Edge of Reality, Jacques Peretti
Edge of Reality, Jacques Peretti
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Edge of Reality
Journeys Through the Rabbit Hole of Reality Television

Author: Jacques Peretti

Narrator: Jacques Peretti

Unabridged: 8 hr 20 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: DK

Published: 10/31/2023


Synopsis

Go behind the scenes of the most shocking, hilarious, controversial genre of entertainment: reality television.

Reality TV's influence is seismic: twenty-five years ago, the concept didn't exist. Yet today, it is one of the most powerful cultural forces on earth; a multi-billion-dollar machine. Despite that, it is often derided as "trash"; a cultural McDonalds not worthy of examination. The truth is that reality TV offers a profound insight into who we are as human beings, questioning the very nature of what we deem to be entertaining.

Writer, broadcaster and reality TV-obsessive Jacques Peretti goes behind the scenes of a world that has entranced and consumed him for two decades. Meeting with people at every level of the reality TV machine, from those responsible for coming up with ever-more extreme formats, to the contestants and participants at the heart of some of the most iconic moments in television, who felt that their lives and their vulnerabilities were being exploited in the name of entertainment.

This is reality TV as you've never seen it before.

Please be aware that this audiobook discusses suicide, trauma, mental health, and sexual abuse, which some listeners may find upsetting.

About the author: Jacques Peretti is an investigative journalist, author and broadcaster. His award-winning TV shows include The Men Who Made Us Fat, The Super Rich & Us, and Trillion Pound Island. He is also the author of two books: The Deals That Made the World (2018) and Little Bird of Auschwitz (2022).

© 2023 DK Jacques Peretti © 2023 DK Audio

Reviews

Goodreads review by Shilo

'Edge of Reality' by Peretti explores fascinating insights into the realm of reality television. While the book sheds light on the manipulation tactics employed by producers, its attempt at a conversational tone makes the narrative feel disjointed. The inclusion of tangential storylines detracts fro......more

Goodreads review by Melissa

Peretti's "Edge of Reality" is promoted as a deep-dive into reality tv casting and production. Unfortunately, it's not quite as detailed as the description promises. Peretti focuses on a few shows and a few aspects of the reality tv production experience - casting and psych exams, manipulation by pro......more

While the topics in Peretti’s ‘Edge of Reality’ are both interesting & actually quite insightful into the world of reality television, I found that the book was written in a way that is difficult to follow. I imagine the intent of this was to create a pseudo-conversational tone where the reader felt......more

Goodreads review by Cara

I’m not really a big fan of reality TV, so I went into this knowing nothing other than people are obsessed with the genre. Peretti does a great analysis on how producers and executives get people addicted to it by making “great tv”. I was truly shocked by how manipulative these shows can be, and the......more