Bachelor Nation

Books | Social Science / Popular Culture

3.2

(74)

Amy Kaufman

*A New York Times Bestseller*The first definitive, unauthorized, behind-the-scenes cultural history of the Bachelor franchise, America’s favorite guilty pleasure.For sixteen years and thirty-six seasons, the Bachelor franchise has been a mainstay in American TV viewers’ lives. Since it premiered in 2002, the show’s popularity and relevance have only grown—more than eight million viewers tuned in to see the conclusion of the most recent season of The Bachelor.Los Angeles Times journalist Amy Kaufman is a proud member of Bachelor Nation and has a long history with the franchise—ABC even banned her from attending show events after her coverage of the program got a little too real for its liking. She has interviewed dozens of producers, contestants, and celebrity fans to give readers never-before-told details of the show’s inner workings: what it’s like to be trapped in the mansion “bubble”; dark, juicy tales of producer manipulation; and revelations about the alcohol-fueled debauchery that occurs long before the Fantasy Suite. Kaufman also explores what our fascination means, culturally: what the show says about the way we view so-called ideal suitors; our subconscious yearning for fairy-tale romance; and how this enduring television show has shaped society’s feelings about love, marriage, and feminism by appealing to a marriage plot that’s as old as the best of Jane Austen.

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Author

Amy Kaufman

Pages

320

Publisher

Penguin

Published Date

2018-03-06

ISBN

1101985925 9781101985922

Community ReviewsSee all

"BACHELOR NATION ⭐⭐⭐💫/5. . ****Warning: Some spoilers ahead**** . What a juicy read! I really enjoyed this Bachelor tell-all. Being a fan of the Bachelor Franchise, watching everything from The Bachelor/Bachelorette, Bachelor Pad, Bachelor in Paradise, Bachelor Winter games I've seen it all. Let's not exclude the other show spin-offs Happily Ever After: Ben and Lauren/The Twins. Safe to say it is my ultimate guilty pleasure #noshame. I always give myself a reality check while watching the shows, that there must be some sort of producer influence, but I didn't expect that much. I never knew how much PRESSURE production has on, not only the contestant's to say "I love you" but on the final gentlemen to get down on one knee and propose. I guess whatever makes the best kind of TV, right? . Likes: I enjoyed the fact that they covered the Corrine/Damario story, as it provided some clarity. I obviously enjoyed the juicy content of the contracts and producer influence on each episode and how a lot of the show is scripted and manipulated. I obviously knew that some would be, but not that much. I also enjoyed hearing cast struggles with the constant manipulation, as it provided readers with a lot of insight. Dislikes: the "Why I'm a fan" segments. I enjoyed the first few, bit lost interested part way through and stopped reading them. I also wish that the book covered the Happily Ever After series (but that's my own selfish love for Ben Higgins). Overall, I would definitely (and have) recommend this to a friend. Some parts of the books I didn't have interest in, but it had enough "Bach Disch" to keep me motivated to finish. . Thank you so much @penguincanada for sending me a copy. As my previous post said, I stalked Indigo for its release, only to find a gifted copy (in exchange for a review) at my door step the next day - therefore I returned my purchased copy"