Daniel J. Boorstin
Vintage, New York, 1992, 1987; originally published 1962
Nonfiction, General
ISBN: 9780679741800

From the Publisher. First published in 1962, this wonderfully provocative book introduced the notion of “pseudo-events”—events such as press conferences and presidential debates, which are manufactured solely in order to be reported—and the contemporary definition of celebrity as “a person who is known for his well-knownness.” Since then Daniel J. Boorstin’s prophetic vision of an America inundated by its own illusions has become an essential resource for any reader who wants to distinguish the manifold deceptions of our culture from its few enduring truths.

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Jessica Helfand

A seminal book, surprisingly overlooked by contemporary audiences (especially students), that rings true even though it was written in 1969. Particularly interesting to read with regard to current media practices: what would Boorstin have made of reality TV, I wonder. Or Twitter?

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