The Big Book of Pop Culture

by Hal Niedzviecki
Reviewed by Morgan Dick
Published by Annick Press

The Big Book of Pop Culture is a guide perfectly designed for ambitious young artists striving to burst out onto the literary, film, and/or music scenes. In this day and age, young people have the power to create just about anything-even if their bank account doesn't quite rival that of J.K. Rowling's-and this book gives the advice necessary to get those creations seen.

Now, you may be wondering, what is pop culture? Niedzviecki goes to great lengths to define the concept in question. It turns out that pop culture is the elite writing, movies, and music that everyone wants to get their hands on, usually decided and distributed by the businessmen of large corporations. Although the explanation does drone on a bit, The Big Book gives you a good understanding of not only the concept and who creates it, but also how to crack the system and get your own work out there.

After explaining the pop culture machine, Niedzviecki goes on to describe some ways to create do-it-yourself pop culture, including self-publishing formats such as zines and comics, low-budget films and TV shows, and even pirate radio stations. In a friendly voice, he explains the equipment, time, and resources needed to complete all of these projects.

To top it off, The Big Book also sports some awesome graphics, funny comic illustrations, and interviews with established artists. These features keep you captivated when the pop culture explanation and discussion falters into tedious territory.

I would recommend this book to any teen that feels an undying urge to create. Who knows-you could be the next Cameron Crowe or George Lucas. And even if you don't quite make it there, you'll have a good time trying.

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