Wondering or Wandering?

Pop culture is here to stay. It seems like more and more people are enamored with what is going on in pop culture than ever before. Celebrities are created solely based upon the videos on the Internet and we give television shows to people who are completely out of touch with reality. It seems that I no longer resonate with much of what is deemed popular in this culture, but I do know that there are shows from my childhood that have stuck with me. I am not sure if it is nostalgia or a fear of getting older, but it seems as if I find myself dreaming of the shows of old. Regardless of whether or not there will ever be more produced like them, they have stuck with me. I am convinced that I am not alone and Knox McCoy’s new book, The Wondering Years, tells me that.

The Wondering Years Book

There will be those that find it hard to find the redeeming qualities in pop culture (and it often is), but they do serve a purpose. Whether we want to admit it or not, this culture impacts our view of God and how we answer the questions of life. Sometimes it helps, but often it leads to more confusion. As you read through The Wondering Years you journey through what it was like to process a Christian worldview alongside the most popular shows of the 80’s and 90’s. You can tell that McCoy does not consider his faithless despite the fact that it often left him wondering, but never wandering too far.

Every page is chock full of references that may make it difficult for someone outside of America or a specific generation to grasp. But if you’re in that generation, it is easy to correlate the references to pop culture and you may even give more thought to your own memories. At least, that is what I did. I found myself recognizing how culture sometimes left me with an outlook on life that was different than what my church taught me.

In my opinion, people will either love the book or hate it. They will either grasp the references or struggle through them and be perplexed. There will also be those that are offended by some of the stories and thoughts, but this is not billed as a theology book. It should be considered more of a memoir of sorts. I do not think Knox would want us to classify his writing or podcast as a theology work, but instead someone wrestling through what it means to walk out a life of following Christ.

The Wondering Years Official Book 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. 

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I received The Wondering Years for free in exchange for an unbiased review.