What do you think?
Rate this book
In the Know: The Classic Guide to Being Cultured and Cool
The ultimate crash course for every woman who wants to be "cool" presents an entertaining, fact-filled guide on how to navigate life with style and flair, offering practical advice on everything from knowing why Jackson Pollock is important to which handbag can get you upgraded at the airport. Original. 40,000 first printing.
222 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2007
6 people are currently reading
48 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
July 8, 2010
I really liked this book. I agree with another reviewer that it was kind of hard to know what the book's purpose was, but I didn't really care. I liked that this book provided a short overview of all kinds of cultural icons (and other topics), most of whom I didn't really know anything about. Now I have a list of other books/works of art/biographies/trips to go on that I can follow up on.
October 2, 2010
Wonderful crash-course on culture; whether you need it or not, this book is fantastic and you'll surely learn something new!
November 29, 2011
A little too much emphasis on fashion & design for my taste, but I really enjoyed the parts about wine, music, films and books.
June 23, 2013
Interesting, never heard of most of it.
March 19, 2023
This book offers a brilliant collection of essential elements encompassing critical events, notable personalities, fine art, fashion, architecture, music, poetry, and literature. It provides an excellent starting point for those seeking to become well-rounded, enlightened, and knowledgeable individuals on contemporary and recent culture. By exploring the various aspects presented in this compilation, readers can gain a comprehensive understanding of the cultural landscape and be inspired to delve deeper into different facets necessary for navigating a well-cultured world.
January 12, 2014
If you enjoy knowledge, and you want to catch up a little bit on past influencers of our culture this is definitely a good source. While the book focuses mostly on fashion icons and lifestyle elements, the first part of the book is very useful. That part focuses on Ten Cultural Innovators, Ten Books You Should Read, Five Art Books to Display, and also Ten Films to Know About.
I spent the majority of my focus on the first couple of chapters because those were the chapters that were of interest of me. I didn't much care for the others. The book weighs heavily on Fashion & Lifestyle, and lacks the balance of Literature, Film, Arts & Philosophy, to which only one section was dedicated, and was named Culture. A little weird, I say.
Nevertheless, that's just my opinion. It's worth taking a look at. It's worth giving it as a gift to someone who is probably into the Arts & Fashion lifestyle as it contain a lot of useful reference, and a lot of historical icons that revolutionized those subjects.
That's all I have to say. It was kind of miss for me. I figure culture is bigger part to being 'cultured and cool' than fashion and lifestyle, but maybe I'm wrong. You decide for yourself. I have decided for myself.
I spent the majority of my focus on the first couple of chapters because those were the chapters that were of interest of me. I didn't much care for the others. The book weighs heavily on Fashion & Lifestyle, and lacks the balance of Literature, Film, Arts & Philosophy, to which only one section was dedicated, and was named Culture. A little weird, I say.
Nevertheless, that's just my opinion. It's worth taking a look at. It's worth giving it as a gift to someone who is probably into the Arts & Fashion lifestyle as it contain a lot of useful reference, and a lot of historical icons that revolutionized those subjects.
That's all I have to say. It was kind of miss for me. I figure culture is bigger part to being 'cultured and cool' than fashion and lifestyle, but maybe I'm wrong. You decide for yourself. I have decided for myself.
May 9, 2009
The idea behind this book is moronic in the extreme: Read it, and you will suddenly seem "cultured and cool." You will be armed for the next cocktail party where you need to toss off an opinion about, say, John Currin. Or T-Rex. Or All About Eve. That a "Ten CDs You Should Have In Your Collection" list does nothing to educate you is glibly skipped over. Just to be "in the know" is enough.
Well, obviously not. This is like the lite version of An Incomplete Education from twenty years ago, but switching out History for, say, Fashion. Feh.
Still, it should be admitted that her selections for the cultural touchstones one should know are well-chosen, and she does write interesting things about them, and clearly knows a thing or four. But who is she writing for? Who is the readership for such a book? I got it in a pile of remainders, but do people go into bookstores and think, "Yes! This is what I need!"?
Well, obviously not. This is like the lite version of An Incomplete Education from twenty years ago, but switching out History for, say, Fashion. Feh.
Still, it should be admitted that her selections for the cultural touchstones one should know are well-chosen, and she does write interesting things about them, and clearly knows a thing or four. But who is she writing for? Who is the readership for such a book? I got it in a pile of remainders, but do people go into bookstores and think, "Yes! This is what I need!"?
July 17, 2013
I think my copy is broken.
November 8, 2013
Weird book. I came across this after buying "The New York Times Essential Guide to Knowledge". It's a bit vapid by comparison.
December 7, 2015
I like lists...some is old hat some not.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews