Help me find books of pop culture criticism
May 13, 2011 10:32 AM   Subscribe

Help me find cool books of criticism/essays/interviews/etc.

Two of my favorite books of the past year or so were "Smothered in Hugs," by Dennis Cooper, and "Role Models," by John Waters. Both were collections of essays, interviews, criticism, etc., about pop culture and somewhat "underground" or "trash" culture. Do you know of any similar books I might also enjoy?
posted by Clustercuss to Media & Arts (9 answers total) 4 users marked this as a favorite
 
Jim Goad's The Redneck Manifesto." Read it and wonder.
posted by haqspan at 10:44 AM on May 13, 2011


Vonnegut's Wampeters, Foma, & Granfaloons

From the back of the book: "...is a rare opportunity to experience Kurt Vonnegut speaking in his own voice about his own life, his views of the world, his writing, and the writing of others. An indignant, outrageous, always witty, and deeply felt collection of reviews, essays, and speeches, this work is a window not only into Vonnegut's mind...but also into his heart."
posted by phunniemee at 10:44 AM on May 13, 2011


Chuck Klosterman: Sex, Drugs & Cocoa Puffs
Possibly also George Saunders' The Braindead Megaphone, but I read that a while ago around the same time as SD&CP, so I may be mixing them up
posted by knile at 10:48 AM on May 13, 2011


Yippee Ki-Yay Moviegoer by Outlaw Vern

Almost any of the Joe Bob Briggs books.

I was going to suggest an Answer Me anthology (also by Jim Goad) but wow, they are expensive.
posted by The Lamplighter at 11:02 AM on May 13, 2011


Also - "Destroy All Movies!!! The Complete Guide to Punks on Film"
posted by The Lamplighter at 11:04 AM on May 13, 2011


They're much-discussed MeFi faves for sure, but Consider The Lobster and Our Band Could Be Your Life are every bit as good as advertised. Extended Play by John Corbett is fantastic if you have even a teensy bit of interest in experimental music.
posted by mintcake! at 12:03 PM on May 13, 2011


Wallace Shawn's Essays: Another book from cult film figure with razor sharp wit who writes intensely person cultural criticism that highbrow folks proudly put on their bookshelves. As per "trash culture," one of the essays starts as follows:
“Various people who have liked me or cared about me — people who have believed in my promise as a writer — have hinted to me at various times in my life that an excessive preoccupation with the subject of sex has harmed or even ruined my writing.

They’ve implied that it was sad, almost pitiful, that an adolescent obsession should have been allowed to marginalize what they optimistically had hoped might have been a serious body of work. [...]

Why is sex interesting to write about? To some, that might seem like a rather dumb question. Obviously, when someone interested in geology is alone in a room, he or she tends to think a lot about rocks. [...] And I would have to guess that geologists find it fun to sit at a desk and write about rocks.

So, yes, I find it enjoyable. But apart from that, I find myself wondering, ‘Why is it interesting to write about sex?’ "*
That fit the bill?
posted by jng at 1:59 PM on May 13, 2011


person = personal
posted by jng at 2:00 PM on May 13, 2011


Divisive on the blue I believe but the Lester Bangs collection 'Psychotic Reactions and Carburetor Dung'.
posted by Phlegmco(tm) at 10:27 PM on May 13, 2011


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