“People will come to adore the technologies that undo their capacities to think.”
Ah, pop culture. Whether it be through the latest tabloid headlines, social media updates we receive, or movies and shows we binge, popular culture dominates our society and has a profound imprint on the norms, values, and attitudes it reflects. Whether you love or loathe the influence it has, it’s undeniable that pop culture is fascinating to study. Which is why, we here at What We Reading, have pulled together the most comprehensive list of the best pop culture books dedicated to celebrating, criticizing, or commenting on its enduring legacy.
Movies (And Other Things) – Shea Serrano
Featuring illustrations from Arturo Torres, Shea Serrano’s acclaimed Movies takes the lead on our list of the best pop culture books. Throughout the book, Serrano skillfully prompts readers to contemplate how profoundly influential movies might be if even the smallest details were altered. For instance, he explores the concept of which races Kevin Costner ‘white saviours’ the best, spanning Mexicans, Native Americans, Blacks, and even the Cleveland Browns throughout his acting career.
With a blend of amusing and poignant insights from the history of film, all delivered with a dedicated focus on the smallest pockets of pop culture, Movies encourages readers to reflect not only on the diversity needed in our lives but also on the diversity required in the media we consume.
Wannabe: Reckonings With The Pop Culture That Shapes Me – Aisha Harris
Cultural critic Aisha Harris has established herself as one of the dependable and trusted voices on whichever television series or movie everyone is talking about at any given time. In Wannabe, she turns inward and presents nine compelling memoirs and essays on her upbringing in the nineties and how the popular culture of the time shaped both her and society.
From how an interaction with Chance the Rapper prompted an investigation into her name to the evolution of the ‘Black Friend‘ trope from its Twainian origins to the Spice Girls, Wannabe is a nostalgia-filled commentary against the patriarchal view of ‘being what you like.’ The result is one of the best pop culture books that feels like sitting down with your smart and funny best friend to discuss all things popular.
Amazing Ourselves To Death: Neil Postman’s Brave New World Revisited – Lance Strate
In 1985, Neil Postman penned his most famous work, Amusing Ourselves to Death. At the time, it was a groundbreaking examination of how television’s bias toward entertaining content trivialises serious issues and undermines the foundations of a democratic society.
In his 2013 book, Lance Strate, who earned his doctorate under Postman’s tutelage, re-examines Postman’s ideas, critically analyzing them for the twenty-first-century landscape that now includes mediums such as the internet, mobile phones, and social media. Channeling the spirit of Postman’s original ideas, Strate’s work stands as one of the best pop culture books for a critique of everything from journalism, politics, religion, and education across American culture.
Reality Bites Back: The Troubling Truth About Guilty Pleasure TV – Jennifer L. Pozner
Jennifer L. Pozner’s Reality Bites Back is a compelling investigation into the representation of women in reality TV, exploring the broader implications of this representation on society as a whole. The media critic takes an analytical and critical lens to many trends shown throughout the realm of reality television, showcasing how these carefully curated ‘unscripted’ shows lead to a reinforcing of stereotypes in race, gender, and sexuality most dismissed decades ago.
Through her sharp and informative investigation, Pozner shows how these reality shows aren’t harmless guilty pleasures but rather tools that foment gender-war ideologies and negatively impact the political and intellectual development of their audiences. Finally, Pozner gives readers the tools needed to identify and challenge these stereotypes, demanding accountability from the corporations who put them on our screens.
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They Can’t Kill Us Until They Kill Us – Hanif Abdurraqib
They Can’t Kill Us Until They Kill Us is a collection of poignantly-told memoirs and eloquently penned essays from Hanif Abdurraqib. Across the book, Abdurraqib reminisces about the cultural freedoms he was allowed to enjoy as a young Muslim and ponders what the future looks like for future generations.
From attending Springsteen concerts after visiting George Brown’s grave, the everyday tensions and dangers between minorities and the police, to public displays of queerness at Carly Rae Jepsen shows, Abdurraqib uses music and popular culture as an analytical lens of resilience and rebellion. From treasured works that have been published in the New York Times, Pitchfork and MTV to previously unreleased essays, They Can’t Kill Us Until They Kill Us is a profound pop culture book that celebrates how far we’ve come, and how much further we have to go as a society.
Hi Honey, I’m Homo!: Sitcoms, Specials, And The Queering Of American Culture – Matt Baume
Underneath the absurdly large apartment sets, studio audience laughs, and the lights, camera, and action on set, Matt Baume lifts the lid on how American LGBTQ+ liberation unfolded in front of millions of viewers in Hi Honey, I’m Homo!
From Bewitched to Barney Miller, Baume’s book stands out as one of the best pop culture reads for understanding the powerful influence of the American sitcom on societal norms. Accessible, entertaining, and informative, Hi Honey, I’m Homo! chronicles the history of episodes that addressed queer issues, placing them in the broader historical context of the time they were first aired. It’s a captivating collection of nostalgia, behind-the-scenes facts, and celebrity interviews that are sure to inspire readers to rewatch some of the classics.
Part-time reader, part-time rambler, and full-time Horror enthusiast, James has been writing for What We Reading since 2022. His earliest reading memories involved Historical Fiction, Fantasy and Horror tales, which he has continued to take with him to this day. James’ favourite books include The Last (Hanna Jameson), The Troop (Nick Cutter) and Chasing The Boogeyman (Richard Chizmar).
