# Anne Helen Petersen

> Anne Helen Petersen is an American journalist, culture critic, and author best known for her newsletter Culture Study and her book 'Can't Even: How Millennials Became the Burnout Generation.' Holding a PhD in Media Studies from UT Austin, she went from academic celebrity-gossip historian to BuzzFeed News Senior Culture Writer before launching one of Substack's most-read newsletters. She writes about the structural forces — work culture, consumerism, loneliness, burnout — that shape everyday life, blending academic rigor with deeply personal, accessible prose. She now lives on Lummi Island, Washington, with her partner Charlie Warzel and their dogs.

- **Role:** Writer at Culture Study (Patreon)
- **Organizations:** Culture Study, BuzzFeed News (former), Crooked Media (former podcast), Penguin Random House
- **From:** Lewiston, Idaho, USA
- **Nationality:** American
- **Education:** BA in Rhetoric and Film Studies, Whitman College, MA in English, University of Oregon, PhD in Media Studies, University of Texas at Austin
- **Known for:** 'How Millennials Became The Burnout Generation' — BuzzFeed News's most-read article of 2019 (7+ million views), 'Too Fat, Too Slutty, Too Loud' named NPR Best Books of 2017, 'Out of Office' named Fortune, Inc., LitHub, TechCrunch, and TechRepublic book of the year (2021)

## Career timeline

- **2011-2014** — Visiting professor at Whitman College; began writing 'Scandals of Classic Hollywood' column for The Hairpin
- **2014** — Published debut book 'Scandals of Classic Hollywood' (Plume/Penguin); joined BuzzFeed News as Senior Culture Writer
- **2017** — Published 'Too Fat, Too Slutty, Too Loud' (Plume/Penguin); named NPR Best Books of 2017
- **2019** — Published 'How Millennials Became The Burnout Generation' on BuzzFeed News — 7+ million views, most-read article of the year
- **2020** — Left BuzzFeed News; launched 'Culture Study' newsletter on Substack; published 'Can't Even: How Millennials Became the Burnout Generation' (HMH)
- **2021** — Co-authored 'Out of Office' with Charlie Warzel (Knopf); moved to Lummi Island, Washington
- **2022** — Launched 'Work Appropriate' podcast on Crooked Media; launched 'Townsizing' podcast with HGTV
- **2023** — Launched 'Culture Study Podcast'
- **2025** — Moved Culture Study from Substack to Patreon, citing algorithmic manipulation and hate speech moderation concerns; announced forthcoming book 'Friend Group'

## Achievements

- 'How Millennials Became The Burnout Generation' — BuzzFeed News's most-read article of 2019 (7+ million views)
- 'Too Fat, Too Slutty, Too Loud' named NPR Best Books of 2017
- 'Out of Office' named Fortune, Inc., LitHub, TechCrunch, and TechRepublic book of the year (2021)
- Culture Study grew to ~184,000 subscribers on Substack — one of platform's top newsletters
- 2024 Forbes profile: 'The Voice of a Micro-Generation'
- Delivered 2018 convocation address at Carleton College
- Available as speaker through Penguin Random House Speakers Bureau
- Facebook group 'Celebrity Gossip, Academic Style' with 44,000+ followers

## Latest updates

- **2025-10** — Moved Culture Study newsletter and podcast from Substack to Patreon, citing concerns about algorithmic manipulation and hate speech moderation
- **2026-01** — Working on forthcoming book 'Friend Group: A Survival Guide for the Loneliest Century' with editor Kate Napolitano
- **2025-06** — Culture Study continues on Patreon with three-tier subscription model including newsletter and podcast access

## Links

- Website: https://www.annehelenpetersen.com/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anne-helen-petersen-9a047586
- Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/annehelen
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/annehelenpetersen/

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/anne-helen-petersen
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-04-23