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Nathan Rabin is the head writer of the AV Club, the cultural criticism wing of the onion.

His new book, The Big Rewind, is the story of how he got to a vatistine position.

He spent most of his childhood in poverty and he followed a stint in the mental hospital

for a few years in a group home for emotionally disturbed teenagers.

During his darkest times, he writes, he clung to film, television, and music.

And he frames his memoir with the stories and records that were his emotional touchstones.

I spoke to Nathan Rabin in the offices of the AV Club in Chicago.

Nathan Rabin, welcome to The Sound of Young America.

I thank you for having me.

It's a pleasure.

Nathan, you frame the stories in your book with pop culture,

illusions and criticisms.

And one of the ones that I found the most interesting and illuminating was

...