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jjankunas's review against another edition
2.0
The book was mildly entertaining. I didn't hate it. If you've ever gone to a party and there was a guy who was drunkenly rambling about any random topic in a know-it-all manner and you found his arguments compelling but inexplicably annoying, this book is the prose of that fellow. I guess I'm finding white male perspectives less palatable as I age.
isantelli5764's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
3.75
Fun book, made me think and made me giggle but for the life of me I can’t tell what the core argument was.
roboxa's review against another edition
4.0
Even though I didn't agree with everything the Klosterman had to say is his series of essays (especially his take on soccer), I still enjoyed how he delivered his thoughts with humor and sarcasm. Two of my favorite things.
In this book of essays Klosterman covers everything from Saved by the Bell and the Celtics/Lakers rivalry. He has an exhaustive knowledge of popular culture and makes analyzing everything cool again. Who knew that rom-coms like When Harry Met Sally could so drastically change our psyche. Yet, when Chuck explains the affects of these movies in his sardonic way you have to ask yourself why you didn't think of that before.
On top of all this, little vignette type pieces about his life are thrown in between the essays which are almost as entertaining as the essays themselves and always, somehow, tie-in to popular culture. And while this book is often found in the Sociology section of bookstores, it's extremely accessible and isn't filled with sociological jargon. Don't get me wrong, I love the jargon (sociology was my minor) but sometimes it's nice to read something lighter but insightful at the same time. This is a great read for pop culture study beginners and veterans alike.
In this book of essays Klosterman covers everything from Saved by the Bell and the Celtics/Lakers rivalry. He has an exhaustive knowledge of popular culture and makes analyzing everything cool again. Who knew that rom-coms like When Harry Met Sally could so drastically change our psyche. Yet, when Chuck explains the affects of these movies in his sardonic way you have to ask yourself why you didn't think of that before.
On top of all this, little vignette type pieces about his life are thrown in between the essays which are almost as entertaining as the essays themselves and always, somehow, tie-in to popular culture. And while this book is often found in the Sociology section of bookstores, it's extremely accessible and isn't filled with sociological jargon. Don't get me wrong, I love the jargon (sociology was my minor) but sometimes it's nice to read something lighter but insightful at the same time. This is a great read for pop culture study beginners and veterans alike.
tintinintibet's review against another edition
3.0
Laugh out loud funny in the first few essays, followed by a slow retreat into mediocrity. There are moments when you think that is David Foster Wallace at his most accessible -- an intricate but compelling writing style that seems fresh and unforced. But there are also essays where Klosterman can't conjure up that glow and the writing then feels like William Vollmann at his voluminous worst.
samabenamer's review against another edition
3.0
i really wanted to like this book because it looked like the type of book that i should like or at least a book that would make me look smart, and over all it is pretty good except that some of the things that the author said were kind of problematic or at least things i didn't agree with. overall, though, chuck klosterman is hilarious and good at what he does so i kind of want to see what he's written recently to see if he should be cancelled or not.
nolleyolleyoxenfree's review against another edition
4.0
While I thoroughly enjoy Klosterman’s writing style, I was also driven mad by his incessant use of references unbeknownst to me (and presumably, other readers.) If you were born after 1990, I’d suggest using search engines in order to understand the concepts Klosterman discusses. It’s definitely worth the read, but prepare to be slightly frustrated, and more importantly, prepare to be patient.
somanybookstoread's review against another edition
3.0
Eh...I had high expectations for this book that were not met. Klosterman can be a damn good writer, but in this collection I found him to be too much of a pretentious know-it-all. I'm sure he offends many but I scoffed at his ridicule of both Madonna and soccer. When I'm dealing with a person (writer or otherwise) who is overly sure of him/herself, it's hard to win me over, and here he didn't (with the exception of the essay on mix tapes, because admittedly, there he had me).