The Best New Pop Culture Books to Add to Your Fall Reading List

Julia Fox, the multidisciplinary artist known for her breakout role in the Safdie brothers’ film, Uncut Gems, is arguably equally famous for her daring fashion choices and whirlwind romance with disgraced musician Kanye West. With her new memoir, Fox adds another hyphenate to her repertoire: author (and, no, Fox says she did not hire a ghostwriter for the book).

Described by the Daily Beast’s own culture reporter, Helen Holmes, as “Harrowing, achingly sad at times, and a narcotics-soaked shock to the system,” there’s no denying that Fox is a compelling storyteller. Regardless of your thoughts on the polarizing pop culture multihyphenate, Down the Drain is a downright riveting read.

While CBK: Carolyn Bessette Kennedy: A Life in Fashion will not technically be released until November 7, I’ve decided to include it on the list because it’s already available for pre-order and, somehow, has already made it onto the Amazon bestselling book list ahead of being launches. The late Carolyn Bassette Kennedy, an impeccably chic New York City publicist for Calvin Kelin, quickly became a fashion icon after being propelled into the limelight thanks to her very public relationship—and eventual marriage—to John F. Kennedy Jr.

Over two decades after her tragic death, CBK remains a celebrated fashion icon, known for her signature understated yet polished style, often punctuated with a red lip, oversized Hermes handbag, and restricted color palette. This gorgeous coffee table book celebrates the legacy of the late Mrs. Kennedy, honoring the enduring legacy she left in the fashion world.

Taylor Lorenz’s debut book, Extremely Online: The Untold Story of Fame, Influence, and Power on the Internet, explores every facet of how Internet culture—including the impact of social media and the rise of influencers—has shaped not only culture at large, but the economy, career landscape, and human interaction as a whole.

The acclaimed reporter takes a deep dive into how mom bloggers were among the first influencers to make money off of their digital content and explores how the impact of monetizing social media has shifted over the past decade. While not a visually-oriented new release, Extremely Online is an absolute must-read for anyone in (or interested in) digital media.

When Jada Pinkett Smith’s memoir launched in mid-October, the juicy excerpts and revelations about the actress and her husband, Will Smith, caused a minor media frenzy. Not only did she reveal that she and her husband have actually been separated for five years, but she also addressed Will Smith’s public assault on Chris Rock at the 2022 Academy Awards and speaks about her close relationship with the late rapper Tupac Shakur, who she claims also suffered from the hair loss condition, alopecia.

Only a few days after the tell-all was released, many took to social media to express their exhaustion from the seemingly endless stream of headline-worthy revelations stemming from Worthy. Regardless, we still think it is, indeed, a worthy read.