Civility—an exclusive digital resource to support your life of the mind: classic texts, curated paths, and prompts to reawaken wonder
A chance to be named (with permission) in a future acknowledgments page or publication as Patron of Civic Renaissance
Occasional surprise mail or gifts—sometimes analog, sometimes digital, always intentional
Why This Matters
Franz Kafka once wrote, “He who sees beauty never grows old.”
At the heart of The Civic Renaissance lies this very conviction—that cultivating an awareness of beauty, goodness, and truth sustains the soul and enriches the human experience. This community is more than a gathering; it is a sanctuary for those who seek to live the good life—not merely in comfort or convenience, but in depth, appreciation, and meaning. By renewing our capacity to see and celebrate beauty in the world and in each other, The Civic Renaissance invites us all to grow younger in spirit, fuller in presence, and more joyful in our shared journey toward a flourishing life.
This newsletter is an act of cultural preservation—but also a gesture of cultural renewal.
Your presence, your curiosity, and your support allow me to continue doing this work with care, rigor, and integrity—outside the noise of clickbait, outrage, and hustle.
If you’ve found value here, consider becoming a Patron—or joining The Stoa—or Founding Patron—and joining the Academy.
Not because you must. But because you can—and because the life of the mind is worth sustaining.
Thank you for being part of this conversation.
With gratitude,
Alexandra
Looking ahead:
August 28, 2025- Indiana Women's Collaborative, Indiana Chamber of Commerce
September 9, 2025- Indiana University Bloomington
The Polo Club of Boca Raton, November 3, 2025
In the news:
My 4-year-old asked for a smartphone. Here's what I did next as a parent.- In my new USA Today piece, I reflect on why my son wanted a phone so badly: 'If adults are perpetually distracted by their phones, the message is clear: Presence with others takes a backseat to screens.'
The Steep Price of Declining Civility- “Moral habits that promote human flourishing are virtues. Moral habits that divide us — within ourselves and between us and others — are vices.”- Thank you for mentioning my book, The Soul of Civility, in this thoughtful article!
The Bryan Hyde Show- Every single one of us can be a civilizing influence wherever we happen to be standing. Barry Brownstein reviews Alexandra Hudson's book "The Soul of Civility" and explains our personal duty to be a source of civil behavior. Any time we find ourselves a little too up-to-date on what's happening politically, it's time to take a step back and regain our perspective.
Is Silence Violence? How Yale Law School Reminded Me of the Virtue of Viewpoint Neutrality- “Viewpoint neutrality isn’t weakness — it’s a principled stand that respects disagreement and protects civil discourse.” Sharing my latest for WSB blog — interested to hear your thoughts!
The World’s Oldest Stories to Help Your Relationships! With Alexandra Hudson- Truth Changes Everything Podcast
I Love to Read: Author Alexandra Hudson to headline Zionsville Community Read event- Wishtv.com- Want to know the secret to doing politics well today? Doing politics LESS. We’ve allowed politics to take up too much of our mental consciousness, and it’s hurting society and ourselves. Join us in Zionsville at The Hussey-Mayfield Memorial Public Library on April 30th at 6:30 PM in the Lora Hussey Room to explore this and many other surprising ways to heal our divides.
Paideia, Humanitas, Civility and Education- I was honored to be invited to write this essay for The Ronald Reagan Center on Civility and Democracy. In a time often marked by division and discord, reflecting on the relationship between civility and education offers both wisdom and hope.
Thanks to Timothy Donahue of Oakland University for this thoughtful Public Books review of The Soul of Civility! He highlights a key argument: civility isn’t mere politeness—it’s essential for real social progress. Read here!
I had a great time joining Josh on the Good Morning Liberty podcast! We discussed historical lessons on civility, focusing on how John Adams and Thomas Jefferson overcame deep political divides to restore their friendship. Their story is a powerful reminder that mutual respect can heal even the deepest rifts. The episode is now live—tune in and let me know your thoughts!
It’s Time for a New Era of Christian Civility- read my latest piece for Christianity Today!
Thanks so much to MSNBC for hosting a segment about The Soul of Civility. Watch here!
A Year Ago on Civic Renaissance:
What to do about America's civility crisis
Thank you for being part of our Civic Renaissance community!
