The Nineties: A Book Paperback – January 31, 2023

This was a book I never thought I would make it around to reading. Born in the Mid-80s, I couldn't really discern the 90s from my later teenage years. However, the author does a great job of covering every possible topic (from music, to politics, to even a section on clear beverages).Highly recommended for anyone who grew up in the 90s. It was an entertaining way to take a walk down memory lane.

I am a year older than Klosterman so probably shared an almost identical experience of the Nineties as he did, and this is a tremendously interesting book. Klosterman does a wonderful job describing not just WHAT happened (that would be boring), but provided context for the SIGNIFICANCE of what happened, particularly under the lens of 30 years of retroactive perspective. This is the best 4-star rating I have ever given a book, in that it really is deserving of 5 stars short of a few drawbacks:1. At times, Klosterman's writing was brilliant; at others, he spoke in such terms so abstract that I had no idea what he meant. Examples of the latter include his description of the TV series ER as "either the place you were going to leave or the place you ended up" or his characterization of Bill Clinton's reputation such that "conflict over who he was did not emerge over time. It was always there, before anything else." WHAT?!2. He overcites certain sources such as "The Village Voice," which has its political leanings and thus colors the analysis of the events of discussion.3. He seems to put too much of an emphasis on certain events, not quite knowing when to end it, which seem to cross into repetitiveness.Despite these downfalls, this book is exceptionally interesting and gave me a chance to reflect on my own recollections and experiences of this formative decade of my own life.I am now anxiously awaiting his book on the 2000s. (Hint, hint Klosterman!)

A really enjoyable read with a lot of interesting and insightful takes on the decade.

Love this book! I lived it. I'm gen-X and it's all there. It doesn't trivialize everything in catch phrases like "cool beans," and so forth... I mean, who would say that? ANywho, I'm really enjoying the dissection. The author doesn't dumb-down a thing, it's certainly thought provoking. Things I forgot about, like the importance of area codes, for one. And what a total bummer it was when artists "sold-out!" That was the worst thing ever. I think anyone, of any generation, with even a modicum curiosity of how things really were in the 90's, would find this book fascinating. I personally think Chuck Klosterman says it best in this book. I gotta read his other stuff now ...

I read this book for my book club and anticipated enjoying it as I was middle aged during this era. I found the prose often wordy and difficult to read. I'm no stranger to books and reading and consider my vocabulary to be above average. That being said, it seemed like this author pulled out every pretentious word he could find, perhaps in an effort to make his assertions seem more authoritative. It turned me off. I ended up missing our club meeting that month, but when I queried other members, I got a mixed review - many tepid like my own opinion. He does cover many familiar landmarks of the 90's as you would expect. I just wish it had been more fun and less deep into the psychology of the times especially given his overall less then engaging writing style.

I found thisbook pretty engaging. I'd read Klosterman's first couple of books, and also foundthem.engaging. It's been a while though, and he has grown up a bit (especially as a writer) since then.This book seemed pretty academic Iin places, especially due to the language he employs. But his vocabulary is pretty precise and on point. I appreciated it. I even envied it at times.This book appealed to me, as I was a teenager of the 90's. I recalled most of what is covered in this book, even if I wasn't quite aware of the scope of all of it at the time. He did a good job of refreshing my memory, and bringing me back to date on the most salient points.This made me want to go back and read more of Chuck's work.Of course he didn't cover every important event or scene from the 90's. He even admits that he was more rock-centric, and Caucasian-centric, in his covering of 90's music. But, hey, write what you know, I suppose. Still overall, a good, informative read.

I have read all of Klosterman's books, and consider him to be the most entertaining chronicler of Gen X culture and attitudes. When I purchased The Nineties I was concerned it would be nostalgia, but given the author I bought it anyway. But it's not nostalgia, it's a legit fun read about what it was like living through the 90's, without any pretense of saying the times were better or worse than the present. It's probably my favorite Klosterman book in a long time and I devoured it.The author bookends the decade with the arrival of grunge music via Nirvana's release of "Nevermind" and the 9/11 terrorist attack. In between, he covers culture, politics, and the most newsworthy events from the era. His coverage of postmodernism and neoliberalism is mature. I found his comments on the way TV impacted American way of life to be particularly interesting - especially when discussing Ross Perot, the OJ trial, "must-see TV", the Clinton administration - if there is one recurring theme here it is the way TV media dominated American behavior at the dawn of the internet age.If you are from Chuck's generation and lived as a young adult during this decade, you will love this book. If you are a young adult now and interested in what it was like when your parents were young adults - when the internet wasn't everywhere, and before tragedies like Columbine and 9/11 transformed American political and cultural identity - this book will fascinate you.

Klosterman's book is by no means a play-by-play, nor is it a sentimental recounting of the decade, all of which I was expecting. What it is is a treatise on perspective viewed through the events of that decade. The perspective of the media, people and himself. It doesn't question the facts, but rather how they are reviewed, recounted and perceived. It is a somewhat subjective viewpoint, not easily supported by fact, but it asks questions. I found my urge to question his assertions quickly overcome by an urge to question my own memories, and how I process information, even cold, hard facts. It was an enriching, thought - provoking experience.

A great book by a great author. I really like the guys style and think he's got an original voice worth listening to. It probably helps that I was born in 1982 and that the 90s were my 'glory years'!!A fun book.

Great book!

JUST AWFUL.... BORING AND NOT WELL WRITTEN

This was a great book if you wanna relive or live through the 1990s for the first-time.Chuck details the pop culture and politics of the '90s in a way that places you back in time. This book is always interesting and has considered perspective.I listened to a lot of this book on Audible and read the last few chapters on Kindle.Would recommend.