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(as of Sep 17, 2024 05:28:24 UTC – Details)
Named a Best Nonfiction Book of 2022 by Esquire
A sociological study of reality TV that explores its rise as a culture-dominating medium―and what the genre reveals about our attitudes toward race, gender, class, and sexuality.
What do we see when we watch reality television?
In True Story: What Reality TV Says About Us, the sociologist and TV lover Danielle J. Lindemann takes a long, hard look in the “funhouse mirror” of this genre, from countless rose ceremonies on The Bachelor to the White House and more (so much more!). Beginning with the first episodes of The Real World, reality TV has not only remade our entertainment and cultural landscape―it also uniquely refracts our everyday experiences and social topography.
By taking reality TV seriously, we can better understand key institutions (such as families, schools, and prisons) and broad social categories (such as gender, race, class, and sexuality). These shows have the ability to unveil the major circuits of power that organize our lives and the extent to which our own realities are, in fact, socially constructed.
Whether we’re watching conniving Survivor contestants or three-year-old beauty queens, these “guilty pleasures” underscore how conservative our society remains, and how steadfastly we cling to our notions about what counts as legitimate or “real.” At once an entertaining chronicle of reality TV obsession and a pioneering work of sociology, True Story reflects our society back to us: what we see in the looking glass may not always be pretty, but we can’t stop watching.
Publisher : Picador Paper; Reprint edition (February 14, 2023)
Language : English
Paperback : 352 pages
ISBN-10 : 1250862949
ISBN-13 : 978-1250862945
Item Weight : 9.6 ounces
Dimensions : 5.35 x 0.95 x 8.15 inches
4
Reviewer: Megan Macomber
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Have a celebrity teach your favorite course
Review: I’m a reality TV addict. I’ve never taken a sociology course, but if Danielle Lindemann is typical (spoiler alert: she is NOT, she’s a huge star in her field, I’ve learned) I’d sign up this instant. Hard to believe how much information and intellect she packs into such an entertaining, well-written package. She never wastes a word, and she writes so clearly about such important subjects (sex, families, etc.) you come out feeling like YOU were the smarty pants. She’s the opposite of the show-offy author … she’s way better than that.
Reviewer: Barry Dworkin
Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Very Academic
Review: I’m not a huge Reality TV watcher, but I thought ‘True Story” might be a good entry point to understand the genre. And… it is and it isn’t. What this isn’t is a history of Reality Television. It’s definitely more academic than I expected, but that’s not a bad thing. I can’t fault a book for being what it is. I did find the book interesting and Lindemann’s takes on how Reality TV reflects society and vice versa, but I guess I wanted something lighter.
Reviewer: jenphipps
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Excellent analysis of Reality Television
Review: This is one of the most important books on reality television and its effect on American culture ever written. This is no simple subject. One of the highest paid reality television stars won the American presidential election in 2016. How did the way our culture process and understand reality TV lead to a change not just in pop culture, but political culture? The answers are in this book. Danielle Lindemann did an excellent job tying sociological theory and theorists to specific television shows. This is a must read for anyone interested in American culture, studies, or criticism.
Reviewer: Sandra Stith
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Engaging and Thought Provoking Book!
Review: This book made me really think about both the impact of Reality TV on our society and the impact of our society on Reality TV. Excellent book!
Reviewer: HuJu
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Great read!
Review: Well written and interesting piece of work. A great choice for fans of reality television or people who’d like to learn more about the genre or sociology in general.
Reviewer: Public defender
Rating: 2.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Very liberal and biased
Review: The book is not what I expected. Itâs very academic with a sky high viewpoint from the ivory tower. The book ignores ârealityâ and instead pushes a strong liberal agenda. Iâm disappointed I purchased the book
Reviewer: StratCat
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Fun and engaging way to learn about sociology
Review: “True Story” is a fun and engaging way to learn fundamentals about sociology through the lens of shows almost all of us watch (whether we admit it or not). Lindemann emphasizes that sociology “does not complain or condone,” and her description and exploration of reality shows is impressively non-judgmental. Instead of evaluating the quality of the shows themselves–even when I desperately wanted her to destroy a show’s concept or delivery–Lindemann explores how they can both reflect and potentially change society (they’re more adept at the former than the latter) by showing us individuals, environments, and cultures distinct from our own. Given how polarized and siloed our society is, the opportunity to see people of different classes, genders, and races–and perhaps even begin to like or empathize with them–is potentially beneficial. On the other hand, Lindemann acknowledges that much of the casting and editing of these shows reinforces harmful stereotypes.The first half of the book focuses on individual in relationship to others (the self, couples, groups, families, and childhood) while the second focuses on demographics (class, race, gender, sexuality, and deviance). On first glance, her citations of Marx, Foucault, Durkheim and many other classical theorists seem odd when applied to “trash TV” (not her words). On the other, doing so both teaches the reader insights about how societies and roles develop and legitimizes the shows as learning labs and opportunities for critical thinking. Lindemann does a wonderful job explaining sociological theories for the lay reader in a relatable way through exploring how they’re displayed in Real Housewives, The Bachelor(ette), Real World, Survivor, and the oeuvre of shows on TLC, Bravo, VH1, etc. I love that she shows how often concepts we view as objective truths (gender roles, parenting, the model family) are social constructions that were not always defined the way we define them now.Lindemann concludes with a discussion of Trump bringing reality TV to the White House and how often the tropes of unscripted television were seen in public policy and political debates. Doing so demonstrates that whether you watch reality shows or not (or do but won’t admit it), the genre has a profound impact on our lives and should be explored and understood. Lindemann has provided an exceptional way to do so.
Reviewer: Crystal Stone
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Illustrating the Complicated Relationship Between Reality TV, Capitalism, Stereotypes and Politics
Review: This book was a brilliant analysis of our obsession with reality tv. It explores first the ways capitalism led to its invention, then the infinite cultural feedback loop reality tv shows and its watchers are participating in. Lindemann discusses the ways in which reality tv can highlight and illuminate cultural biases and gaps, while reinforcing harmful stereotypes or even caricaturing (or othering) the people that we’re giving a platform to. Americans’ relationship to authenticity, reality, and “reality tv” is tied not just to our cultural norms and structures, but also the political powers that arise in our country (this text demonstrating how our obsession with reality tv led to the election of a person like Trump). If you’re a consumer of reality tv, this is an important book for you to reflect on your consumption and the ways in which you contribute positively or negatively to the perceptions of people in your community (or communities).
