Genres

Subculture

Lists

Between a Heart and a Rock Place by Pat Benatar

The Secret Life of a Weight-Obsessed Woman by Iris Ruth Pastor

The Girl with the Black and Blue Doll by Linda Summersea

Alternative Press Featured These Books

51 books — 4 voters

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey

The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test by Tom Wolfe

The Counter-Culture of the 1960s (fiction and nonfiction)

440 books — 194 voters

Who Hears Here? by Guthrie P. Ramsey Jr.

Last Train to Memphis by Peter Guralnick

Books on music

285 books — 20 voters

Where Are Your Boys Tonight? by Chris Payne

emo subculture + history (non-fiction)

4 books — 1 voter

What We Left on Stage by Valerie Hernandez

High Fidelity by Nick Hornby by Nick Hornby

Daisy Jones and The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid

A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan by Jennifer Egan

Best Fiction About Music, Gigs, and Subculture

14 books — 2 voters

The Art of Invisibility by Kevin D. Mitnick

Steal This Computer Book 4.0 by Wallace Wang

What is hacker culture?

12 books — 1 voter

Featured News & Interviews

It’s Literally Summer! 93 Topical Titles for Your Seasonal Reading List.

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“ There exists a culture shared even by those who are dissatisfied with mass culture, and it is among the most dangerous precisely because it is dazzling—deceptive. It is a culture that belongs to those who are "dissatisfied with the world as it is." This manifests in the following ways: They still carry a certain belief and hope in humanity. If they suffer, they might dream that their suffering will one day “be heard by everyone.” Through their works, they may fantasize about becoming popular. Th There exists a culture shared even by those who are dissatisfied with mass culture, and it is among the most dangerous precisely because it is dazzling—deceptive. It is a culture that belongs to those who are "dissatisfied with the world as it is." This manifests in the following ways: They still carry a certain belief and hope in humanity. If they suffer, they might dream that their suffering will one day “be heard by everyone.” Through their works, they may fantasize about becoming popular. They might romanticize the psychiatric term "trauma." They might aim to "fix and recover" things or people. They might set their minds on leaving a "meaningful impact" and become activists. They might frequently “discuss” on philosophy forums. They might be aiming at “dark vibes.” They might cling to mottos like “forever alone.” They might refer to themselves as "just a random book lover.” They might have interests in “just some random weird stuff.” They might still be screaming into the void. They might try to “prove their depth” publicly. They might refer to themselves as "lost souls" to the point of weariness, even internalizing this very term—coined by the system to reduce by classifying them—implying a form of domesticated rebellion. And so on. These supposed outsiders are actually on the inside, worshipping at the altar of visibility, validation, and vague worldly hope. Their beliefs—“art-as-cure,” “literature-as-refuge,” “activism-as-purpose”—are not radical to the point of exile but packaged and predictable. They don't reject the system; they only ask to be understood within its boundaries. They weep, but with an eye to applause. They write, but always with a publisher in mind. They compose, but just to make money. They mourn, but only to be noticed. They claim detachment, but still speak as if begging to be liked and heard. They imagine themselves as “wild,” but only within the categories that subcultures and language allow. After all, there are two ends to the ruins: on one end, these kinds of “loners” who are still tied to conventional wisdom; and on the other, the utterly unknown, mystic, cosmic, and free spirits who have transcended everything human. ...more ”
― Sov8840

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“ My biker and these tramps, as people who organize their life around some subculture or other: People can sometimes pretend so thoroughly that they forget they are pretending. At which point, it could even be said that they are no longer pretending. ”
― Rachel Kushner, Creation Lake

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