Best of 2019: The best pop culture books of the year

2019 was an incredible year for pop culture titles filling up the shelves of your favourite bookstore. From long-awaited autobiographies by Elton John and Flea to deluxe coffee-table deep-dives into the likes of Batman, Spider-Man, and Rush, so many great titles were released this past year that we’re still playing catch-up a few weeks into 2020.

Below you’ll find our favourite pop culture releases from 2019, in no particular order. From touching memoirs to a massive 18-pound collection of horror makeup legend Rick Baker’s work, there is likely something for everyone on this list. There are many more we could have included, but this year’s edition is already much larger than anything we’ve compiled since we started this annual wrap-up, which speaks to the sheer amount of great titles that came out over the past 12 months. What were your favourite releases of 2019? What’s on your reading list for this year? Let us know in the comments below!

Dear Girls: Intimate Tales, Untold Secrets & Advice for Living Your Best Life – Ali Wong
Comedian Ali Wong pens a series of essays to her two young daughters (as seen in the two standup specials she filmed while pregnant) in Dear Girls, a hilarious and brutally open account of Wong’s life and career. Wong’s no-holds-barred humour guides this incredibly funny collection, which also shines a light on the enormous hard work and sacrifices it took to get to where she is today. You’ll learn a whole lot about her love life, about how she eventually met and connected with her husband (who pens a chapter here as well), and the challenges of being a working stand-up comic and mother. If you’re a fan of Wong’s specials, this one is a no-brainer. (Random House)

Me – Elton John
Elton John finally delivers his long-awaited autobiography, just in time for his final world tour and the release of the recent Rocketman biopic based on his life and career. Written in a conversational style, John somehow remains self-effacing even while readily acknowledging the rarefied upper-crust bubble he lives in due to his massive wealth and popularity. From his working-class background to becoming one of the most celebrated rock stars of all time (not to mention his knighthood), John has lived an incredible life, though not without its pitfalls, from numerous failed relationships to crippling addictions. Though it all, John’s prose is open and introspective and often wickedly funny, taking in all the highs and lows as part and parcel of his incredibly unlikely success story. (Henry Holt and Co.)

Go Ahead in the Rain: Notes to A Tribe Called Quest – Hanif Abdurraqib
As its title suggests, Hanif Abdurraqib’s latest is made up of a series of messages to the seminal hip hop group A Tribe Called Quest that reflects Abdurraqib’s love for the group and his pain at the passing of member Phife Dawg (Malik Izaak Taylor) in 2016. Go Ahead in the Rain follows two tracks; through a series of essays, Abdurraqib moves through the history and massive influence of the group, while delving into Tribe’s impact on his life and the greater cultural and musical significance of one of the most beloved hip hop acts of all time. It’s an incredibly effective approach that has a deep emotional impact; at one point Abdurraqib pens a note to the group following Phife’s death, touching on how it’s affected his life while worrying about the impact on the rest of the group given their long history and sometimes contentious relationship. A must-read for Tribe fans, Go Ahead in the Rain is also a love letter to the music of our youth, and how our relationship with those musicians can become such a vital part of ourselves as we move through life. (University of Texas Press)

Rush: Wandering the Face of the Earth: The Official Touring History – Skip Daly and Eric Hansen
Rush was always known as one of the greatest live rock bands in the world, and that legacy finally gets its proper due in this mammoth new gigography. Every Rush concert ever has been meticulously compiled here, with notes from the show, the complete setlists, notable debuts or events, and much more. There are gorgeously rendered full-color photos throughout, along with an introduction by Primus’ Les Claypool and an afterward by Stewart Copland of The Police, that place Rush’s incredible impact in context. This is a must-have for any Rush fan, and a bittersweet tribute to the legacy of drummer Neil Peart, who passed away just a few months after its release. Cue up 2112, crack open a cold Molson and get ready to journey back through Rush’s nearly five decades of crisscrossing the globe. (Insight Editions)

Batman: The Definitive History of the Dark Knight in Comics, Film, and Beyond – Andrew Farago and Gina McIntyre
Batman’s decades-long influence in pop culture gets the deluxe treatment in this hefty new coffee-table book. Taking a chronological approach, Andrew Farago and Gina McIntyre follow The Caped Crusader from his first appearance in Detective Comics in 1939 through to the influential camp TV show in the 60s, Tim Burton’s iconic 1989 film, the Christopher Nolan trilogy, and much, much more. Browsing through this book is like looking through a veritable treasure chest of Batman paraphernalia; there are fold-out scripts, diagrams, a reproduction of the first Batman story in Detective Comics, and much more. Whether you’ve come to Batman via the recent films or you bought The Killing Joke the day it hit shelves, there’s something for every stripe of Batman fan in this comprehensive and meticulously put together book. (Insight Editions)

Marvel’s Spider-Man: From Amazing to Spectacular: The Definitive Comic Art Collection – Matt Singer
With all the film adaptations, toys, and the incredible recent video game, you may be forgiven for forgetting that Spider-Man is first and foremost a comic character, with a deep legacy dating back over 50 years. Matt Singer’s loving history of the Spider-Man comics traces the character over the decades, with tons of cover art and comic panels that look stupendous given this book’s massive size. Set up in chronological order, this makes a great overview for new fans, while longtime Spidey obsessives will be able to relive their favourite eras and storylines, from the industry-shaking arrival of artist Todd McFarlane in the 90s to the infamous clone saga, the most contentious Spider-Man story of all time. A must-have for all the webhead devotees and true believers out there. (Insight Editions)

Janis: Her Life and Music – Holly George-Warren
Janis Joplin accomplished so much in her short time here. Her bluesy howl and intense stage show set a new template for rock n’ roll singers, while her up-front fluid sexuality and take-no-prisoners attitude helped blow open the restrictive norms for women performers in the 60s. Holly George Warren’s deeply researched biography gets deep into Joplin’s rebellious early life in Texas, her innumerable relationships, her all-too-brief career, and her struggle with her various addictions, which ultimately took her life at only 27-years-old. Joplin’s music is still revered decades after her death, and this biography shows just how much work, pain and inspiration made up those classic albums and performances. Janis is a remarkable look at a legendary musician and a great case study of the times, music, and attitudes that helped shape her. (Simon & Schuster)

Baby, Don’t Hurt Me: Stories and Scars from Saturday Night Live – Chris Kattan
Chris Kattan rarely gets his due for helming some of the most memorable Saturday Night Live characters of the 90s, from Mango and Mr. Peepers to his role as one-half of the douchey head shakers (with Will Ferrell) in The Roxbury Guys sketches. His elastic face and physical comedy helped land him starring roles in films like A Night at the Roxbury and Corky Romano, but Kattan seemed to mostly fade from public view after he left SNL in 2006. In his new autobiography, Kattan recounts the highs and lows of his time at SNL, from coming up with demented characters, working with the cast, his complicated relationship with Lorne Michaels, and the on-air injury that changed his life when he broke his neck during an episode of SNL. There have been a number of books and documentaries (and countless podcasts) devoted to SNL over the years, but Kattan’s story is a unique look at his time on the show and the myriad ways it affected his life during his time there and in the decades since. (BenBella Books)

Horror Stories – Liz Phair
Liz Phair has never been one to play to expectations, from her groundbreakingly intimate debut Exile in Guyville to her embrace of pop conventions on her 2003 self-titled album. Phair’s Horror Stories takes a similarly unexpected approach to memoir — instead of a chronological account of her life and career, Horror Stories is just that — a series of essays detailing moments from her life that still haunt her to this day. Taken together, they help illuminate Phair’s fears and anxieties, along with her strong-willed dedication to persevere. There are stories of infidelity and the difficulties of raising children, alongside fleeting moments from her past that continue to gnaw at her today. Phair also brings us behind the curtain of her life as a musician and celebrity, from being recognized mid-childbirth to reckoning with Ryan Adams’ abuse allegations following their recent collaboration. Horror Stories is a confessional and ultimately uplifting look at Phair’s life — it shows that she still has the power to shock and delight in the same way she did when she stormed the scene in the 90s. (Random House)

Acid for the Children: A Memoir – Flea
Flea’s story is one of perseverance, incredible talent, and more than a bit of blind luck. The iconic and inimitable bassist for the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Flea’s autobiography is a wild ride through the early years of his life, from Australia to New York to his time as a drug-addled musician in L.A. Told in short bite-size chapters, Flea’s storytelling is as distinct and unexpected as his bass playing; some passages are poetic and nearly mystical (especially when describing the influence of drugs like LSD), while others are straight-forward and often brutally direct. From a jazz-loving teen who abhorred rock music to a street punk drug addict who developed an elaborate scheme to score free needles to shoot up with (broken down here in a handy how-to guide), Flea’s journey through the underbelly of L.A. is never glamorized; some of these stories are genuinely terrifying, and his recollections are all balanced with a near-reverence for the fact that he survived at all. Many were not so lucky, including early Chili Peppers guitarist Hillel Slovak, who died from a drug overdose in 1988. Flea’s regrets over Hillel’s death make up some of the most heart-wrenching passages of the book, which also delves into his “complicated” 40+ year relationship with Chili Peppers frontman Anthony Kiedis. While there is a great deal of darkness here, it’s tempered with some hilarious anecdotes and a sheer, overwhelming love of music that feels like Flea jumping right off the page and onto your turntable to queue up a classic Black Flag track or a cosmic free jazz record. (Grand Central Publishing)

High School – Sara Quin and Tegan Quin
Tegan and Sara revisit their turbulent high school years in this moving joint memoir that wraps up where most band biographies start. High School details the very beginnings of the twins’ songwriting and the friends, family and relationships that inspired their raw earliest material, including coming out as gay in a time and place much less open-minded than today. Yet despite all the drama and heartache, High School is an inspiring story, not only for those looking to pursue music as a career but for anyone struggling with their sexuality in their teenage years. By focusing on this early formative era in their lives, Tegan and Sara have upended the traditional rock memoir and crafted a revealing and refreshingly honest look at the two young women who would go onto to inspire countless others in their footsteps. (Simon & Schuster)

More Fun in the New World: The Unmaking and Legacy of L.A. Punk – John Doe and Tom DeSavia and Friends
While the initial L.A. punk explosion in the 70s has been well-documented in books and film, the scene that evolved from that first-wave crop of bands has often been discounted as the 80s “sell-out” phase. Some bands achieved mainstream success (The Go-Gos), while many others changed their more abrasive sound to roots-rock or full-on pop. X’s John Doe and writer Tom DeSavia tackle this misunderstood era of the L.A. scene in this sequel to 2016’s Under the Big Black Sun, which also follows the same format, with band members, journalists, and various scene participants each writing their own chapter of the book. The anthology set-up really helps provide a wide view of the scene that encompassed killer bands like X, The Blasters, Los Lobos, any many more. We spoke with John Doe about how Under the Big Black Sun came together, the 40th anniversary of X, and much more; you can read the complete interview here. (Da Capo Press)

The Girl in the Back: A Female Drummer’s Life with Bowie, Blondie, and the ’70s Rock Scene – Laura Davis-Chanin
The 70s New York City rock scene has been well-examined over the years, yet a number of smaller and vital bands have somehow remained out of the spotlight, including the Student Teachers. In this revealing memoir, Student Teachers drummer Laura Davis-Chanin delves into her time in the band, which she joined when she was still a teenager. The Student Teachers quickly made a name for themselves at clubs like CBGB and Max’s Kansas City, drawing the attention of acts like Blondie and even David Bowie, both of which would have a deep impact on Davis-Chanin’s life and career. She began dating Blondie’s Jimmy Destri, which brought her into the orbit of big-name rock stars and all the trappings that came along with that in the era, including rampant drug use. The Girl in the Back chronicles her difficult relationship with Jimmy Destri, who eventually became violent as he became immersed in drugs, the feeling of being caught up in the midst of the exploding scene in NYC in the 70s, and the multiple sclerosis diagnosis in 1980 that would go on to shape the rest of her life. The Girl in the Back offers a fresh perspective on a scene and time that’s still influencing countless bands today and is a great example of the excitement and danger that can collide when young artists are left to their own devices. (Backbeat)

Rick Baker: Metamorphosis – J.W. Rinzler
Legendary makeup artist Rick Baker gets the deluxe coffee-table treatment his work deserves in this mammoth two-book set, weighing in at nearly 20-pounds. Packed with incredible full-colour photos of Baker’s work on horror classics like An American Werewolf in London, The Exorcist, King Kong, and Michael Jackson’s iconic “Thriller” video, the set also features Baker’s reflections on his work, along with rare behind-the-scenes shots of some of the most memorable films of the past few decades. This blood-soaked beauty is a great homage to one of the masters of the craft and deserves a place of honour on every self-respecting horror buff’s bookshelf. (Cameron Books)

Best. Movie. Year. Ever.: How 1999 Blew Up the Big Screen – Brian Raftery
The late 90s was a time when major film studios were still willing to take risks to bring fresh ideas to the big screen. That drive may have hit a peak in 1999, when movies like The Matrix, Fight Club, The Blair Witch Project, The Sixth Sense, Magnolia, and many more were unleashed on unsuspecting audiences. Many of those films were helmed by young directors with unproven track records, which makes their success all the more startling. Brian Raftery takes a look at a number of films from that highly influential year, talking to filmmakers, actors, journalists, and more about how these films came to be, and their lasting cultural impact some 20-years on. Best. Movie. Year. Ever is a welcome look back at a time when the industry was willing to take chances on young filmmakers with exciting and fresh ideas, and how those films have gone on to shape the industry and pop culture at large in so many intrinsic ways. (Simon & Schuster)

I Know Better Now: My Life Before, During, and After the Ramones – Richie Ramone with Peter Aaron
Richie Ramone was only the Ramones’ drummer for a handful of years, but his powerful playing and songwriting in the mid-80s (“Somebody Put Something in My Drink,” the killer B-side “Smash You”) came to the band at a crucial time in their trajectory. This autobiography traces Richie’s life and career starting out playing in underground rock bands through to his time in the Ramones, his flashy exit from the band, and his life afterward as a solo artist. I Know Better Now examines a turbulent era of the Ramones (well, even more turbulent than usual), and is also a great look at the highs and lows of being a working musician. We discussed the book and Richie’s time in the Ramones in an extensive interview this past year; you can check that out here. (Backbeat)