The Wondering Years: How Pop Culture Helped Me Answer Life’s Biggest Questions

by Knox McCoy

When you hear the phrase pop culture, you likely think reality television, boy bands or Real Housewives of various cities. While these are elements of popular culture, they aren't all it has to offer. Pop culture may not cure diseases, topple political regimes, or make scientific breakthroughs, but it does play a vital role in the story of humanity.In fact, it's pretty hard to define the human experience without it. And it's impossible to create pop culture without the human experience. Popular podcaster Knox McCoy understands this, and so do the tens of thousands of listeners who tune in to hear him talk about pop culture every week on his wildly popular podcast, The Popcast with Knox and Jamie.In The Wondering Years , Knox explores this idea of connecting popular culture to his own experiences. Through hilarious yet poignant stories, he reflects on how pop culture has helped shape his life and carve out the foundation of his faith. While the three cultural tentpoles--the South, the Church, and Sports--defined many aspects of his East Tennessee upbringing, it was pop culture that most definitively influenced Knox and his sense of the world at large. Through books, television, music, and movies, Knox found many of the answers he was searching for about God and the universe and why we are all here. The Wondering Years is a hilarious look back at the key influences that shaped Knox's formative years and his faith, a reminder of our own encounters with pop culture that have shaped each of our formative years and continue to influence us today.

Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir, Audiobook, Christian, Humor, Faith, Biography Memoir

238 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 13, 2018

Reviews

[Steve · Rating 2 out of 5]

Cards on the table, I'm a fan of Knox McCoy as a blogger and a podcaster and I think that he and I would get along just swimmingly if ever we were to meet. But I'm not a huge fan of this book, a mishmash of pop culture references, Southern dude memoirs, and ankle-deep evangelical Christian philosophy that doesn't seem to serve any apparent purpose beyond scratching Knox McCoy's itch to publish something in paperback form. There are some fun observations and connections here, and that's probably all McCoy ever intended to include, and that's absolutely fine. It just doesn't feel like it's half as introspective or profound as it could have been.

[Emily (emilyreadsbooks) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to W Publishing and NetGalley for an early look at a book I've pre-ordered!

In an effort to explain to my inquisitive four-year-old why saying "God is light" doesn't mean God is, in fact, the moon, I put my English degree to good use describing how metaphors use ideas we already understand to illuminate more complicated concepts.

That's exactly what Knox McCoy does in The Wondering Years. In a voice that is humorous, heartwarming, and perceptive, Knox shares pop culture anecdotes and analogies that have helped him (and now us) make sense of life and faith. Though I've never been punched in the face (you'll understand after the first chapter) and don't consider myself any sort of pop culture maven*, Knox's stories and insights were infinitely relatable. His ability to transition from funny story to personal reflection is seamless.

Also, his footnotes are perfection.

If you you're a Popcast fan, you will love this book.
If you love Jesus and Netflix, you will love this book.
If you are a bit dubious about Christianity or have lots of questions, you will love this book.
If you've ever wondered who the seven suspected antichrists are, you will love this book.

"There's a cheesy cliche you've probably heard of: 'Not all who wander are lost.' But the truth is, not all who wonder are lost either." - Knox

*The Popcast with Knox and Jamie is the only reason I ever kind of know what I'm talking about in regards to pop culture. And a lot of times, I don't always know what they're talking about. But I still tune in every Wednesday - it's that good. Same goes with this book. I didn't always catch the references, but it didn't diminish my enjoyment one bit.

[Aimee Kollmansberger · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun + entertaining read but the essays were a bit disjointed for me. I would read several and then wonder what did I just read? The consistent footnotes are one of the humor highlights, and the last chapter is more of what I wish the whole book had been. It was in that chapter where I felt a true connection + real relatability to the author. That’s where he found his stride.

[Laura Tremaine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed these essays from my friend and fellow podcaster Knox McCoy. I laughed out loud throughout.

[Rachel | All the RAD Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was curious about this one,but honestly... I am not “pop-cultures” enough to truly appreciate the art of this one. I was pretty sheltered as a kid and was a 90s baby so most of his references and stories and analogies went straight over my head sadly. That’s not to say this wasn’t well written, funny, or worth reading— it just wasn’t one I personally could connect with! If you’re a movie buff or a little older than I am or you looooove all things pop culture and find them interesting points of references for bigger questions of humanity, life, and faith, you will LOVE this one. I’m so glad he wrote it, especially for those people, and I can’t wait to pass this on to a friend who I know loves this stuff.

Thanks for the free book, @booklookbloggers!

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Knox McCoy must be about the same age as I am, because we have almost all the same pop-culture touchstones (minus, for me, most of the sports references) although I have not kept up with his pace of pop-culture consumption. He grew up in the South so his early faith framework is familiar but certainly more rigid than what I grew up with. Nonetheless, I related strongly to his childhood perspectives. This book definitely made me laugh out loud (That dog-conversion chapter? Golden) and there were almost hints of, and I don't say this lightly, Dave Barry-level humor.

(Update: Yeah, I don't think this one is for the audience at Servants of Grace. But it is super funny for Christians who grew up in the 80's/90's and he always manages to land the plane by the end of the chapter. No matter how bizarre the story, it ends up illuminating some aspect of his faith.)

[Diane · Rating 2 out of 5]

"More than anything, God spoke to my heart and revealed that he really was fine with questions. Because at the end of the day, he knows that the answers to all the questions I’m wondering about, and have been wondering about for all these years, they’ve always led back to him. So why wouldn’t they still?"
I wanted to give this a higher rating but I just didn't love it. I appreciate McCoy's vulnerability throughout; however, a lot of the pop culture correlations just fell flat. The connection wasn't clear. His writing is strong but the stories/humor just weren't for me.

[Matt · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book frustrated me on several levels. The bad jokes I can forgive - and they weren't all bad, some really made me laugh - but the faulty theology and lazy spirituality I can't.

Most of it felt like the author was using his beliefs as an excuse to make as many pop culture references as humanly possible, not the other way around. And I wanted a book that was the other way around. Each chapter ended on a very tenuous connection to some deeper issue of faith, but always in a way that made me scratch my head and wonder why on earth he went in that direction.

There really do need to be more books for Christians who love pop culture, but not like this.

[Kaytee Cobb · Rating 4 out of 5]

Plenty of fun and laughs and cunning observations. Audiobook is totally the way to go. Had a great time listening to this on a road trip with my adult sibling and parents. We all found something to laugh at.

[Alison (The Lowrey Library) · Rating 4 out of 5]

If I could give this book one adjective it would “relatable.”

As a Southern Baptist born and raised, introvert by nature, and INTJ/Enneagram 5, I found many elements of this book to be 1) hilarious and 2) reflective of my own experiences.

I spent my childhood and adolescence on mission trips, at VBS weeks, attending Teamkid and youth group, and going to church camp (often twice) every summer. My faith life was very easy until it wasn’t, and in college when I started to experience moments of doubt and questioning, I genuinely worried that my entire relationship with God was crumbling. I had never been told that it was okay to wonder, to dive into my faith as a means of research and a method for ensuring that I believed what I did FOR A REASON, not just because my parents or youth leaders or pastors had hand-fed it to me.

Out of this confusing period came the most beautiful revelation. My faith was mine; it belonged to me, and my relationship with Christ was based on my own experiences and trust that he was the center of everything, wholly in control (as I am clearly and frustratingly not), and persistently, lovingly faithful.

All to say, reading this book felt like experiencing this moment of my life all over again. Not only was it relatable, but it was just humorous enough to add a lighthearted aspect to serious matters. The anecdotes were not only appropriate, but also enlightening. Written in a Danny Tanner narrative style (ridiculous/unexpected scenarios followed by a hit-home conclusion), each chapter made its message clear.

HIGHLY recommend.

[Jill Robinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

At first I was less than impressed. After all, I am a huge Popcast fan and it almost felt like Knox was just throwing around a ton of words and not saying much of anything. But the more I got into it, the deeper it got and Knox’s transparency is greatly appreciated. He admits what we all know about ourselves—we don’t have it all together. But God is so much bigger than that. Well done Knox!
PS: you can definitely tell this was written by an enneagram 5!

[Tyler Mills · Rating 5 out of 5]

After finishing this book, I had to step back and assess whether Knox McCoy and I are actually the same person. Was my life the plot of Mr. Robot, just with (slightly) less existential dread and more teen TV dramas? While I may never know if I've actually been a popular podcaster and talented writer my entire life, I do know that this book is simultaneously the most entertaining and thought provoking piece of literature I've read in a long time.

The Wondering Years is a refreshingly vulnerable look at the author's faith and life growing up in the South, filtered through the lens of pop culture. So much of Knox's life experience resonated with me personally, as it mirrors my childhood in many hilarious and painful ways, but this book is thoroughly enjoyable regardless of faith or background. Every chapter seamlessly ties pop culture references (If you've ever needed LOST, Zoolander, and Dumb & Dumber referenced in the same sentence, this is your book) and touchstones into Knox's own experiences and struggles, complete with entertaining footnotes that add another layer of wit and humor to an already incredibly funny book.

The simplicity of the concept allows for the exploration of some deeply profound ideas about life and faith while remaining lighthearted and self-deprecating. I especially enjoyed that Knox admittedly doesn't have all the answers. None of us do. There's a chapter on the inflated importance that we place on conclusions in TV, books, movies, and our own lives. In reality, the journey to those conclusions is why they're worth enjoying in the first place.

[MacKenzie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Listened on audio, and I literally laughed until I cried in some parts! It was all so tragically relatable, especially in regards to kids church in the 90s. I shared parts with my 12 year old son, such as Knox's commentary between his mom and God about Abraham and Isaac, and so many other parts that had us in hysterics. It was heartfelt, honest, fun, and pushed the envelope for Christian books in such an important way! Great job, Knox! (Although I do feel that I could school you on the dinosaurs!)

[Marnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars

* - Pop culture
** - "No Thanks" section in the Acknowledgements
*** - Scripts
**** - Footnotes

For the most part, I really enjoyed this book. I listen to the author's podcast (The Popcast w/ Knox & Jamie) every week, and had been looking forward to reading this book. There were a lot of footnotes with funny asides. As McCoy has a background in screen-writing, he put that skill set to use by interspersing "scenes" throughout the chapters. My one disappointment was that the connections he made between his faith journey & pop culture felt to be a bit lacking. I was expecting a stronger correlation between the two, but it seemed to be a stretch (or almost non-existent) in some chapters. Maybe this was intentional though, so that the book would be more accessible by the market(?). Overall though, I thought it was well-written, funny and entertaining.

[Stephanie (Books in the Freezer) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pop Sugar Challenge: Read a book with the word "Pop" in the title

I am a big fan of the author's podcast The Popcast with Knox and Jamie. This is a bit of a spiritual memoir with a lot of humor and pop culture. I really enjoyed it. I loved the snarkiness of many aspects of Evangelical culture and appreciated how different things in popular culture helped Knox grasp the "big picture ideas" in Christianity. This felt like grabbing coffee with a friend.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

I laughed out loud repeatedly. I think what made it extra funny to me was, as an avid listener of The Popcast, I read the whole book in Knox’s voice. I especially loved the footnotes where he inserted his snarky comments like he would in the podcast as well.

[William · Rating 5 out of 5]

A memoir laced with sarcastic pop culture references, what more could you want?

[Stacy Laue · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved this and took my time through. Full of laughs, tender hearted and convicting moments about what it is to go through life and finally feel freedom to question and wrestle with God. Felt this one deep, y’all.

[Rissie · Rating 3 out of 5]

The humor in these essays is top notch, but the message was not always clear. I would get to the end of a chapter and think ... wait, what?

But still, very funny. I would recommend this one for sure!

[Carmen Liffengren · Rating 4 out of 5]

What's my green light this week? The Wondering Years!

As a long time listener of the Popcast with Knox and Jamie, I was eager to read Knox's book, The Wondering Years. I was not disappointed by his memoir. He's equal parts humorous and introspective. The Wondering Years is about the intersection of faith and pop culture. Knox grew up Evangelical in the South. He makes a compelling case about how his touchstones for pop culture taught him nuance somehow filling in the gaps in his faith formation. Don't skip the footnotes. They are hilarious. I spent a lot of time watching the WB back in the day. So, yeah, when mentions he was also watching Dawson's Creek, I can't help laugh out loud over a footnote like this:

In a lot of ways, James van der Beek's Dawson Leery gets a bad rap. And he should. That's the end of that sentence. I acted like I was going to bring a some redemptory context to Dawson Leery that would make him seem better than he was, but I deceived you just now, cherished reader. If you are waiting for me to say nice things about the character Dawson Leery, you will be waiting for infinity.

Or this one:
A religious teenager who doesn't drink is in the same family tree as an adult vegan or Crossfitter.

The Popcast may educate on things that entertain but do not matter, but both Knox and Jamie do their homework and they know how much pop culture actually shapes our lives and helps us make sense of difficult topics. Well done, Knox!

[Zachary Houle · Rating 2 out of 5]

There has always been a book waiting to be written about God and pop culture. After all, there are areas where the sacred overlaps with the secular. Personally, I’ve always felt that if I had more of a brain for processing what pop culture means in the area of faith, I’d write a book that would at least partially answer how Kendrick Lamar can write a song about being a sinner and knowing that he’s going to sin again before asking not only for God to forgive him, but for his bitch to not get in the way of his vibe. (I guess telling his “bitch” not to kill his vibe is his sin???) This is why Knox McCoy’s The Wondering Years excited me. The promo blurb for the book intones that, yes, we can both love God and binge watch something on Netflix. The question I needed an answer to is “how?”

Well, it’s disappointing but The Wondering Years doesn’t really answer the how question. This is really one person’s memoir about growing up as an evangelical in the Southern USA. Pop culture is just a lens for Knox McCoy, said author, to view his faith. This means that there are no burning revelations about how certain artists fuse their faith with the broader world, or anything quite like that. No. Alas, we get stories about how the author got punched in the face as a kid, what that had to do with the Rocky franchise of movies, and maybe a bit of God talk. That’s it. The End. So disappointing.

Read the rest of the review here: https://medium.com/@zachary_houle/a-r...

[Marci-Beth Maple · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a huge fan of Knox McCoy and his podcast partner, Jamie, so I was inclined to enjoy this book and I was not disappointed. I found his writing structure creative, his spiritual insights authentic and honest, and there wasn't a single essay I would have left out. If you are a fan of pop culture and a fan of Jesus, this will be a treat of a read.

[Caroline · Rating 4 out of 5]

A collection of essays full of satire, laugh out loud moments, pop-cultural references, and several really solid discussions about faith intermixed. This book felt like the author talking to the reader, in a really good way. I genuinely laughed out loud at multiple points, starting from the introduction (Knox's revised introduction was hilarious!) and continuing throughout the book. I was impressed at the range of issues the author brought up within these essays (like dealing with surprise and grief during life, voicing and exploring questions about faith, the need for representation and understanding other perspectives than your own, and more).
I had several similarities with the author's background, but also a few distinct differences, yet I related to much of what he expressed, perhaps greatly due to his use of satire and ability to look at the shortcomings and idiosyncrasies of Christian culture. Fans of Jon Acuff (especially his old "Stuff Christians Like" satire material) and comedian John Crist will particularly enjoy this book.

This book is especially for those of us who grew up in the 80s and 90s -- and hopefully some of the kids from the 00s that like "retro" things. :-) Some readers outside of those oft-referenced decades might lose out on understanding a few of the analogies, but many of the good points about faith can be enjoyed by most readers.

Yes to the references to Boy Meets World, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, A Different World, Family Matters, and more. I'm pretty sure the author and I are very close to the same age ... but where was a Gilmore Girls reference, Knox? :-)
Chapters 13, 17, and 18 were my very favorites. Make sure to read every footnote! So good and much of my laughter burst from those footnotes.


Some of my favorite quotes:
"So reading a passage like this made me flinch. Why would God want to do me like that? But then I realized not everyone reads this passage the same way. What if I'd had a truly awful dad? Like prodigiously monstrous? What if my dad had split when I was young? What if he tormented me emotionally or physically? Then this verse wouldn't be callous; it would be liberation. I'd never even considered that because I'd never had to consider anything beyond my experience. Which is why representation matters. When the only reality we are forced to consider is the same color and belief system as our own, it narrows our lenses and funnels us more deeply into ourselves and more superficially into the reality of everyone else who hasn't experienced the same lives we have." - Chapter 13
-"The brutal reality I arrived at during all this was that my faith wasn't a faith; it was a curated worldview with a thin glaze of Christianity and a beaucoup of other priorities and qualities I wanted to be aligned with." - Chapter 18
-"...but I've had my fill of telling people the particulars of what they should think just because it's what I happened to think." - Chapter 18 (*as well as a big section on the next page)

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am a huge fan of The Popcast podcast and I've had Knox's books on my TBR list for a while. The Wondering Years was a collection of essays that looked at life and faith through a lens of pop culture. It was humorous and witty, and I really enjoyed listening!

The past few years I have been on a faith journey myself and The Popcast and their other podcast, The Bible Binge, have been great sources of inspiration to me. They have taught me that it's okay to wrestle with what you believe, and it's okay to disagree with certain Christian norms (ex: alcohol, women in the church, etc...). The Wondering Years was a taste of Knox's personal journey. He describes how his faith was shaped and then transformed. He weaves it all together with funny pop culture anecdotes. I do wish it would have gone a little deeper into how he went through the practical steps that he took to re-examine his faith, but this book seems more like a fun, lighthearted way of introducing the subject.

If you are interested in a 5 hour Popcast/The Bible Binge episode (minus one Jamie B. Golden), check out this book. It is a funny, insightful, and grace filled collection of essays that scratch the surface of what it means to wrestle with your faith.

[Laney · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book made me laugh out loud a lot of times. I listened to it and the author reads it and his voice and inflections were especially fantastic. I was listening to it on headphones while vacuuming the inside of my car at one point, just freaking DY-ing laughing. Good times.

I found his ponderings on Christianity really interesting. So much of his Evangelical church upbringing felt very similar to my Mormon upbringing, and it was fun to compare. His teenage missionary attempts were so good/bad/funny.

My only negative commentary on this book is that it jumps all over the place. He'd be in the middle of one story and jump to another anecdote and then to another. But they were all funny anecdotes, so it was okay. But sometimes I felt confused and like "How did we get here?" and "Hey, I wanted him to finish that other thought." And he talked so much about his doubts and questions related to Christianity, but then only a tiny bit of time at the very end as to where he netted out. I wanted more info on if he was still in his church, what conclusions he had come to on all those questions, etc.

[mylifewellread · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was just an easy little read full of reflections about growing up as a Christian in the 80s'90's and how to reconcile that version of faith with faith as an adult...also including unending pop culture references, which sometimes made me laugh and sometimes just annoyed me- like, ok, get on with the point- ha. There were a few real gems that I highlighted. Here is one: "When the only reality we are forced to consider is the same color and belief system as our own, it narrows our lenses and funnels us more deeply into ourselves and more superficially into the reality of everyone else who hasn't experienced the same lives we have." Not that this is a revolutionary thought, but just a great point to remember, especially in times like now, where we are all quite polarized, largely due to our experience online- through social media algorithms and such. It was really refreshing to read so many similar (to my own) reconsiderations of the faith i grew up with!

[Nicki · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was different than I expected, but I went into it without knowing anything about the author. He is entertaining and funny. Sometimes he tries a little too hard, but that’s forgivable. His humor and story-telling remind me of a couple close people in my life, which is probably why I was drawn in. We also have a lot in common. He asserts some interesting conclusions about Christianity that seem to be based solely on his experiences. Maybe he has scriptural support, but if he does, he didn’t share or explain. I disagree with some of these conclusions, but I think that’s what made this a good book- I was forced to wrestle with hard questions that he was vulnerable enough to share. I’m surprised by how much I enjoyed this book.

[Julie Harris · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love The Popcast and often laugh way too hard and inappropriately loud while listening, so I was pumped to read this book. I love how Knox weaved parts of his life and faith together. This book was a bit hard to read with all the footnotes (and while they were wildly funny) seemed a bit distracting at points. Because I’m a 90’s kid, it was also a bit hard to follow his pop culture references as well. Overall, I enjoyed reading about the life of a podcaster that questions his faith, many things the church/Christians do and how pop culture can intersect with our faith.

[Lauren Askins · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed Knox's book! I'm a semi-regular listener to his podcast; I'm sure I would've enjoyed it somewhat more if I was a regular listener, but I still found it to be a delightful read. I really appreciated how open Knox was about his journey through faith and as a fellow VBS "victim" I found his chapter on VBS to be 100% relatable and hilarious. As a whole this book was funny, honest, and completely entertaining.

[Cheree Moore · Rating 5 out of 5]

I came across this book via his hilarious podcast, The Bible Binge (he also hosts The Popcast). Knox McCoy’s book “The Wondering Years” is truly funny. Like in an Erma Bombeck kind of way, but with a focus on growing up in a conservative Christian family in the South. He doesn’t put anyone down but was really relatable in this personal memoir of growing up and coming to his own faith. Definitely worth a read if you grew up in the 80s/90s.