Don't let the name throw you, Sex, Drugs and Cocoa Puffs by Chuck Klosterman is not a raunchy account of smoking and eating cereal. Well, not completely.

Klosterman's book is a compilation of essay-like chapters that focus on different pop-culture phenomena. The pop culture references range from music to movies to sports. The revelations Klosterman makes are truly eye-opening. I guarantee you that if you read this book, you will get smarter about the American media culture around you.

Klosterman is cynical, geeky and extremely witty. He has his own style, if that's what you can call it, because the book is not written like any other narrative. He tells you what he thinks, the conclusions he makes on popular culture and the logic behind his reasoning. Did I mention he was uber-smart? When you are reading you feel like he is actually in front of you ranting about how every person in the nation can be characterized as either a "Lakers" person or a "Celtics" person. I know you want to find out which one you are ...

Sometimes the book can be hard to read, especially if you are not a pop culture fact freak, or watch bad TV sitcom shows hours on end (which I don't think will be a problem with most teens). So if you don't know who or what he is talking about in a chapter, you're lost. But luckily the book is designed in a way that makes it OK to skip a chapter.

Klosterman tells us about pop culture, but he tells us in a way that says, "Hey I'm a part of it too!" I think this is one of the greatest parts of the book. He includes himself because he is a firsthand witness to growing up and living submerged in a nation obsessed with pop culture. So the book does talk about sex, drugs and Cocoa Puffs, but its so much more than meets the eye. Don't judge this book by its cover.

Jahla Seppanen is a senior at Monte del Sol. You can reach her at jnm747@hotmail.