Cue the Sun!

Praise

“The finest kind of pop-cultural narrative history: inquisitive, discerning, surprising, thoughtful, informative, and lively; underpinned but not weighed down by its serious intent; and written with a storyteller’s verve, a journalist’s skepticism, a critic’s astuteness, and a fan’s loving eye.”—Michael Chabon, author of The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay

“Emily Nussbaum is an extraordinary navigator—she makes her way through the wilds of ‘dirty documentary’ with grace, humor, and an unerring sense of direction. As the first history of a phenomenon too few take seriously, Cue the Sun! is a blast to read whether you’re a fan of the reality genre or not.”—Ann Powers, author of Traveling

“Revelatory, insightful, precise, dark, and wildly entertaining, Emily Nussbaum’s examination of reality television—starting before the term even existed—is also a radical reframing of the entire history of TV. Spanning seventy-five years, it’s a thrilling alt-timeline of television as escapism and horror show, as funhouse mirror and forensic dissection, as aspiration and nightmare. This is essential cultural analysis.”—Mark Harris, author of Pictures at a Revolution

“One of our greatest critics delivers the definitive history of reality TV with insight, passion, and wit. Cue the Sun! ingeniously makes the creators and producers even more fascinating than the onscreen stars. Some are pirates, shameless looters of culture; others are bold pioneers in our generation’s great uncontrolled social experiment. In Nussbaum’s hands, the TV revolution blinks into vivid clarity.”—Robert Kolker, author of Hidden Valley Road

“It’s rare for a book to feel alive, but this one does. It brims with wonder and wit, with backstage drama and genuine pathos. Nussbaum shows that behind the lens of reality TV lies the most fascinating reality of all.”—David Grann, author of Killers of the Flower Moon

“Only Emily Nussbaum could get me to read, and love, a book about reality TV rather than just watching it. Cue the Sun! somehow manages to be incredibly fun while taking its subject seriously. It is the definitive exploration of the only good and important genre of television. I’m calling it: Emily Nussbaum is the only reality TV judge who matters *bangs gavel*.”—Samantha Irby, author of Wow, No Thank You

“In this boisterous chronicle, Nussbaum charts unscripted television’s evolution. . . . Detailed interviews with cast, crew, and producers provide juicy behind-the-scenes tidbits . . . It’s a rowdy and unsettling look at how reality conquered television. . . . Shocking.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)