The Outsider’s Guides Series

Turn skeptics into fans and fans into scholars with this smart, entertaining guide to 20 influential reality shows, from The Real World to The Traitors.

Much like reality itself, reality TV has one main problem: There’s just too much of it. Whether you’re a devoted fan who wants to share your passion, a specialist who doesn’t have time to watch every show, or a skeptic who still wants to understand all the references, you’re going to need a guide.

Great news: Reality TV for Snobs offers explanation and analysis of 20 influential shows. Learn about:
The massive cultural impact of The BachelorThe ultimate fate of all those top models from America’s Next Top ModelThe genesis of that Real Housewives meme you keep seeingWhat really happened on the set of SurvivorAnd many more secrets, facts, and insights!
This is the second installment in the Outsider’s Guide series, which offers highly readable crash courses in major cultural phenomena, so you can catch the references and understand the big deal. Join the conversation—or convince your favorite snob to join it with you!

2024 Bram Stoker Award®️ Winner for Superior Achievement in Long Nonfiction

A smart, funny crash course in 25 iconic horror movies, from Psycho to Hereditary, for people who love getting the reference but hate being scared.

You don’t have to miss out just because you don’t like to be frightened! Stop trying to read nonsensical Wikipedia plot summaries (we know you’re doing it), and let an expert tell you everything you need to know about the most influential horror films of the past 60 years—without a single jump scare or a drop of gore.

With a rundown of the history and significance of horror cinema, explanations of common tropes, and detailed entries on 25 important movies ranging from Night of the Living Dead to The Blair Witch Project to Get Out, Horror for Weenies will turn even the scarediest of cats into a confident connoisseur.

Each entry includes:
A detailed plot summary, with enough jokes that it won’t freak you outSmart, illuminating analysis of the film’s themes and cultural significanceDescriptions of iconic scenes you definitely do not want to look atTalking points for impressing even the biggest scary-movie buffs
Horror for Weenies is the first installment in the Outsider’s Guide series, which offers highly readable crash courses in major cultural phenomena, so you can catch the references and understand the big deal. Never get left out of a conversation again!