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Fans: A Journey Into the Psychology of Belonging
Fans takes the reader on a journey through a constellation of fandoms, and along the way demonstrates some fundamental truths about the human condition. Part behavioural study, part entertainment, at its heart the book is a story of collectives, of what happens to us when we interact with people who share our passions. The human brain is wired to reach out, and while our groupish tendencies can bring much strife (religious intolerance, racism, war, etc), they are also the source of some of our greatest satisfactions. Fandoms offer much of the pleasure of tribalism with little of the a feeling of belonging and of shared culture, a sense of meaning and purpose, improved mental well-being, reassurance that our most outlandish convictions will be taken seriously, and the freedom to try to emulate (and dress like) our hero. In Fans, Michael Bond explores the subject through the lens of social identity theory, a set of ideas used by social psychologists and anthropologists to understand how people behave in groups and why groups have such a profound effect on human culture.
256 pages, Paperback
Published June 17, 2025
28 people are currently reading
398 people want to read
About the author
Michael Shaw Bond
5 books16 followersMichael Bond has been writing on psychology and human behaviour for more than fifteen years as a regular contributor to New Scientist, Nature, Prospect, the Observer, the Daily Telegraph, the Financial Times, and others. During the Arab Spring, he also served as lead researcher for the Royal Society report on science in Egypt. He lives in London.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
July 23, 2023
There's a lot of good insight in this book though I'm not as big a fan as I'd hoped to be.
Fans is a blend of social psychological analysis of fandom and immersive research into select groups. I loved learning about concepts like 'parasocial relationships' (where fans develop emotional attachment to stars who aren't aware of it or, indeed are fictional), BIRGing (Basking in Reflected Glory - deeming yourself part of the team when it wins), CORFing (Cutting Off Reflected Failure - disassociating from said team's failings when they don't win) and the 'social cure' of belonging. Learning terms for familiar aspects of being a fan is very pleasing.
However, I was baffled at later chapters where Bond joined unusual fandom groups and got directly involved. The approach makes a lot of sense though I felt his focus went awry at times. When exploring Janeites, fans of Jane Austen, I believe he went heavy on the author's history at the expense of the trends of her present day followers. As for the Therian case studies, I appreciate their need to belong in a society that doesn't understand the desire to live as other animals, but I fail to see how this lifestyle equates to fandom.
Also I feel like Bond overlooks groups of enthusiasts with complex social history such as sports fans, cosplayers and even cult film followers. Of course, countless books and papers have been written on these subjects but greater lip service is warranted here and I'm sure Bond's eye for detail would have found a fresh angle.
Despite this, I found Fans an engrossing read and feel like I've found a new niche interest. Now to find a book that I can really devote myself to. I recommend Fans to those who want to understand why people form communities over fiction and realities that seem far stranger than that.
Fans is a blend of social psychological analysis of fandom and immersive research into select groups. I loved learning about concepts like 'parasocial relationships' (where fans develop emotional attachment to stars who aren't aware of it or, indeed are fictional), BIRGing (Basking in Reflected Glory - deeming yourself part of the team when it wins), CORFing (Cutting Off Reflected Failure - disassociating from said team's failings when they don't win) and the 'social cure' of belonging. Learning terms for familiar aspects of being a fan is very pleasing.
However, I was baffled at later chapters where Bond joined unusual fandom groups and got directly involved. The approach makes a lot of sense though I felt his focus went awry at times. When exploring Janeites, fans of Jane Austen, I believe he went heavy on the author's history at the expense of the trends of her present day followers. As for the Therian case studies, I appreciate their need to belong in a society that doesn't understand the desire to live as other animals, but I fail to see how this lifestyle equates to fandom.
Also I feel like Bond overlooks groups of enthusiasts with complex social history such as sports fans, cosplayers and even cult film followers. Of course, countless books and papers have been written on these subjects but greater lip service is warranted here and I'm sure Bond's eye for detail would have found a fresh angle.
Despite this, I found Fans an engrossing read and feel like I've found a new niche interest. Now to find a book that I can really devote myself to. I recommend Fans to those who want to understand why people form communities over fiction and realities that seem far stranger than that.
March 13, 2024
2.5
When I read the blurb after finishing this book I realized it actually gives you exactly what it says – a new take on "fandom". This really is fandom at its widest interpretation. Fandom as only community. Which is interesting in theory but unfortunately shallow in practicality.
That Potterheads and football fans have a lot in common is nothing new. But that therians and school shooter fans are in that same category as well is ... too new to not explore deeper and with more nuance.
Like many books that I give strong twos too - it's not bad, it's just not good.
When I read the blurb after finishing this book I realized it actually gives you exactly what it says – a new take on "fandom". This really is fandom at its widest interpretation. Fandom as only community. Which is interesting in theory but unfortunately shallow in practicality.
That Potterheads and football fans have a lot in common is nothing new. But that therians and school shooter fans are in that same category as well is ... too new to not explore deeper and with more nuance.
Like many books that I give strong twos too - it's not bad, it's just not good.
November 19, 2024
I've been thinking a lot about the relationship between fan and artist lately and this book was an interesting deep dive into the different type of fandoms. I can't say I will remember every little fact but I enjoyed the read.
July 15, 2024
This started well. I am a fan of several things, and i am really interested in how people become fans, how fan cultures and movements behave, how it affects lives etc etc.
And the first 5 chapters didn't disappoint. The side-track into fan-fiction went on a bit too long and a bit too deep for me (but, hey, i used to be into that so a lot of it was old hat)
But then we got into chapter 6 and my eyes glazed over and i began to lose the will. I did push on in the hope it would be over soon. But nope. We had to sit through a whole chapter about therianthropy which is a psychological disorder and absolutely nothing at all to do with fandom. Body dysmorphia is a mental illness which can be debilitating and devastating and the one thing that i (went to school with a few bulimics and anorexics) know about it is this: you don't choose it.
Now, i could go off here into my "the team chooses the fan" speeches that people who ask me why i chose my English football team get. But i won't because that really is by the way. Fandom is usually something you go into because you want to. Sure you can get more sucked in than intended, and sometimes it does become an unhealthy obsession / addiction that needs to stop or your live will go pear-shaped. But that's not how all fandoms end for everyone.
The chapter on Michael Jackson could also have been very different. And the bits about stalking - well famous stalkers have targetted, say, Jodie Foster. But nary a mention of that.
So one star, up to chapter 5 will be 3.5 stars, after that? I wish i'd actually stopped reading because my displeasure at the final chapters overshadows the rest of the book.
And the first 5 chapters didn't disappoint. The side-track into fan-fiction went on a bit too long and a bit too deep for me (but, hey, i used to be into that so a lot of it was old hat)
But then we got into chapter 6 and my eyes glazed over and i began to lose the will. I did push on in the hope it would be over soon. But nope. We had to sit through a whole chapter about therianthropy which is a psychological disorder and absolutely nothing at all to do with fandom. Body dysmorphia is a mental illness which can be debilitating and devastating and the one thing that i (went to school with a few bulimics and anorexics) know about it is this: you don't choose it.
Now, i could go off here into my "the team chooses the fan" speeches that people who ask me why i chose my English football team get. But i won't because that really is by the way. Fandom is usually something you go into because you want to. Sure you can get more sucked in than intended, and sometimes it does become an unhealthy obsession / addiction that needs to stop or your live will go pear-shaped. But that's not how all fandoms end for everyone.
The chapter on Michael Jackson could also have been very different. And the bits about stalking - well famous stalkers have targetted, say, Jodie Foster. But nary a mention of that.
So one star, up to chapter 5 will be 3.5 stars, after that? I wish i'd actually stopped reading because my displeasure at the final chapters overshadows the rest of the book.
January 27, 2024
As someone who hasn't read a non-fiction book since Horrible Histories, the fact that I actually got through this book reflects well on it. The theories and studies of psychology it did mention were very interesting and has encouraged me to do more wider reading into the subject. However, I felt this was less of a psychology book and more of a book about the social history and inner workings of fandoms.
June 22, 2023
DNF
I forgot I was reading this and then it was due.
It’s fun especially if you care about the fandoms discussed.
I got stuck in the Jane Austen chapter and never got passed it
I forgot I was reading this and then it was due.
It’s fun especially if you care about the fandoms discussed.
I got stuck in the Jane Austen chapter and never got passed it
October 31, 2023
An interesting bit of social psychology in a neat little package.
Bond looks at sports fans fleetingly, but concentrates more on fans of political figures, cultural figures, fictional characters and musical icons. He also covers cos play and furries (fans of anthropomorphic animal characters that like to dress up similarly to cos-players).
Rather unnervingly, Bond also covers fans of mass murderers. I never knew they had fans. Something to think about.
I felt he went a little off-piste when he talked about people with certain kinds of body dysmorphia as fans. I’m not sure fans is the right term for them, even if they do find each other in order to create groups of like-minded people for ideas-sharing and social reasons.
I found the book interesting and enjoyable.
Bond looks at sports fans fleetingly, but concentrates more on fans of political figures, cultural figures, fictional characters and musical icons. He also covers cos play and furries (fans of anthropomorphic animal characters that like to dress up similarly to cos-players).
Rather unnervingly, Bond also covers fans of mass murderers. I never knew they had fans. Something to think about.
I felt he went a little off-piste when he talked about people with certain kinds of body dysmorphia as fans. I’m not sure fans is the right term for them, even if they do find each other in order to create groups of like-minded people for ideas-sharing and social reasons.
I found the book interesting and enjoyable.
January 15, 2025
I picked this book up as someone very involved with fans and fandom so I was very interested in how this book was going to go with it.
It was an easy read, not difficult in tone or language, although the flipside is this book ends up being kind of surface level and its chapters loosely connected. I would have wanted more depth into the psychological aspects, which were brought up as theories from various studies, but kind of stayed as mentions rather than digging further into the information. I acknowledge that my prior knowledge and familiarity with the subject matter of fandom contributes to that judgement, as perhaps this book was only meant to be more introductory to the more average person not invested in fandom. It was nevertheless entertaining to read especially for the first half. However, the thread of people being psychologically fulfilled through belonging to a fan group/community of like-minded people through the shared interest or experience is the only common link at times, and became more of a weakness as the book continued, particularly for the entire chapter focusing on therians, since the group isn't exactly a fandom, and is only really being linked through that loose premise. As a result, the book consists of much mentioning, without the strong links and purpose of examples that could have given it a higher rating.
The tail end of the book especially drops with the chapter focusing on fandoms of... school shooters and serial killers, followed by a notably short and brief overall conclusion. I understand the intention of exploring the dark end of that premise of people finding community through shared feelings, and it's mentioned that it's understandable why the majority of us would react negatively to such a "fandom", but I don't think that topic being the last chapter, followed by the lackluster conclusion, was an appropriate ending to the book. Especially since the book's casual tone as a whole seemed to want the audience to treat fandom as normal, lighthearted, even sympathetic, experiences of people. The mixing up of every group under that fandom umbrella is a notable weak point of the book, with only a brief section of the harm of the 1% of people who become copycats, and becomes inappropriate. Not all instances of "people find acceptance and psychological benefit with like-minded people" have equal implications and impact, and I wish that was handled better in that chapter.
It was an easy read, not difficult in tone or language, although the flipside is this book ends up being kind of surface level and its chapters loosely connected. I would have wanted more depth into the psychological aspects, which were brought up as theories from various studies, but kind of stayed as mentions rather than digging further into the information. I acknowledge that my prior knowledge and familiarity with the subject matter of fandom contributes to that judgement, as perhaps this book was only meant to be more introductory to the more average person not invested in fandom. It was nevertheless entertaining to read especially for the first half. However, the thread of people being psychologically fulfilled through belonging to a fan group/community of like-minded people through the shared interest or experience is the only common link at times, and became more of a weakness as the book continued, particularly for the entire chapter focusing on therians, since the group isn't exactly a fandom, and is only really being linked through that loose premise. As a result, the book consists of much mentioning, without the strong links and purpose of examples that could have given it a higher rating.
The tail end of the book especially drops with the chapter focusing on fandoms of... school shooters and serial killers, followed by a notably short and brief overall conclusion. I understand the intention of exploring the dark end of that premise of people finding community through shared feelings, and it's mentioned that it's understandable why the majority of us would react negatively to such a "fandom", but I don't think that topic being the last chapter, followed by the lackluster conclusion, was an appropriate ending to the book. Especially since the book's casual tone as a whole seemed to want the audience to treat fandom as normal, lighthearted, even sympathetic, experiences of people. The mixing up of every group under that fandom umbrella is a notable weak point of the book, with only a brief section of the harm of the 1% of people who become copycats, and becomes inappropriate. Not all instances of "people find acceptance and psychological benefit with like-minded people" have equal implications and impact, and I wish that was handled better in that chapter.
July 16, 2023
This book looks at the phenomenon of "fans". It's hard to think anyone is normal when you look at the likes of Twitter and this book reinforces that.
It looks at areas like fan fiction, fan letters, Elvis/Beatles mania, fan conventions and the ability of some serial/spree killers to collect fans. Michael Bond inevitably reflects on the more extreme section of the fan groups he has investigated, and he has spoken and joined in with lots of different organisations.
"Fan" is short for fanatic and it seems there is no shortage of normal people who are "fanatics", not just what you might think of like 9/11 perpetrators and the Waco cult followers.
The book was quite entertaining, and it's mildly interesting reading how bonkers people are. Although I am a fan myself, fandom seems normal within my realm but strange in other subject matters. I like reading books about people who go to extremes and this one is exclusively about just such people.
Bond doesn't offer an explanation as to why we have a natural tendency to form groups of like-minded people and want to bond with others. Or why some go to such extremes.
Thankfully most people are not fans, so Twitter is not representative of real life and the extreme views you read on there or (even worse) 4-chan. Most sports followers or music devotees just go to the match or concert and come home, soon to forget what they have just seen. Most people read a book and move on to the next one rather than write to the author or dress up as one of the characters.
It looks at areas like fan fiction, fan letters, Elvis/Beatles mania, fan conventions and the ability of some serial/spree killers to collect fans. Michael Bond inevitably reflects on the more extreme section of the fan groups he has investigated, and he has spoken and joined in with lots of different organisations.
"Fan" is short for fanatic and it seems there is no shortage of normal people who are "fanatics", not just what you might think of like 9/11 perpetrators and the Waco cult followers.
The book was quite entertaining, and it's mildly interesting reading how bonkers people are. Although I am a fan myself, fandom seems normal within my realm but strange in other subject matters. I like reading books about people who go to extremes and this one is exclusively about just such people.
Bond doesn't offer an explanation as to why we have a natural tendency to form groups of like-minded people and want to bond with others. Or why some go to such extremes.
Thankfully most people are not fans, so Twitter is not representative of real life and the extreme views you read on there or (even worse) 4-chan. Most sports followers or music devotees just go to the match or concert and come home, soon to forget what they have just seen. Most people read a book and move on to the next one rather than write to the author or dress up as one of the characters.
May 18, 2024
Listen up, future authors of books about fandom.
It’s MISTER Spock, not doctor. Aaugh! It’s been 58 years, and people still can’t get it right.
Despite that large faux pas, I enjoyed this book more than several other books about fandom I’ve read. This one kept a conversational tone, as opposed to the dry, scholarly prose that many of them use. I guess when you’re doing a serious examination of a topic many academics would dismiss as frivolous, you overcompensate.
I would have loved to see more in depth treatment of what we used to call “media” fans (used then to distinguish fans of science fiction and fantasy television shows and movies from fans of sf&f literature), but this book’s approach is very broad.
He includes sports fans (specifically UK football fans), and while I find little resemblance between sports fans and say, Trekkies, it allowed the author to make an important point. If a guy paints his torso green and sits in a freezing football stadium naked from the waist up, he’s merely a devoted fan. If he paints himself green, dons tattered clothes, and goes to a convention as The Hulk, society is happy to paste all sorts of unkind labels on him.
Also included: therians, furries, Bronies, pop music fans, Harry Potter, Jane Austen devotees, fans of certain politicians (which I would call Cults of Personality, not fan groups), and fans of… serial killers and mass murderers. Really could have done without that last group.
Overall, the book was informative and entertaining. But I had to deduct a star for the Spock error.
October 30, 2025
I’ve been a big ol’ nerd my whole life. I’ve been obsessed with superheroes since I was a kid, and have played video games since I was five. I’ve been a part of many fandoms, and I’ve always been curious about others who are super obsessed with different things like anime, or Star Trek, or other nerdy things. Well, if you’re curious about that stuff, too, then this is the book for you.
Michael Bond does an awesome job analyzing fans and breaking down he psychology behind why we love different movies, TV shows, books, and other things we get obsessed with. I learned a ton from this book, and the author does an awesome job going over various studies and linking them to why people become fans and join different communities. A lot of it comes down to connection, and it’s really cool to learn about.
My only complaint about this book is that I’m a big fan of books that blend studies with stories, and while Bond does an excellent job of that, sometimes the book gets a little too story-heavy. For example, there’s one part of the book about Jane Austen fans that seemed to drag on forever without really diving into any psychology. There are a few sections like that, but overall, it’s a phenomenal book, and I highly recommend it.
Michael Bond does an awesome job analyzing fans and breaking down he psychology behind why we love different movies, TV shows, books, and other things we get obsessed with. I learned a ton from this book, and the author does an awesome job going over various studies and linking them to why people become fans and join different communities. A lot of it comes down to connection, and it’s really cool to learn about.
My only complaint about this book is that I’m a big fan of books that blend studies with stories, and while Bond does an excellent job of that, sometimes the book gets a little too story-heavy. For example, there’s one part of the book about Jane Austen fans that seemed to drag on forever without really diving into any psychology. There are a few sections like that, but overall, it’s a phenomenal book, and I highly recommend it.
June 19, 2023
In Michael Bond’s book Fans, he explores the ups and downs of fandom, what it means to love and lose our idols and what it truly means to be part of a collective. From Jane Austen to Michael Jackson, this book looks at the pleasure of groups and shared passions and how that can bring a sense of comfort and belonging, particularly if you have felt outcasted by mainstream society.
There are some really interesting theories on social identity presented throughout this book which I felt could have been explored in more depth. While only a few fandoms are specifically discussed, they did shed light on human behaviour when we feel a part of something that is bigger than ourselves. This wasn’t always positive and the end of the book does take a more sinister turn which left a slightly sour taste in my mouth. Of course, fandom isn’t always popstars and tv shows, serial killers and mass murderers have a following too. However, I felt the psychology behind this attraction wasn’t explored as much as I would have liked. Why are some people so fascinated with Ted Bundy or Charles Manson? There was scope to really investigate the infatuation with these darker fandoms.
Overall, I found this an enjoyable, relatable quick read. Just wanted more. This one goes out to all the fans.
There are some really interesting theories on social identity presented throughout this book which I felt could have been explored in more depth. While only a few fandoms are specifically discussed, they did shed light on human behaviour when we feel a part of something that is bigger than ourselves. This wasn’t always positive and the end of the book does take a more sinister turn which left a slightly sour taste in my mouth. Of course, fandom isn’t always popstars and tv shows, serial killers and mass murderers have a following too. However, I felt the psychology behind this attraction wasn’t explored as much as I would have liked. Why are some people so fascinated with Ted Bundy or Charles Manson? There was scope to really investigate the infatuation with these darker fandoms.
Overall, I found this an enjoyable, relatable quick read. Just wanted more. This one goes out to all the fans.
May 30, 2023
so i really liked maybeee the first half of the book, then it devolved into topics that i don’t think were as relevant? idk haha maybe i just really didn’t like the detour into serial killers and mass shooters (plus i was eating when that part came on the audiobook T^T), but i mean i think overall the book was just okay. surprisingly for me i learnt the most from the parts on furries and therians - i really am not sure how much to believe and i get that it’s not possible for me to put myself in their shoes, but i just.. i don’t know haha am just a biiiit skeptical. i don’t look down on these people or anything, i suppose i just need some time to open my mind up to things. but also like furries and therians - what part of this is really about fans and fandoms? meh. yeah i guess towards the second half of the book it just felt a bit like the author was trying to extend the book 🤷🏻♀️
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 6, 2023
As a dedicated Swiftie, Ravenclaw-style Potterhead, hopeless bookworm, long-time Directioner and tragic supporter of the Cartlon Football Club, many aspects of this book resonated with me.
I really enjoyed Bond's deep dive into the niche fandoms I had never heard of, and appreciated the new perspective he offered on the more popular ones. This book has a balanced and engaging style, where I was able to indulge the romantic descriptions of what is means to be a fan - 'To be a fan is many things, but at its heart it is an act of love ' - while also keeping my feet firmly on the ground so I could learn about the diversity of fandom and all the joys, complexities and disasters that it can entail.
I really enjoyed Bond's deep dive into the niche fandoms I had never heard of, and appreciated the new perspective he offered on the more popular ones. This book has a balanced and engaging style, where I was able to indulge the romantic descriptions of what is means to be a fan - 'To be a fan is many things, but at its heart it is an act of love ' - while also keeping my feet firmly on the ground so I could learn about the diversity of fandom and all the joys, complexities and disasters that it can entail.
July 21, 2023
[3.5 rounded up]
I value the way the author contributes to normalizing fandoms and loving things enthusiastically, and the last few paragraphs of the book accomplish that so well.
I’m not sure if I learned a ton about fandom mindset, as I’ve already read a lot, but I did learn about specific fandoms I didn’t know about, and that was fascinating.
However, my main criticism is that I think the title of the book is misleading. Many of these were fandoms, but at least three of them seemed more like communities of people that I’d hesitate to call fandoms. Still, the psychology of belonging is explored and I think that’s the organizing theme. But I would’ve been less thrown off with a title that wasn’t so fan-centred.
I value the way the author contributes to normalizing fandoms and loving things enthusiastically, and the last few paragraphs of the book accomplish that so well.
I’m not sure if I learned a ton about fandom mindset, as I’ve already read a lot, but I did learn about specific fandoms I didn’t know about, and that was fascinating.
However, my main criticism is that I think the title of the book is misleading. Many of these were fandoms, but at least three of them seemed more like communities of people that I’d hesitate to call fandoms. Still, the psychology of belonging is explored and I think that’s the organizing theme. But I would’ve been less thrown off with a title that wasn’t so fan-centred.
February 19, 2025
2.5
Occasionally interesting, but this remains so surface-level for the most part, never really having much to say beyond 'we like to share our passions and we like to belong,' over and over again.' The psychology of particular fandoms isn't really investigated, and often it's just a list of things people like, and things that happened in those fandoms (for example, we learn people loved Game Of Thrones, then the ending irritated them so they signed a petition to get a new ending. Thrilingly insightful). A chapter on 'therianthropy' is a baffling inclusion, less a fandom more a psychological hangup. Pretty disappointing overall.
Occasionally interesting, but this remains so surface-level for the most part, never really having much to say beyond 'we like to share our passions and we like to belong,' over and over again.' The psychology of particular fandoms isn't really investigated, and often it's just a list of things people like, and things that happened in those fandoms (for example, we learn people loved Game Of Thrones, then the ending irritated them so they signed a petition to get a new ending. Thrilingly insightful). A chapter on 'therianthropy' is a baffling inclusion, less a fandom more a psychological hangup. Pretty disappointing overall.
March 29, 2024
"A journey through a constellation of fandoms" -- from MAGA to furries. A bit uneven -- because some of the communities talked about here aren't fandoms, but are instead alternate identities around medical or psychological conditions. I read this to gain some better understanding of parasocial relationships between celebrities and their fandoms, and to better understand how I, as a marketing person, might engender fandom for the products I shamelessly flog. I gained some insight, but wish there had been a more intellectually rigorous framework guiding the inquiry.
August 11, 2023
I enjoyed the majority of the book and thought it explained concepts well, however some of the language used was a little dated. I also found the last chapter a bit contradictory as it spoke about the dangers of publishing information on school shootings and their “fandoms”, while informing more people that these forums exist, when they might have been otherwise unaware.
The first half of the book was very engaging though and it’s more unbiased view point of fandoms was refreshing.
The first half of the book was very engaging though and it’s more unbiased view point of fandoms was refreshing.
August 16, 2025
Interesting academic read about the psychology behind fans. I learnt a few interesting things.
1. All people are bound to divide into groups, it just matter how big the group is. We can't tolerate everyone, we must find a group to belong to, and to alienate the non-me group. (Experiment with Manchester United fans and joggers in park)
2. It's ok to be fans of things, it gives you a sense of belonging and a community. You can make them as role models and try to learn from them.
1. All people are bound to divide into groups, it just matter how big the group is. We can't tolerate everyone, we must find a group to belong to, and to alienate the non-me group. (Experiment with Manchester United fans and joggers in park)
2. It's ok to be fans of things, it gives you a sense of belonging and a community. You can make them as role models and try to learn from them.
October 19, 2023
This was a bit disjointed and I'm still not sure what the author's actual purpose was in writing this (or why he included sections that have no place in a book on fandoms), but I really appreciate how the author never tries to play even the most niche fandoms for laughs and that the book is wholly judgement-free.
January 16, 2024
I don’t often say this but i was the book was longer,
I really enjoyed this book because i could connect and understand what it’s like to be a fan. the diversity of the fandoms mentioned were interesting and i learned a lot.
i think this book is a great introduction into the fandom sector of psychology and i would love to learn more.
I really enjoyed this book because i could connect and understand what it’s like to be a fan. the diversity of the fandoms mentioned were interesting and i learned a lot.
i think this book is a great introduction into the fandom sector of psychology and i would love to learn more.
May 31, 2024
I picked this up by accident assuming it was a satirical look at football fans and the ups and downs of being a fan of them. I’m so glad I did though as it was much broader and much more interesting than I expected. Best book I’ve read this year and a lovely tone that it is written it. Would recommend.
February 27, 2025
Unfortunately this lost me at the chapter about therians, which are included on the flimsy basis that they too form a group of belonging. They are not, in my opinion and based on how they are described here, a fandom.
The book opens promisingly, but stays pretty surface level throughout. Especially the last chapter would have benefitted from a deeper exploration.
The book opens promisingly, but stays pretty surface level throughout. Especially the last chapter would have benefitted from a deeper exploration.
December 15, 2023
It's insane how much and how fast this book feels the need to virtue signal. After half an hour, there had already been "lessons" on all matters progressive, while fandom had yet to be discussed. Pass.
July 16, 2025
It was interesting and well-researched, but this wasn't really a "psychology" book... The actual psychology was limited, and the focus was on examining/surveying different fandoms. He went oddly deep into therians and Jane Austen.
October 11, 2025
Fun and interesting. Fairly straightforward. Lots of observations about unique fandoms that don't necessarily make a cohesive whole or clarify any deeper philosophy than the surface reading that being in groups is a powerful draw for humans.
November 22, 2023
Not what I expected, boring.
August 23, 2024
An interesting take on fandom. I think some groups discussed weren’t really ‘fans’ but besides that it was interesting listen.
January 29, 2025
read for EPQ but really fascinating and relevant for my topic
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews