Klosterman's the type of guy you feel smart-yet-slightly-cool for reading. He observes the world through a unique lens which is evident whether he's interviewing a Steve Nash or discussing the ethics of chasing after women in committed relationships.

This book largely a collection of previously published articles about pop-culture icons. It's more than mere anthology, though—Klosterman wrote introductions and footnotes to the articles that are often as illuminating as the article itself. As if this wasn't enough, he ended this volume with a short quasi-autobiographical novella to round out the collection. Oddly enough, it all seems to flow together.

His perspective can grow wearisome, but (like Douglas Coupland) after placing the book down for a brief sabbatical you'll find yourself craving more.

Klosterman's a commentator on the human condition. A condition he perceives more accurately than most. ( )

Klosterman is kinda entertaining, but he is also a one trick pony. That trick is condensing the subject (band, person, whatever) into one or at maximum two metaphors and/or similes. Also: funny footnotes, ha ha. ( )

Klosterman has a style that's both irreverent and sympathetic. He's ferociously iconoclastic and at times deconstructionist in his thinking... and yet, like Louis Theroux or Jon Ronson, you never feel he's taking the piss. He's got this clever self-deprecating thing going on too, so he tries to come across as smarter than his subjects... even when he's interviewing Britney Spears, who is "either the least self-aware person (he's) ever met, or she's way, way savvier than (he'll) ever be".

Read the full review at my blog. ( )

a cool book. sort of a collection of different articles Klosterman had appeared in and written since he got famous (circa 2004-2005) a very special interview is his Val Kilmer one where Kilmer admits to knowing more what it's like to be Jim Morrison than Jim Morrison did after playing him in a film. that's how intense his method acting is. Klosterman is great at bringing out strange words from people. and his style is beautiful in a modern sort of way. look out for this if you're a music journalist fan. ( )

The interviews are great, the cultural stuff less successful, but always very readable and sometimes very funny. ( )