Genres:
Memoir, Nonfiction, Cultural History
Pages:
344
Published:
August 12, 2025
Using a blend of cultural criticism, humor, and personal memoir akin to Jia Tolentino’s Trick Mirror or Grace Perry’s The 2000s Made Me Gay, Joelle Kidd writes about her evangelical adolescence through the lens of Christian pop culture of the early 2000s, giving readers a peek into this odd subculture and insight into how evangelicalism’s growing popularity around the turn of the millennium has shaped culture and politics — including today’s far right.
An empathetic, funny, and sharply critical collection of essays exploring the Christian pop culture of the 2000s and its influence on today’s politically powerful evangelicalism
✧ Overall Score✧
6/10
I listened to this as an audiobook, and while the narration was great, the content itself was “just interesting enough to keep me company” material. I can’t say I actually learned anything… but its always interesting to see a view of your own culture from the outside, so to speak.
✧ Enjoyment Score✧
6/10
It does a pretty good job of being entertaining for a nonfiction book! Lots of fun little asides and interesting ways of looking at things.
✧ Writing Style✧
7/10
Very well written and articulate! The author’s voice was very pleasant throughout, and while the book does tend to slant a bit negatively towards Christian culture, it is clear that the author is speaking as a participant and with at least some fondness and nostalgia.
✧ Quality of Information✧
7/10
This book was extremely well researched, for all that it serves as a memoir as well as a research project. I feel like it might serve as important documentation in the future, though the information within feels rather prosaic to someone who already grew up within the culture.