Klosterman and Cocoa Puffs

I'm a reader. Apart from shopping for make-up and watching movies with Bill, reading is what I do in my spare time. One would think that if I read so much, I would be a better writer. Alas, that is not the case.

I'm known for reading and people at work, yoga, or elsewhere often suggest books to me. If three different people suggest the same title, I tend to want to read it (unless it is that damn Da Vinci Code garbage). Accquaintances have suggested Birth of Venus and The Kite Runner. Both are on my list. Imagine my surprise when buddies started pushing Sex, Drugs and Cocoa Puffs by Chuck Klosterman on me. The book is an analysis of pop culture on the author's life. It is also a collection of essays on how pop culture is really a commentary on larger social and intellectual issues... blah, blah, blah.

Anyway, I'm not impressed with it so far. I picked it up for a mere $4 on the super clearance rack at Borders so obviously not that many people were impressed with it either. (There were many, many copies on clearance.) The author just strikes me as a whining, cooler-than-thou, urbanite who wants to skewer other people's taste to make himself seem more interesting.

What impressed me is the vast differnces in the people who suggested the book to me in the first place. One was a 21-year-old yoga studio manager, another was a professional with a busines degree and yet another was a construction worker. None of these guys have ANYTHING in common. It makes me wonder how books get around.