Reasons For Reading This Book:
In May I was in desperate need of a good book shopping trip. I was in Massachusetts for work and found a used book superstore in the area. I took a trip out there in hopes of finding a few books on my list, but also wanted to browse and find other books that interested me. While browsing the entertainment section I found The Housewives: The Real Story Behind the Real Housewives by Brian Moylan. Something I have not talked much about on my blog is my love of TV. I watch all types of TV, but one genre I watch a lot of is realty TV. The Real Housewives franchise is one I watch a lot of. I have seen the title of this book on different reality and housewives social media accounts but I never gave much thought to reading it until I saw it on the shelf. I picked the copy up and instantly started reading it when I got back to my hotel.
Content of the Book:
Brian Moylan is the writer of Vulture’s legendary Real Housewives recaps. Brian Moylan chronicals the history of reality TV and the creation of The Real Housewives. He writes a deep dive into all things Housewives, marriages, divorces, finances, arrests, iconic scenes, production, contracts, and so much more. This is a book for all reality TV lovers.
What I Liked About This Book:
As someone who did not start watching The Real Housewives from its inception, I very much appreciated the history and background of the show, cast, production, and Bravo. I personally gained respect for all those involved in creating such an iconic franchise. The inclusion of quotes and descriptions of memorable scenes added to the whole picture and plot of the book. The author stayed true to his reporter/journalism background by referencing blog posts and TV appearances to backup most of the claims in the book. Other references came from memoirs from those within the franchise. Brian's choice to include personal stories from his involvement in the franchise aided in feeling a personal connection for fans. What I mean by this, is as a viewer/fan you watch because you feel some sort of connection and Brian's choice to include his interactions and personal experiences with The Housewives made the book more personable for readers and fans. I enjoyed the smaller sections of rankings and tips. All true Housewives fans have their favorite Housewife, tagline, quote, scene, and business venture. The inclusion of the tips section supported one of the main points of the book which is that there are women who's goal is to get on the show. I am all for humor in a book. One of the reasons I watch The Housewives is for the rediculous quotes and situations. There was some good humor throughout the book. As a fan who is always looking to get as much detail as possible, I liked that Brain's goal was to do the same. Throughout his time working on the book he was always looking for answers to all the questions that us fans want answered. As someone who loves learning new things, I was pleased to read about different studies and research conducted on reality TV. The inclusion of this chapter and supporting material rounded out the book for me and provided a purpose and meaning for why people are fans of reality TV and The Housewives.
What I Disliked About This Book:
Even though I mentioned that I was a fan of the history of reality TV, as a much younger viewer of the show I did not know most of the earlier shows referenced in the history portion of the book. When I say this I am referring to early reality shows not just on Bravo but also Soap Operas. With that being said I was still able to grasp the main points of the history section of the book. At times the book did feel a little confusing and not completely organized. Some thoughts were speratic and seemed to come out of no where. Something else I did not like about the book was how long the chapters were. I rarely got through a single chapter in 30 minutes. There were smaller sections within each chapter but the way they were split did not really make sense. One chapter of this book that really confused me was the chapter on fans and Facebook groups. As someone who only follows The Housewives news on Instagram, this is the first time I learned about the Facebook groups. I also do not really understand how Facebook groups work. There were so many names and dates being thrown around that I just so confused. I tried to think about a way for Brian to make this section less confusing but I think he did the best he could.
Would I Recommend This Book?
Without a doubt yes! With that being said I would only recommend it to the niche audience/fans of Bravo and The Housewives. I personally think that only fans would truly understand and appreciate this book.
Check out my book reviews for 2022!!
Check out my book reviews for 2020!!
Check out my book reviews for 2019!!
August Book Review: Alex and Eliza: A Love Story
July Book Review: The Husband Hour
June Book Review: The Perfect Mother
May Book Review: Into the Water
April Book Review: Fangirl
March Book Review: Eleanor & Park
February Book Review: Turtles All The Way Down
Check out my book reviews from 2018!!
November Book Review: Visible Empire
October Book Review: The Bees
September Book Review: The Silent Sister
August Book Review: Dark Places
August Book Review: Sharp Objects
July Book Review: The Widow
June Book Review: Allegedly
May Book Review: Wonder
March Book Review: Gone Girl
February Book Review: The Woman in the Window
January Book Review: The Worst Hard Time
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