Do you think sex only shapes our lives in the bedroom? Think again.Your breakfast cereal. Your neighborhood's crime rate. Even your Amazon Prime account. Believe it or not, nearly every aspect of modern life has been shaped in some way by sex. In this fascinating journey through the human psyche, journalist Ross Benes digs deep into the hidden relationship between everyday human existence—including religion, politics, technology, and more—and our sexuality....

From pro wrestling and Pokémon to Insane Clown Posse and Jerry Springer, this look at the low culture of the late ’90s reveals its profound impact and how it continues to affect our culture and society today."If you had a subscription to Spin or Rolling Stone as a kid in the 90s, this one is a must-read."—Chicago Book ReviewThe year 1999 was a high-water mark for popular culture. According to one ...

After Ross Benes left Nebraska for New York, he witnessed his polite home state become synonymous with “Trump country.” Long dismissed as “flyover” land, the area where he was born and raised suddenly became the subject of TV features and frequent opinion columns. With the rural-urban divide overtaking the national conversation, Benes knew what he had to do: go home.In Rural Rebellion, Benes explores Nebraska’s shifting political landscape to better understand what’s plagu...

A gripping exploration of the relationship between sex and our society, with a foreword by bestselling author A.J. JacobsWhy do political leaders become entangled in so many sex scandals? How did the U.S. military inadvertently help make San Francisco a mecca of gay culture? And what was the original purpose of vibrators? Find out the answers to all these questions and more as journalist Ross Benes delves into the complicated relationship between everyday human lif...

From pro wrestling and Pokémon to Vince McMahon and Jerry Springer, this look at the low culture of the late '90s reveals its profound impact and how it continues to affect our culture and society today.According to Benes, there are many lessons to learn from the year that low culture conquered the world. Talk shows and reality TV foreshadowed the way political movements grab power by capturing our attention. Pro wrestling mastered the art of "kayfabe"—the agreemen...

A gripping exploration of the relationship between sex and our society, with a foreword by bestselling author A. J. JacobsWhy do political leaders become entangled in so many sex scandals? How did the U.S. military inadvertently help make San Francisco a mecca of gay culture? And what was the original purpose of vibrators? Find out the answers to all these questions and more as journalist Ross Benes delves into the complicated relationship between everyday human li...

**An instant New York Times bestseller!“Informative, endlessly entertaining.”—BuzzFeed“Generation X’s definitive chronicler of culture.”—GQFrom the author of But What If We’re Wrong comes an insightful, funny reckoning with a pivotal decade**It was long ago, but not as long as it seems: The Berlin Wall fell and the Twin Towers collapsed. In between, one presidential election was allegedly decided by Ross Perot while anothe...

From the author of the #1 New York Times bestseller So You Want to Talk About Race, an “illuminating” (New York Times Book Review) history of white male identity.What happens to a country that tells generation after generation of white men that they deserve power? What happens when success is defined by status over women and people of color, instead of by actual accomplishments?Through the last 150 years of American history -- fro...

From New York Times bestselling author of Lead From The Outside and political leader Stacey Abrams, a blueprint to end voter suppression, empower our citizens, and take back our country."With each page, she inspires and empowers us to create systems that reflect a world in which all voices are heard and all people believe and feel that they matter." **—**Kerry WashingtonA recognized expert on fair voting a...

**A New York Times Book Review Editors’ Choice · A Washington Post Notable Nonfiction Book of 2025 · A People Best Book of November 2025 · An NPR Most Anticipated Book of Fall 2025A revealing exploration of a quarter century of cultural stagnation, examining the commercial and technological forces that have come to dominate contemporary culture—from music and fashion to art, film, TV, and beyond**Over the past twenty-five years, pop culture has su...

The New York Times bestsellerWinner of the Eugene V. Debs AwardNamed the Best Political Book of the Year by The New York TimesWith a New Afterword by the AuthorHailed as "dazzlingly insightful and wonderfully sardonic" (Chicago Tribune), "very funny and very painful" (San Francisco Chronicle), and "in a different league from most political books" (The New ...

"Vitally important, devastatingly thorough, and shockingly revealing…. After reading Primetime Propaganda, you'll never watch TV the same way again."—Mark LevinMovie critic Michael Medved calls Ben Shapiro, "One of our most refreshing and insightful voices on the popular culture, as well as a conscience for his much-maligned generation." With Primetime Propaganda, the syndicated columnist and bestselling author of Brainwashed, Porn Generation, and ...