The Wondering Years

How Pop Culture Helped Me Answer Life’s Biggest Questions

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Pub Date 13 Nov 2018 | Archive Date 11 Jul 2020

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Description

Yes, you can love God and binge Netflix!

Podcaster Knox McCoy, co-host of The Popcast with Knox and Jamie, tells hilarious stories about how pop culture helped him answer life’s biggest questions in his debut book, The Wondering Years. Through books, television, music and movies, Knox found many of the answers he was searching for about God and why we’re all here.

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 or make scientific breakthroughs, but it does play a vital role in the story of humanity.

From the first time he was punched in the face to saving dog souls as a canine evangelist, Knox 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 influenced Knox and his sense of the world at large. 

Yes, you can love God and binge Netflix!

Podcaster Knox McCoy, co-host of The Popcast with Knox and Jamie, tells hilarious stories about how pop culture helped him answer life’s biggest questions in...


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EDITION Other Format
ISBN 9780785220848
PRICE $16.99 (USD)
PAGES 224

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Featured Reviews

Every so often, a book comes along that, when you finish the last page, you look back and realize, “I needed this book in my life at this moment.” For me, The Wondering Years was one of those books.
The Wondering Years is a heart-felt account of the author’s faith journey and love of pop-culture. Knox McCoy does a fantastic job of being vulnerable with questions of faith he has been, and continues to be, wrestling with. At the same time, he folds in hilarious anecdotes and illustrations of how pop-culture has helped him put words to or illustrate these wrestlings.
At the beginning of some chapters, I seriously questioned how he was going to tie in a pop-culture reference to his Christian faith, but every time (and I am serious here, EVERY. TIME.) I ended the chapter nodding, saying “Ooooohhhhh...that makes sense,” under my breath, or with tears in my eyes.
There are 3 reasons this book resonated with me:
1. The subject of “faith crisis” has come up in multiple conversations over the time of reading this book, and many of the chapters were a punch to the gut (in a good way).
2. Over the course of reading this book, sermons and other books I have been reading ended up reminding me of sections of Knox’s book (specifically Ch. 12 Knox McCoy, Evangelist to That Kid I Met on a Mission Trip) and great discussions ensued.
3. I grew up in the same decades as Knox, and often found myself delighting in the pop-culture references (except for Ch. 4 Knox McCoy, Canine Evangelist, because no one needs to be reminded about All Dogs Go to Heaven and how soul-crushing that movie was for my 9 year old self).
In regards to number 3, I am going to be honest: if you have little to no knowledge of pop-culture, this book may not be for you, as the references will probably not make any sense at all.
However, if you have somewhat of a handle on pop-culture, have questions about God and Christianity, love Jesus but have questions, and/or like really, really good writing, I cannot recommend this book enough.

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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 both 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

Can't wait to get my physical copy!

*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.

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