42 Popular culture books

30 Years of Adventure: A Celebration of Dungeons & Dragons is a 2004 publisher's retrospective written by Harold Johnson, Steve Winter, Peter Adkison, Ed Stark, and Peter Archer. It is an illustrated, behind-the-scenes history of the Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) fantasy tabletop role-playing game, issued by the game's publisher to commemorate the game's 30th anniversary.

The 85 Ways to Tie a Tie is a book by Thomas Fink and Yong Mao about the history of the knotted neckcloth, the modern necktie, and how to tie both. It is based on two mathematics papers published by the authors in Nature and Physica A while they were research fellows at Cambridge University’s Cavendish Laboratory. The authors prove that, assuming both the tie and the wearer to be of typical size, there are exactly 85 ways of tying a necktie using the conventional method of wrapping the wide end of the tie around the narrow end. They describe each and highlight those that they determine to be historically notable or aesthetically pleasing.

The Advanced Genius Theory: Are They Out of Their Minds or Ahead of Their Time? is a 2010 U.S. nonfiction book by journalist Jason Hartley. It posits an explanation as to why well-established musicians are now perceived as terrible or having "lost it". Merely, these artists or celebrities have "Advanced" past our understanding, because they are true geniuses. The book also mentions athletes, actors, writers and even sportscasters as possibly being Advanced.

An Army of Davids: How Markets and Technology Empower Ordinary People to Beat Big Media, Big Government, and Other Goliaths is a non-fiction book by Glenn Reynolds, a law professor at the University of Tennessee also known as the blogger 'Instapundit'. The book looks at modern American society through the lens of individuals versus social institutions, and Reynolds concludes that technological change has allowed more freedom of action for people in contrast to the 'big' establishment organizations that used to function as gatekeepers. Thus, he argues that the balance of power between individuals and institutions is "flatting out," which involves numerous decentralized networks rising up. Nelson Current, an arm of Thomas Nelson, Inc., published the book on March 7, 2006.

Batman Animated is a coffee table book written by Paul Dini and designed by Chip Kidd, about the popular TV show Batman: The Animated Series. It was first published in a hardcover edition in 1998 by Titan Books. A paperback edition of the book was published later.

The Bermuda Triangle is a best-selling 1974 book by Charles Berlitz which popularized the belief of the Bermuda Triangle as an area of ocean prone to disappearing ships and airplanes. The book sold nearly 20 million copies in 30 languages.

Bigger Deal: A Year Inside the Poker Boom is Anthony Holden's follow-up to his 1990 book Big Deal: A Year as a Professional Poker Player. The book follows Holden's return to professional poker fifteen years after his last adventure ended. The book begins with the WSOP 2005, following him around the world to eventually return to Las Vegas for the WSOP 2006.

The Black Leather Jacket is a book written by English journalist and author Mick Farren published in 1985.

The Book of Bond or, Every Man His Own 007 is a book by Kingsley Amis which was first published by Jonathan Cape in 1965. For this work, Amis used the pseudonym Lt.-Col. William ("Bill") Tanner. In Ian Fleming's James Bond novels, Bill Tanner is M's chief of staff and a recurring character throughout the series.

Chuck Klosterman IV: A Decade of Curious People and Dangerous Ideas is a book written by Chuck Klosterman, first published by Scribner in 2006. It is the fourth book by Klosterman. The paperback edition was released in July 2007. The book consists of three sections: Things That Are True is a collection of previously published interviews with new introductions and footnotes; Things That Might Be True collects previously published opinion articles that include new footnotes and are preceded by hypothetical questions, a literary device Klosterman used in Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs: A Low Culture Manifesto; and Something That Isn't True At All is the beginning of an unfinished novel written in 2000. This final section is a departure for Klosterman, as it is his first published work of fiction. The main character, Jack, is allegedly based upon Klosterman's personality traits, but the author asserts that the events which occur in the story are completely fictional.

The Cult of the Amateur: How Today's Internet Is Killing Our Culture (ISBN 0385520808) is a 2007 book written by entrepreneur and Internet critic Andrew Keen. Published by Currency, Keen's first book is a critique of the enthusiasm surrounding user generated content, peer production, and other Web 2.0-related phenomena.

Dead Elvis: A Chronicle of a Cultural Obsession (1991) is a non-fiction book by American rock-music critic Greil Marcus in which he examines the influence of Elvis Presley on United States culture in the latter half of the 1970s.

The Dictionary of Fashionable Nonsense: A Guide for Edgy People is a 2006 book by Ophelia Benson and Jeremy Stangroom.

Don't Eat This Book: Fast Food and the Supersizing of America is a 2005 book by Morgan Spurlock.

Eating the Dinosaur is the sixth book written by Chuck Klosterman, first published by Scribner in 2009. In the mold of Klosterman's earlier Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs, the book is a collection of previously unpublished essays concerning an array of pop culture topics. The book cover was designed by Paul Sahre.

Everything Bad Is Good for You: How Today's Popular Culture Is Actually Making Us Smarter is a non-fiction book written by Steven Johnson. Published in 2005, it details Johnson's theory that popular culture – in particular television programs and video games – has grown more complex and demanding over time and is making society as a whole more intelligent, contrary to the perception that modern electronic media are harmful or unconstructive. The book's claims, especially related to the proposed benefits of television, drew media attention. It received mixed critical reviews.

Farsighted: How We Make the Decisions That Matter the Most (2018) is a non-fiction book by American journalist Steven Johnson.

A Few Seconds of Panic is a nonfiction first-person narrative by Stefan Fatsis, published in 2008. The book chronicles Fatsis, a professional 43-year-old sportswriter working for The Wall Street Journal, and his attempt to play in the National Football League. Along the way, he relates the personal stories and struggles that professional football players face in the league. After some setbacks, Fatsis eventually finds some success as a backup placekicker for the Denver Broncos. The book's title comes from Jason Elam's description of being a kicker as "hours and hours of boredom surrounded by a few seconds of panic."

Future Perfect: The Case for Progress in a Networked Age (2012) is a non-fiction book published in 2012 by American best-selling author Steven Berlin Johnson. In this book, Johnson presents a new political worldview he names “peer progressivism.” This idea promotes collaboration amongst peers and the development of peer networks for the purpose of accomplishing large undertakings and ultimately helping society grow and change for the better.

Geek Chic: The Ultimate Guide to Geek Culture (ISBN 978-1-58423-205-6) is a 2005 book co-written by Neil Feinman, Rob Davis and Chelseah Kalberloh. The book charts the history of the geek from Ancient Greece to the Xbox. It is published by Thames and Hudson (UK), BIS Publishing and Ginko Press (US).

The Hipster Handbook (2003) is a satirical guide to hipster culture by Williamsburg, Brooklyn author Robert Lanham.

Hollywood, Interrupted: Insanity Chic in Babylon - The Case Against Celebrity is a book and website authored by Mark Ebner, with co-author Andrew Breitbart. The book was published in 2004 by John Wiley & Sons. The writing focuses primarily on what Ebner sees as the disconnected, self-indulgent nature of Hollywood culture. The book was on the New York Times Best Seller list, and was also a Los Angeles Times bestseller. The title references the 1999 film Girl, Interrupted.

I Wear the Black Hat: Grappling with Villains is a book written by Chuck Klosterman, first published by Scribner in 2013. It is a collection of twelve essays examining the nature of villainy through the lens of popular culture, rock music, and sports. It is the eighth book released by Klosterman. The book debuted at number 5 on the New York Times bestseller list.

Lipstick Traces: A Secret History of the 20th Century (1989) is a non-fiction book by American rock-music critic Greil Marcus that examines popular music and art as a social critique of Western culture.

The Magic Behind the Voices: A Who's Who of Cartoon Voice Actors (ISBN 1-578-06696-4) is a 367-page book by Tim Lawson and Alisa Persons, chronicling the artistic achievements and history of cartoon voice actors from the past and the present.

Mastering the Universe: He-Man and the Rise and Fall of a Billion-Dollar Idea is a 2005 book by Roger Sweet and David Wecker that recounts Sweet's work behind the scenes of the corporate culture of the 1980s American toy industry.

Meat Is Murder: An Illustrated Guide To Cannibal Culture is a book originally published in 1998, which examines cannibalism in myth, true crime, and film.

The Myth of the Eastern Front: The Nazi–Soviet War in American Popular Culture is a 2008 book by the American historians Ronald Smelser and Edward J. Davies of the University of Utah. It discusses perceptions of the Eastern Front of World War II in the United States in the context of historical revisionism. The book traces the foundation of the post-war myth of the "Clean Wehrmacht", its support by US military officials, and the impact of Wehrmacht and Waffen-SS mythology on American popular culture, up to the time of its publication.

Nightwork: A History of Hacks and Pranks at MIT ; is a book which presents a historical catalog of some of the best-known MIT hacks as well as a series of essays reflecting on the cultural significance of hacks. MIT is one of the most selective university in the United States, with a long-standing hacker tradition.

Oh, the Things I Know! A Guide to Success, or Failing That, Happiness is a 2003 book written by Al Franken that offers humorous life advice on everything from dating to getting a good job. The title parodies Dr. Seuss's Oh, the Places You'll Go!, which is a popular gift given to college graduates.

The Otaku Encyclopedia is a 2009 encyclopedia written by Patrick Galbraith and published by Kodansha which provides an overview of anime and manga topics, and interviews and profiles of important people in Japanese fandom.

The Perelman's Pocket Cyclopedia of Cigars is an annually published and updated reference of cigar brands available in the United States, including specifications and information regarding each cigar, as well as basic cigar knowledge in general, such as wrapper colours and shapes and sizes. There is also an 'Almanac' section which includes a list of new brands and those that have been discontinued since the last edition, details about 'ancient' brands that are still in production, a list of unusual cigars, a list of the smallest and largest cigars available, and more.

Psychotic Reactions and Carburetor Dung: The Work of a Legendary Critic: Rock 'n' Roll as Literature and Literature as Rock 'n' Roll is a collection of essays written by famous rock music critic Lester Bangs. Named for a 1971 article of the same title, it was edited by Greil Marcus and released in 1987, five years after Bangs' death. In his introduction, Marcus explains that, "Perhaps what this book demands from a reader is a willingness to accept that the best writer in America could write almost nothing but record reviews."

The Rap Year Book: The Most Important Rap Song From Every Year Since 1979, Discussed, Debated, and Deconstructed is a 2015 New York Times best-selling book written by Shea Serrano and illustrated by Arturo Torres.

The Rebel Sell: Why the Culture Can't be Jammed is a non-fiction book written by Canadian authors Joseph Heath and Andrew Potter in 2004. The thesis of the book is that counter-cultural movements have failed to effect any progressive political or economic consequences; thus counter-culture is not a threat to "the system".

Scars of the Soul Are Why Kids Wear Bandages When They Don't Have Bruises is a 2004 collection of essays by Miles Marshall Lewis. It was published by Akashic Books.

Signifying Rappers: Rap and Race in the Urban Present is a nonfiction book by Mark Costello and David Foster Wallace. The book explores this music's history as it intersects with historical events, either locally and unique to Boston, or in larger cultural or historical contexts.

South Park and Philosophy: Bigger, Longer, and More Penetrating is a non-fiction book analyzing the philosophy and popular culture effects of South Park, published by Open Court. The book is edited by Richard Hanley.

South Park and Philosophy: You Know, I Learned Something Today is the first non-fiction book in Blackwell Publishing Company's Philosophy & Pop Culture series and is edited by philosopher and ontologist, Robert Arp, at the time assistant professor of philosophy at Southwest Minnesota State University. The series itself is edited by William Irwin, who is a professor of philosophy at King's College, Pennsylvania in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. The book utilizes the five classic branches of Western philosophy, namely, metaphysics, epistemology, ethics, political philosophy, and logic, in order to analyze episodes of South Park as well as place the show in a context of current popular culture.

Stitch 'n Bitch is a name that has been used to refer to social knitting groups since at least World War II. Before the slang term "Stitch 'n Bitch" was used, groups of women in the 1940s would join to knit and talk in organized Stitch and Bitch clubs. The term was further used in the 1980s as part of the book Social History of American Knitting by Anne Macdonald. It is partly due to the book's success that the modern day Stitch 'n Bitch knitting groups have emerged in cities around the world. The groups, mainly women, meet to knit, stitch and talk. Typically, attendees knit, though others crochet, and still others engage in cross-stitching, embroidery, and other needlecraft. Nowadays, the groups have been analyzed by scholars as expressions of resistance to major political, social and technological change in Western societies. However, political discussion is not unusual at these events, and at least some participants are proponents of progressive, liberal, and/or leftist social and political change. Furthermore, the term Stitch 'n Bitch is now used by women from across the globe to connect with others in the virtual space seeing as the term has re-emerged in a world where the public sphere is the cyberspace.

Waffen-SS im Einsatz is a 1953 book in German by Paul Hausser, a former high-ranking Waffen-SS member and a leader of the Waffen-SS lobby group HIAG. As part of the organisation's revisionist agenda, it advanced the idea of the purely military role of the Waffen-SS.

Word Freak is a non-fiction narrative by Stefan Fatsis published in 2001 (ISBN 0-618-01584-1).