Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Schulman first entered the public eye as the main subject of his sleeper hit documentary Catfish (2010), in which he unwittingly gets involved romantically online with a lonely, midde-aged woman from rural Michigan. Currently the host of the MTV reality show of the same name and similar premise, the author zeroes in on his field of expertise-the so-called "catfish" (a term coined by the author)-which he defines as someone who pretends to be someone else on the internet, "particularly to pursue deceptive online romances." According to the author, such a person, often the object of scorn once outed, is motivated by a desire for social acceptance and is far more relatable than one might expect, a fact which is illustrated with a pack of profiles from his show. The book is at once a memoir, a meditation on a truly unique phenomenon of the internet age, and a motivational address for anyone seeking virtual companionship. Schulman cautions his readers against lying on their social media profiles, and argues instead for improving "offline" life. "Embrace who you really are, both online and off" is the message at the heart of his book. (Sept.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by Library Journal Review
Schulman, host of MTV's Catfish: The TV Show and star of the documentary that spawned it, knows a thing or two about "catfish"-people who create one or more false identities online and enter into deceptive relationships. Here he provides an examination and guide to Internet communication that also serves as a Catfish companion piece and even a self-help memoir. The author blends his own story of being catfished into the narrative and uses examples from the show to explore what motivates such duping (revenge, insecurity, and financial gain, to name a few) and what makes people vulnerable to it. He acknowledges that simply not talking to strangers online isn't realistic for many and offers ways to stay safe. For people who may become catfish, Schulman, without judgment, suggests making positive changes in one's real life ("Your prospects are only as good as you make them"), rather than creating a false online ideal, which will be ultimately unsatisfying. He concludes by advocating for face-to-face communication and the advantages of enjoying a situation, instead of simply documenting it for the sake of social media. VERDICT This exciting title will be popular among Catfish fans and contains real advice for teens and twentysomethings who will likely relate to the issues he discusses. [See "Editors' Fall Picks," LJ 9/1/14, p. 24; Prepub Alert, 3/17/14.]-Amanda Mastrull, Library Journal (c) Copyright 2014. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Searching for the overlap of our online selves and our "real life" selves. It wasn't all that long ago that the words "Internet dating" were a badge of dishonor, considered the last-ditch effort for single men and women. Of course, with the Internet now entirely fluid in popular culture, it becomes easy to misrepresent yourself online. Catfish is the MTV series started by Schulman (itself an extension of his earlier documentary of the same name), someone who fell hook, line and sinker for online dating deception. With this book, the author aspires to create an extension of that show, to "dig into the deeper issues that motivate" such deception and that motivate anyone who spends significant time on their online relationships. Schulman makes inroads deep into armchair-quarterbacking territory with broad psychological generalizations that seem derived from his own experience and the carefully chosen examples his show has chosen to feature. A section titled "Fear" declares, "No duh, right? Hiding behind a fake profile is a pretty good sign that someone is terrified of being themselves." Catfish fans could take umbrage at a reviewer pulling a quote that makes Schulman an easy target, but every page is peppered with bromides that offer little in the way of useful insight, aimed more at establishing the author as, in his words, "a guru on digital love." There are islands of good advice, howevere.g., "invest in creating the content of your life" rather than a well-curated Facebook timelinebut more than half the book is more concerned with Schulman's positioning himself as a guru than attaining any depth. Another quote from the book, one more telling about "catfishing," comes from comedian Marc Maron, who said that every status update is essentially a plea: "Would someone please acknowledge me?" Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
