In Real Life: Love, Lies & Identity in the Digital Age

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.)