Reality TV for Snobs: Everything You Need to Know About the Show’s You’re Too Intellectual to Watch by Ali Barthwell, is an informative and often hilarious catalog of popular reality TV shows for those of us who either don’t have the time or can’t be bothered to watch them. I was a little skeptical going in because it is formatted like a reference book with a chapter for each show that includes the premise, characters, important episodes, etc. I worried that it wouldn’t be engaging, but I was wrong. I couldn’t put it down. Well, unless I had to because I was laughing so hard I couldn’t breathe. I had a hard time getting through the chapter on The Bachelorette because there were tears from laughter streaming down my face. Barthwell’s writing is fantastic!
I’m not entirely sure I’m a true snob when it comes to reality TV because I’ve watched and enjoyed some of the shows Barthwell highlights in this book, but I’ll admit that I have considered myself “too intellectual to watch” shows in two of the categories of reality TV, those she classifies as “Dating and Mating” and “People and Places.” I’m much more likely to get sucked into and/or not judge shows in the “Strategies and Games” category. The beauty of Reality TV for Snobs, however, is that by the end, Barthwell has presented a clear and convincing argument that reality TV is an important cultural artifact that provides valuable insight into the human condition (while acknowledging the ridiculousness of some of the premises). I feel much less judgmental, and if I had more time for TV, I’d probably check out some of the shows I’ve written off in the past. I highly recommend this book!
Reality TV for Snobs will be published on August 25th!
Thank you to NetGalley and Quirk Books for the ARC.