Chuck Klosterman's book delves into the meaning of everything from
breakfast cereal to Pamela Anderson. (Creative Commons licensed)

Make no mistake: Chuck Klosterman is exhausting. He rants, he rambles and he spends an entire chapter on the deeper meaning of breakfast cereal. He calls "Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs" a "low culture manifesto"--which makes it sound a little like MTV in book form.

In fact, much of Klosterman's material is covered on MTV (see: Pamela Anderson, 80s music, etc). What's more, many of his side points involve things that will only be familiar to music nerds or people over the age of 27. Thankfully, his spirited analysis makes most subjects seem instantly important. What makes his book so compelling--and what makes him so tolerable--is his ability to take seemingly shallow cultural phenomena and show us why they really matter.

"Sex, Drugs and Cocoa Puffs" was published in 2003, but I only picked it up around 2006. I noticed it on the stand of my local Borders, and the eccentric cover lured me in. Before long, I was hooked. I soon pedaled the book around to my friends. Two of them read it and loved it, but--as things go with book recommendations--the rest mostly ignored me.

That is why I was surprised recently to find that four other girls on the floor of my building happened to own a copy. Additionally, I've seen the book around campus twice, and now, even my friends have told me that I'm not the only one nagging them about it.

Why am I suddenly seeing this book everywhere? I'm sure part of me has VH1 to thank: the network has popularized pop culture rehashing like no other. Around the time "Sex, Drugs and Cocoa Puffs" was published, VH1 began toying with "celebreality," a genre delves into (and hypes up) the lives of the famous.

Since the success of "The Surreal Life," VH1 has aired well over a dozen shows examining has-beens and up-and-comings. Today, celebreality is the network's main staple. It's hard to find someone who hasn't watched at least one episode of a "Flavor of Love" spin-off.  Similarly, "The Soup"--E!'s pop culture mockery show--has spawned various offshoots on sibling channels, examining everything from fashion to sports. Blogger, YouTube and Twitter all make commentary free and easy. Interacting with pop culture has never been more common.  

However, unlike most observers, Klosterman does not merely crack jokes or summarize in his book. His analysis goes right to the bone, uncovering connections most people don't think about. 

His book has a distinct theme: there's no such thing as an event without a deeper meaning. According to Klosterman, "The Real World" is the source of most modern archetypical personalities, John Cusack ruined modern love, and the Celtics vs. Lakers rivalry will tell you who you'll marry and what you think of the death penalty. Everything is connected.

Despite the thoughtful analysis, Klosterman's style makes reading difficult.  He often jumps from subject to subject, and because "Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs" is essentially a series of essays, most chapters have no logical connection to the next.  Moreover, while Klosterman is a journalist by trade, he does not (and does not try to) keep his personal life out of his essays. His thoughts are easy to follow, but they are not organized in a classic format; reading the book often feels like listening to a series of well-organized inner monologues. He peppers what would be logical arguments with personal stories, and he isn't afraid to be blatantly biased. As long as readers recognize how different each essay is from the other, the format can work.

"Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs" isn't intended to make you agree with Klosterman. It's intended to let him show you how witty he is and to make you think about seemingly average events in a totally different light.

For anyone who has ever been teased for loving pop culture, this book is proof that pop culture has a core, that entertainment can be important and appeal to the masses at the same time. Klosterman proves that often, the things intended for the lowest common denominator affect the way we think most.

"Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs" can work as light reading material, but it is not for the faint of heart. If you're not easily offended and up for a little over-thinking, it's the perfect travel companion. Just don't be surprised when strangers stare at the cover.