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The Lie About the Truck: Survivor, Reality TV, and the Endless Gaze
What is the truth?
In a world of fake news and rampant conspiracy theories, the nature of truth has increasingly blurry borders. In this clever and timely cultural commentary, award-winning author Sallie Tisdale tackles this issue by framing it in a familiar way—reality TV, particularly the long-running CBS show "Survivor."
With humor and in-depth superfan analysis, Tisdale explores the distinction between suspended disbelief and true authenticity, both in how we watch shows like "Survivor" and in how we perceive the world around us. With her “bold and wise, galvanizing and grounding” (Chloe Caldwell, author of I’ll Tell You in Person) writing, Tisdale has created an unputdownable, thoroughly entertaining, and groundbreaking book that we will be talking about for years to come.
In a world of fake news and rampant conspiracy theories, the nature of truth has increasingly blurry borders. In this clever and timely cultural commentary, award-winning author Sallie Tisdale tackles this issue by framing it in a familiar way—reality TV, particularly the long-running CBS show "Survivor."
With humor and in-depth superfan analysis, Tisdale explores the distinction between suspended disbelief and true authenticity, both in how we watch shows like "Survivor" and in how we perceive the world around us. With her “bold and wise, galvanizing and grounding” (Chloe Caldwell, author of I’ll Tell You in Person) writing, Tisdale has created an unputdownable, thoroughly entertaining, and groundbreaking book that we will be talking about for years to come.
251 pages, Hardcover
First published October 26, 2021
38 people are currently reading
5533 people want to read
About the author
Sallie Tisdale
29 books62 followersSallie Tisdale is the author of Talk Dirty to Me, Stepping Westward, and Women of the Way. She has received a Pushcart Prize, an NEA Fellowship, the James Phelan Literary Award, and was a Dorothy and Arthur Shoenfeldt Distinguished Writer of the year. Her work has appeared in Harper's, the New Yorker, and other publications.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 119 reviews
July 30, 2024
NOTE: The Lie About the Truck will appeal to Survivor fans only. My review doesn’t spoil anything from any season of Survivor, but text behind the spoiler tag hides information that I’ve assumed will interest fans. Text not behind the spoiler tag is for general readers of this review who are unfamiliar with the show.
This page-turner is a Survivor fan's dream. Covering seasons 1-40 of the American version, The Lie About the Truck is a blend of secretive insider details, a fun trip down memory lane, and serious analysis. In a friendly, easy style, author Sallie Tisdale analyzed everything. She covered serious aspects (such as sexism, racism, cultural misappropriation, and "fake primitivism") and trivial ones (such as age and strength and how these factor into a player’s chance of winning). The work is intelligent without trying too hard to seem deep. As Tisdale shows, Survivor is more than meets the eye.
The "reality" in reality shows is, of course, what producers deliberately choose to show, a tiny fraction of footage out of the hundreds of hours shot. Tisdale won't dampen fans' enthusiasm, but she will force them to watch with a critical eye, encouraging them to always remember that editors have created character arcs from raw footage. In signing a contract with the show, players hand over the rights to their image, and producers view each player as a character—one the show carefully creates. For some players their character will be edited in a flattering light, maybe receiving a winner's edit; for others it'll be unflattering, even villainous; for still others it could reinforce a stereotype (for a Black player, a queer player, a blonde female player, an overweight player, and so on). Players do say what they say—the editing isn't so unscrupulous as to splice words and sentences—but through strategic selection and ordering of footage, editors fashion narratives.
I'm sure many will think it's silly to dissect a reality show from an intellectual angle. After all, isn't this just cotton-candy entertainment, not meant to be taken seriously? That may be true of some reality shows, but Survivor lends itself well to, and is deserving of, serious examination. In any season, with its mix of carefully selected personalities, Survivor brings to the fore so much that deserves attention. Interesting interpersonal challenges and prejudices of all sorts reveal themselves over the days that these players camp together, compete in difficult challenges, and try to befriend, or at least create alliances with, each other. It's a microcosm of the real world in some ways—a heavily edited microcosm but one that still presents much food for thought on the larger level. That's what Tisdale did; instead of limiting her book to superficial analysis of certain seasons or to players the way a fan forum might, she reached beyond and went in a different, substantial direction.
This book exceeded my high expectations. My only criticism is of the title, which implies that this is about the entire genre of reality TV. It isn't. I cannot stress enough that this book is about Survivor. Fans will love it. Others will be bored. Additionally, super-fans who participate in fan forums may already know everything here, so they could possibly skip it. As is to be expected, the book contains numerous spoilers for all the seasons (and it needs to be noted that when making one point, Tisdale unnecessarily threw in the biggest spoiler for the TV adaptation of A Game of Thrones), so fans who aren't caught up should wait to read this until they are. The book will age rapidly. With several more seasons having aired after this was published and another coming in a few months, it's already slightly outdated. For all interested, especially those with burning questions, the time to read this is now.
This page-turner is a Survivor fan's dream. Covering seasons 1-40 of the American version, The Lie About the Truck is a blend of secretive insider details, a fun trip down memory lane, and serious analysis. In a friendly, easy style, author Sallie Tisdale analyzed everything. She covered serious aspects (such as sexism, racism, cultural misappropriation, and "fake primitivism") and trivial ones (such as age and strength and how these factor into a player’s chance of winning). The work is intelligent without trying too hard to seem deep. As Tisdale shows, Survivor is more than meets the eye.
The "reality" in reality shows is, of course, what producers deliberately choose to show, a tiny fraction of footage out of the hundreds of hours shot. Tisdale won't dampen fans' enthusiasm, but she will force them to watch with a critical eye, encouraging them to always remember that editors have created character arcs from raw footage. In signing a contract with the show, players hand over the rights to their image, and producers view each player as a character—one the show carefully creates. For some players their character will be edited in a flattering light, maybe receiving a winner's edit; for others it'll be unflattering, even villainous; for still others it could reinforce a stereotype (for a Black player, a queer player, a blonde female player, an overweight player, and so on). Players do say what they say—the editing isn't so unscrupulous as to splice words and sentences—but through strategic selection and ordering of footage, editors fashion narratives.
I'm sure many will think it's silly to dissect a reality show from an intellectual angle. After all, isn't this just cotton-candy entertainment, not meant to be taken seriously? That may be true of some reality shows, but Survivor lends itself well to, and is deserving of, serious examination. In any season, with its mix of carefully selected personalities, Survivor brings to the fore so much that deserves attention. Interesting interpersonal challenges and prejudices of all sorts reveal themselves over the days that these players camp together, compete in difficult challenges, and try to befriend, or at least create alliances with, each other. It's a microcosm of the real world in some ways—a heavily edited microcosm but one that still presents much food for thought on the larger level. That's what Tisdale did; instead of limiting her book to superficial analysis of certain seasons or to players the way a fan forum might, she reached beyond and went in a different, substantial direction.
This book exceeded my high expectations. My only criticism is of the title, which implies that this is about the entire genre of reality TV. It isn't. I cannot stress enough that this book is about Survivor. Fans will love it. Others will be bored. Additionally, super-fans who participate in fan forums may already know everything here, so they could possibly skip it. As is to be expected, the book contains numerous spoilers for all the seasons (and it needs to be noted that when making one point, Tisdale unnecessarily threw in the biggest spoiler for the TV adaptation of A Game of Thrones), so fans who aren't caught up should wait to read this until they are. The book will age rapidly. With several more seasons having aired after this was published and another coming in a few months, it's already slightly outdated. For all interested, especially those with burning questions, the time to read this is now.
February 14, 2022
Reading this actually has me less enthusiastic about watching future seasons of Survivor. I already knew or assumed most of what was revealed in this book.
I would have enjoyed the book more if the author had kept herself out of the story more than she did.
That said, it was still highly entertaining and as someone who has watched many seasons of Survivor I loved all the inside information. I can’t say that any of it was shocking but it was fun and I did learn a lot.
“Since the first episodes generally air before the editing is finished, the producers can watch public reaction and edit the later episodes in such a way as to misrepresent the outcome.” Yep!!!
I got a lot of smiles and some laugh out loud moments, not all of them pertaining to Survivor. One laugh out loud moment for me involved information I’d never known about Candid Camera’s Alan Funt and his family being hijacked to Cuba. That show was one of the very first shows I ever saw on tv in the early-mid-60s:
“Candid Camera so disturbed the culture’s idea of what was real that when Funt’s family was on an airplane that was hijacked to Cuba, the passengers refused to believe the hijacking was real until they landed in Havana. Funt recalled someone shouting that they must be on Candid Camera, and “people began cheering and stamping their feet… [until] the skyjacker stuck his head out of the cabin. This only made matters worse because 150 people gave him a big round of applause.”
Wow! Too funny.
Even though I know the contestants sign up for this (those contracts -Wow!) and even though I often agreed with the author I often felt sorry for the people she was criticizing and mocking. When reading about them several seem truly mentally ill and I found it distasteful to further humiliate them by highlighting their bizarre behaviors and often many years after their time on Survivor. I also found myself questioning the lack of skill in the evaluations they got, either lack of skill or deliberate inclusion for show ratings. Either way I was rubbed the wrong way.
As I mentioned already, ironically (or is it?) reading this book made me less likely to want to watch future seasons of Survivor. However; I know that if I did start to watch the next season or any future season I’d likely get hooked and keep watching. As of now I might be done with watching “reality” tv. It’s interesting to me that this author seems to remain a fan. Then again, I could see myself watching again. I don’t know. I have enjoyed most of the recent seasons. I’m the same as the author: I enjoy a season most when I have someone to root for, one or more people. Of course then it is disappointing when I think the “wrong person” wins and that happens a lot.
The book has a short but interesting list of Resources at the end of the book. There is at least one other book by this author that I want to read.
3-1/2 stars rounded up
I was probably more in the mood to read a novel or a non-fiction book about something really real. I am also struggling to read at all. If I’d been in a different frame of mind it’s possible I would have rated this higher. Highly recommended for fans of Survivor. I don’t recommend this to those who’ve never seen the show. I actually stopped watching the show for a bunch of seasons and I noticed that in this book I had more fun reading when reading about people and seasons I had seen and had a bit less interest in people I didn’t recognize and seasons I had missed.
I would have enjoyed the book more if the author had kept herself out of the story more than she did.
That said, it was still highly entertaining and as someone who has watched many seasons of Survivor I loved all the inside information. I can’t say that any of it was shocking but it was fun and I did learn a lot.
“Since the first episodes generally air before the editing is finished, the producers can watch public reaction and edit the later episodes in such a way as to misrepresent the outcome.” Yep!!!
I got a lot of smiles and some laugh out loud moments, not all of them pertaining to Survivor. One laugh out loud moment for me involved information I’d never known about Candid Camera’s Alan Funt and his family being hijacked to Cuba. That show was one of the very first shows I ever saw on tv in the early-mid-60s:
“Candid Camera so disturbed the culture’s idea of what was real that when Funt’s family was on an airplane that was hijacked to Cuba, the passengers refused to believe the hijacking was real until they landed in Havana. Funt recalled someone shouting that they must be on Candid Camera, and “people began cheering and stamping their feet… [until] the skyjacker stuck his head out of the cabin. This only made matters worse because 150 people gave him a big round of applause.”
Wow! Too funny.
Even though I know the contestants sign up for this (those contracts -Wow!) and even though I often agreed with the author I often felt sorry for the people she was criticizing and mocking. When reading about them several seem truly mentally ill and I found it distasteful to further humiliate them by highlighting their bizarre behaviors and often many years after their time on Survivor. I also found myself questioning the lack of skill in the evaluations they got, either lack of skill or deliberate inclusion for show ratings. Either way I was rubbed the wrong way.
As I mentioned already, ironically (or is it?) reading this book made me less likely to want to watch future seasons of Survivor. However; I know that if I did start to watch the next season or any future season I’d likely get hooked and keep watching. As of now I might be done with watching “reality” tv. It’s interesting to me that this author seems to remain a fan. Then again, I could see myself watching again. I don’t know. I have enjoyed most of the recent seasons. I’m the same as the author: I enjoy a season most when I have someone to root for, one or more people. Of course then it is disappointing when I think the “wrong person” wins and that happens a lot.
The book has a short but interesting list of Resources at the end of the book. There is at least one other book by this author that I want to read.
3-1/2 stars rounded up
I was probably more in the mood to read a novel or a non-fiction book about something really real. I am also struggling to read at all. If I’d been in a different frame of mind it’s possible I would have rated this higher. Highly recommended for fans of Survivor. I don’t recommend this to those who’ve never seen the show. I actually stopped watching the show for a bunch of seasons and I noticed that in this book I had more fun reading when reading about people and seasons I had seen and had a bit less interest in people I didn’t recognize and seasons I had missed.
Read
December 2, 2021Upfront, I thought this was a fun listen. Important context: I'm a massive fan of Survivor and engage to varying degrees of investment with other reality competition shows (Drag Race, MTV's The Challenge, Bake Off, etc.). I'm also especially interested in the production of these shows, so I was very excited when a friend floated this book by me.
What's really puzzling about this one is I can't quite figure out who it's for. To be clear, this is a book about Survivor almost exclusively, not reality TV as a whole, and it frequently feels like one individual viewer's reactions to and musings on the first 40 seasons and its 500+ players.
I enjoyed it, because I can't get enough conversation about Survivor, but it didn't really offer anything new for someone deeply entrenched in the subject matter, and at points, I regrettably found myself correcting the author in my head on [admittedly inconsequential] information and raising an eyebrow at assertions of what the fans at large think of certain cast members, twists, production decisions, etc. So even though it was fun, it doesn't feel like it's necessarily written for someone like me, which would be fine, except...
...it also doesn't feel like it's for the average viewer or non-viewers who are looking to learn about the genre or reality TV production. While there are occasional bits of trivia the average reader might find enlightening or salacious, I have to imagine the long stretches of very specific reflections on Survivor scenarios that I enjoyed would simply sound like the equivalent of technobabble to a casual viewer of Star Trek. I frequently found myself wondering, "Does this make sense to anyone who doesn't at least have a good memory of Survivor, or does it just sound like fandom nonsense?" More often than not, I suspected the latter.
Ultimately, I'm not sure this book says anything new or different about reality TV or Survivor specifically (certainly not for reality TV regulars), but I'm equally unsure that it would claim to.
And honestly? I'd still read 50 more books like it.
What's really puzzling about this one is I can't quite figure out who it's for. To be clear, this is a book about Survivor almost exclusively, not reality TV as a whole, and it frequently feels like one individual viewer's reactions to and musings on the first 40 seasons and its 500+ players.
I enjoyed it, because I can't get enough conversation about Survivor, but it didn't really offer anything new for someone deeply entrenched in the subject matter, and at points, I regrettably found myself correcting the author in my head on [admittedly inconsequential] information and raising an eyebrow at assertions of what the fans at large think of certain cast members, twists, production decisions, etc. So even though it was fun, it doesn't feel like it's necessarily written for someone like me, which would be fine, except...
...it also doesn't feel like it's for the average viewer or non-viewers who are looking to learn about the genre or reality TV production. While there are occasional bits of trivia the average reader might find enlightening or salacious, I have to imagine the long stretches of very specific reflections on Survivor scenarios that I enjoyed would simply sound like the equivalent of technobabble to a casual viewer of Star Trek. I frequently found myself wondering, "Does this make sense to anyone who doesn't at least have a good memory of Survivor, or does it just sound like fandom nonsense?" More often than not, I suspected the latter.
Ultimately, I'm not sure this book says anything new or different about reality TV or Survivor specifically (certainly not for reality TV regulars), but I'm equally unsure that it would claim to.
And honestly? I'd still read 50 more books like it.
December 10, 2021
To be fair, I haven't finished this book. I just cannot make myself read any more unless there's financial compensation involved.
From the title, I assumed this book was about reality TV in general. It is not. It is very much an extreme dive into the world of Survivor. I've seen a lot of the seasons and finally gave up years ago when I realized that it's really stacked against anybody I'd ever really want to win, and it showcased too much unpleasantness. This book is for superfans who still love it and who also lean towards being really academic. The whole thing felt like a research paper to me, or a graduate school thesis.
This will be a great fit for fellow academics who really love Survivor but not too much, since apparently she gets a bit wrong at times too. I don't know enough minutia to speak to that, but I do know that I just don't need to devote this many hours of my life to taking a microscope to Survivor. Endless gaze is right on the nose.
I read a digital ARC of this book for review.
From the title, I assumed this book was about reality TV in general. It is not. It is very much an extreme dive into the world of Survivor. I've seen a lot of the seasons and finally gave up years ago when I realized that it's really stacked against anybody I'd ever really want to win, and it showcased too much unpleasantness. This book is for superfans who still love it and who also lean towards being really academic. The whole thing felt like a research paper to me, or a graduate school thesis.
This will be a great fit for fellow academics who really love Survivor but not too much, since apparently she gets a bit wrong at times too. I don't know enough minutia to speak to that, but I do know that I just don't need to devote this many hours of my life to taking a microscope to Survivor. Endless gaze is right on the nose.
I read a digital ARC of this book for review.
December 30, 2021
I mostly enjoyed this book. It was a quick read rife with great Survivor moments and popular apocryphal “did you knows?” But there were also moments that left me a little bewildered. It’s clear the author did her homework, but this book would’ve benefited from a “superfan” sensitivity read (superfans do not call Jeff “Jiffy”, “regular viewers” isn’t an insult, but “casuals” might be, and there were at least two points where the author refers to a final two in a season with a final three, to name just a few examples). There were well-made points (I found the chapters “Sex” and “The Host” particularly interesting, in part because they appealed to my own already-held opinions) but I am still left wondering at what the overall argument of the book actually is. That said, I think the only truly disappointing part of the book is chapter that provides the book its namesake—“the lie about the truck.” The author and I have very different understandings of what the “lie” here actually is, but I can admit that this is one of my particular Survivor sore spots, and maybe others won’t have the same reaction I did (although I strongly recommend everyone read this Medium piece as a primer, if one does choose to read this book: https://medium.com/a-tribe-of-one/bou...).
Overall I would recommend this to anyone who has watched their fair share of Survivor and is interested in reading about the show, if not particularly interested in really learning any new information. Casuals, however, may want to skip this one.
Overall I would recommend this to anyone who has watched their fair share of Survivor and is interested in reading about the show, if not particularly interested in really learning any new information. Casuals, however, may want to skip this one.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 12, 2023
Honestly just go on the survivor subreddit for the amount of time you think it would take you to read this book and you’ll probably learn more. It would’ve been so easy for the author to find someone to proof read this for her and fix all her inaccuracies. A couple chapters near the end were really good, but I can’t get over her wrong facts that she gets right in some places and then wrong later. I may have given this a higher rating due to the strangle hold survivor has on me.
Also lmfao I’ve never heard of ANYONE call Jeff “jiffy” like she says superfans do, but I may start now.
Also lmfao I’ve never heard of ANYONE call Jeff “jiffy” like she says superfans do, but I may start now.
November 24, 2021
I've watched all seasons of (American) survivor. This book was fun for showing different themes in the show. However, it felt pretty messy. Her "research" is pretty sloppy. She's simply watched the show, made some notes, and presented them, without tidying it up. One example, calling Natalie an Indian American, when she's of Sri Lankan descent.
I wanted more behind the scenes stories. I wanted more insight into the show itself. Yes, the players have gag orders. That doesn't mean there isn't any information out there. There is a lot, some even from CBS itself. Yet, at the author admits, she doesn't care about watching those videos.
This book only scratches the surface. It feels superficial. With some more research, some better editing, this would have been a much better book. As is, it was a fun read for the most part.
If you're not a Survivor fan, this book isn't for you. She talks a lot about the various players, and the gameplay. All of which would go over the heads of those who don't watch the show.
I wanted more behind the scenes stories. I wanted more insight into the show itself. Yes, the players have gag orders. That doesn't mean there isn't any information out there. There is a lot, some even from CBS itself. Yet, at the author admits, she doesn't care about watching those videos.
This book only scratches the surface. It feels superficial. With some more research, some better editing, this would have been a much better book. As is, it was a fun read for the most part.
If you're not a Survivor fan, this book isn't for you. She talks a lot about the various players, and the gameplay. All of which would go over the heads of those who don't watch the show.
December 18, 2022
Heavily biased read with shockingly little original insight or actual analysis. Mostly just recounting events, stating the obvious (the show is racist, sexist, imperialist. Anyone reading this knows that, so what else are you adding to the conversation besides just saying that?) and divulging irrelevant opinions a la “this player seems rude.” Author seems to just skim the surface of a rich, 20 year text.
February 7, 2022
I have never watched Survivor. Sallie Tisdale watched 20 years of it so I don't have to. It still sounds awful.
January 28, 2025
I have absolutely no idea what the point that the author was trying to make is. There was such little talk about the titular truck!
October 21, 2021
This book is one you'll either love or hate depending on your interests (read: how many hours of your life you've spent watching Survivor). With that in mind, I loved it.
The Lie About the Truck is nonfiction about reality TV, with a primary focus on Survivor. If you like this genre of television, you will probably enjoy this book. It's thorough and nerdy and a little bit rambling. It feels like talking with a friend who is a super fan of the show.
While I couldn't fully explain the overall thesis of this book, I can say that each chapter was extremely fun to read. It addressed topics ranging from the serious (such as race and gender inequality) to the frivolous (such as the influence of fan predictions on the editing of the show). There are a lot of play-by-play recaps of big moments from the history of the show, so a familiarity with major characters and a basic understanding of the Survivor timeline will help you enjoy this book more.
I would highly recommend this book to reality TV nerds like me! It's easy to read and doesn't take itself too seriously, it's just a lot of fun. Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC to review!
The Lie About the Truck is nonfiction about reality TV, with a primary focus on Survivor. If you like this genre of television, you will probably enjoy this book. It's thorough and nerdy and a little bit rambling. It feels like talking with a friend who is a super fan of the show.
While I couldn't fully explain the overall thesis of this book, I can say that each chapter was extremely fun to read. It addressed topics ranging from the serious (such as race and gender inequality) to the frivolous (such as the influence of fan predictions on the editing of the show). There are a lot of play-by-play recaps of big moments from the history of the show, so a familiarity with major characters and a basic understanding of the Survivor timeline will help you enjoy this book more.
I would highly recommend this book to reality TV nerds like me! It's easy to read and doesn't take itself too seriously, it's just a lot of fun. Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC to review!
January 3, 2022
As a fan of Survivor (I’ve watched every episode), I really wanted to like this book. However, I’m not sure what the point was in it being written. The author seems to have binged watched the show, missing information along the way and throwing together arguments without really thinking them through.
Tisdale criticizes the edit or representation of a player, but then uses that representation to argue why that person fits that description. Unfortunately there are numerous bits of misinformation and contradictions, sometimes within the same paragraph. This really becomes distracting, as do the random analogies to Donald Tump. I also wish the references to interviews, articles, etc. were actually listed with the resources at the end of the book. There were quite a few times I went to that section to look up one of the mentioned items and they were not listed.
I did appreciate the detail given to numerous past events, which were nostalgic and usually used appropriately. But overall, this book felt more like Tisdale publishing a 250 page gripe fest about Survivor. I finished the book and couldn’t help but think she should probably stay away from the show for a while.
Tisdale criticizes the edit or representation of a player, but then uses that representation to argue why that person fits that description. Unfortunately there are numerous bits of misinformation and contradictions, sometimes within the same paragraph. This really becomes distracting, as do the random analogies to Donald Tump. I also wish the references to interviews, articles, etc. were actually listed with the resources at the end of the book. There were quite a few times I went to that section to look up one of the mentioned items and they were not listed.
I did appreciate the detail given to numerous past events, which were nostalgic and usually used appropriately. But overall, this book felt more like Tisdale publishing a 250 page gripe fest about Survivor. I finished the book and couldn’t help but think she should probably stay away from the show for a while.
February 13, 2022
There’s no question that you need to be a Survivor fan to make any sense of this book, but I wish I’d liked the general writing style of it more. I’d hoped for it to feel a bit more researched/academic in the sense of being argument-driven—it can often feel like Tisdale is just providing short accounts of various moments/seasons/players as recap rather than argument.
I also felt like there were unnecessary self-inserts (“here’s how I watch, here’s what I think”) that didn’t really contribute anything. This book isn’t a memoir about Tisdale’s relationship to the show, so I didn’t need that. I’m all for occasional commentary, but it often felt strangely placed. I think this speaks to an editing problem of some kind, which would also address the (small) number of inaccuracies about the show and repeated tidbits.
My biggest quibble, which is related to the self-inserts, came from the “Sex” chapter, where I felt like Tisdale took some not-so-great stances about the sexual misconduct episodes that have happened in the show’s history. Rather than just recounting them as they happened/have been told to viewers, Tisdale offers a bit “but this is how I perceived it,” which is pretty antithetical to how we’re supposed to handle allegations of sexual harassment.
I also felt like there were unnecessary self-inserts (“here’s how I watch, here’s what I think”) that didn’t really contribute anything. This book isn’t a memoir about Tisdale’s relationship to the show, so I didn’t need that. I’m all for occasional commentary, but it often felt strangely placed. I think this speaks to an editing problem of some kind, which would also address the (small) number of inaccuracies about the show and repeated tidbits.
My biggest quibble, which is related to the self-inserts, came from the “Sex” chapter, where I felt like Tisdale took some not-so-great stances about the sexual misconduct episodes that have happened in the show’s history. Rather than just recounting them as they happened/have been told to viewers, Tisdale offers a bit “but this is how I perceived it,” which is pretty antithetical to how we’re supposed to handle allegations of sexual harassment.
March 3, 2022
I don’t really know why I kept reading this book. It wasn’t particularly engaging. I thought it was going to be about reality tv in general but it was VERY specific to Survivor, which I haven’t seen since maybe elementary school when it first came out and my parents were into it? I didn’t know any of the people she was specifically writing about or any of the big memorable show moments. It’s pretty inaccessible for the most part to anyone who isn’t a super fan. There were some interesting parts about the impact the show has had on reality tv at large and the locations where it’s filmed so that earned it two stars. Other than that, big ol’ meh.
September 24, 2023
I have been wanting to read this book for awhile and I really enjoyed it. I was a big fan of survivor and loved how the author describes the different aspects of the game, the different psychological components and diving into the personalities of the favorites. Whether you are a big fan of the villains or you like the heros there is something for you in this book.
The author did take a look at behind the scenes and the impact the show has in the countries they shoot. Not quite what I expected but pretty fascinating. The author did extensive research and binge watched the multiple seasons. I think I will check out some notable seasons on Paramount+.
The author did take a look at behind the scenes and the impact the show has in the countries they shoot. Not quite what I expected but pretty fascinating. The author did extensive research and binge watched the multiple seasons. I think I will check out some notable seasons on Paramount+.
September 18, 2024
Great for fans of Survivor but full of spoilers if you haven’t watched most/ all seasons.
March 24, 2022
Originally posted on my blog: Nonstop Reader.
The Lie About the Truck is an unflinching examination of reality TV and the nature of objective truth by Sallie Tisdale. Released 26th Oct 2021 by Simon & Schuster on their Gallery imprint, it's 251 pages and is available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.
The media, the objectivity of truth vs. perception, conspiracy theories, and the nature of reality are very much hot-button topics in our collective cultural consciousness. Up should mean up, blue should be blue, right and wrong, truth, and justice should be objectively simple concepts on which we all agree. Clearly something is amiss when people can see the same information and come to strongly held diametrically opposed, mutually exclusive conclusions.
So, this book is about Survivor and reality TV, but it's also about the nature of experience and objectivity and perception and what, exactly, is quality, and what is crap and why we feel about them the ways we do. The writing is full of vignettes about the shows (generally including specific season and episode information, so readers can go look up what the author's talking about) and stories about the individual contestants, creators, and behind the scenes info. Accompanying the stories are ruminations and drawn parallels to society and life in general.
Four stars. Overall the author manages to make some salient points and her writing is, as always, worthwhile and interesting.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
The Lie About the Truck is an unflinching examination of reality TV and the nature of objective truth by Sallie Tisdale. Released 26th Oct 2021 by Simon & Schuster on their Gallery imprint, it's 251 pages and is available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.
The media, the objectivity of truth vs. perception, conspiracy theories, and the nature of reality are very much hot-button topics in our collective cultural consciousness. Up should mean up, blue should be blue, right and wrong, truth, and justice should be objectively simple concepts on which we all agree. Clearly something is amiss when people can see the same information and come to strongly held diametrically opposed, mutually exclusive conclusions.
So, this book is about Survivor and reality TV, but it's also about the nature of experience and objectivity and perception and what, exactly, is quality, and what is crap and why we feel about them the ways we do. The writing is full of vignettes about the shows (generally including specific season and episode information, so readers can go look up what the author's talking about) and stories about the individual contestants, creators, and behind the scenes info. Accompanying the stories are ruminations and drawn parallels to society and life in general.
Four stars. Overall the author manages to make some salient points and her writing is, as always, worthwhile and interesting.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
February 14, 2023
Here's how the book starts--the author calls Jeff Probst a "kazillionaire" (he's not). She says that in 2021 Survivor "ratings are stable" (in reality they've dropped 90% over the 20-year span of the series and only 4-5 million people now watch a show that used to get over 30 million viewers). It has "spawned imitations of many kind" (ignoring the fact that Survivor itself is an imitation of a different European island show and wasn't even created in the U.S.). And that "CBS has a loose hand on the reins...they seem willing to leave it alone" (totally false, everything is run by network executives and they made major show changes the year this book came out).
That's just in the first pages! You can't trust this bizarre book, that includes in those early pages the author talking about her viewing history and shows that were on decades before Survivor. Why? She tells us she's "addicted to stories" and watched...Beverly Hillbillies? Candid Camera? Um, what does any of this have to do with Survivor? Who cares what this author watched 50 years ago?
The book is a total mess that reframes many of the older Survivor players and moves from the perspective of the analytical author. It's a lot of quoting episodes and rehashing strategies, done in an uninteresting way.
At the end she includes a short bibliography and obviously didn't do enough homework to find the real academic research. It's poorly organized and badly structured, especially coming out the year CBS made gigantic changes in the game (which to me have wrecked the viewing experience). If you are a real Survivor fan skip this uninspiring subjective 250-page personal essay.
That's just in the first pages! You can't trust this bizarre book, that includes in those early pages the author talking about her viewing history and shows that were on decades before Survivor. Why? She tells us she's "addicted to stories" and watched...Beverly Hillbillies? Candid Camera? Um, what does any of this have to do with Survivor? Who cares what this author watched 50 years ago?
The book is a total mess that reframes many of the older Survivor players and moves from the perspective of the analytical author. It's a lot of quoting episodes and rehashing strategies, done in an uninteresting way.
At the end she includes a short bibliography and obviously didn't do enough homework to find the real academic research. It's poorly organized and badly structured, especially coming out the year CBS made gigantic changes in the game (which to me have wrecked the viewing experience). If you are a real Survivor fan skip this uninspiring subjective 250-page personal essay.
September 23, 2022
This was an odd book; the author spurts out a LOT of Survivor terminology that the casual fan wouldn't know such as Edgic and she jumps around an awful lot. The book has almost a manic and rapid fire feel as she flits from topic to topic within the confines of a chapter and from season to season. I also can't tell if the author is a real fan of the show or not; she at times has a negative tone when talking about the show. This is an okay read for a hardcore Survivor fan but you're not going to learn anything new or groundbreaking unless you are a casual fan who doesn't listen to RHAP, etc.
August 4, 2023
So I kind of love Survivor. It's a FABULOUS show that analyzes social constructs--race, gender, sexuality, personality types, alphas and subordinates, beauty vs brawns vs brains (which yes, was a season). I will watch season after season. I prefer the earlier ones though (let's practice survival rather than chasing all over for a hidden immunity idol.)
This book lifts the lid on all things Survivor. Even starting with why people like it so much. About how Jeff Probst is both "God" and a "puppet master." How it is still scripted and yet so many times goes deliciously off script.
The Lie about the Truck is best for those who love Survivor. Because when you recognize names like Boston Rob, Tony, Russel Hantz, Parvati, Ozzy, Yauman....and you get why they are being used as an example, the social constructs become more clear. And trust me, I haven't watched every season. So I was in the dark about some of it.
It truly is a good microhistory on reality TV and why we are drawn to it though!
This book lifts the lid on all things Survivor. Even starting with why people like it so much. About how Jeff Probst is both "God" and a "puppet master." How it is still scripted and yet so many times goes deliciously off script.
The Lie about the Truck is best for those who love Survivor. Because when you recognize names like Boston Rob, Tony, Russel Hantz, Parvati, Ozzy, Yauman....and you get why they are being used as an example, the social constructs become more clear. And trust me, I haven't watched every season. So I was in the dark about some of it.
It truly is a good microhistory on reality TV and why we are drawn to it though!
October 3, 2023
This book took a while to get into, as the first few chapters the author seems to be apologizing for her fandom and the fact she watches any reality tv. I'm reading this book because I am interested in her analysis of Survivor, so backpedaling and writing things saying that if she was a true fan, she would listen to the podcasts, read the articles, rewatch all of the seasons, seems a but insulting to the reader. Plus, as a writer of nonfiction, I would hope she would do those things to give us a more complete analysis.
Once you get past the early chapters, the book picks up and is organized in a way that makes sense.
If you are a fan of Survivor, you may enjoy this book. If you aren't, there's nothing for you here. And if you haven't already watched all of the seasons- be forewarned, there are tons of spoliers.
Once you get past the early chapters, the book picks up and is organized in a way that makes sense.
If you are a fan of Survivor, you may enjoy this book. If you aren't, there's nothing for you here. And if you haven't already watched all of the seasons- be forewarned, there are tons of spoliers.
October 4, 2022
This was a very interesting overview of the show Survivor - what makes it appealing viewing, what makes it insidious, and how it’s made. I don’t watch the show but this made me feel better-informed about it. A few bits of it probably could have supported their own books, especially the too-brief section on the show’s cultural and environmental impact on its shooting locations. I suspect the book is even more interesting for those who watch the show, or maybe it would just tell you things you already know.
May 5, 2024
Overall, mostly just a “fan” (not quite sure if she actually is a fan? Or just wanted to write a book about Survivor?) tells stories and observations from the show that is more summary than anything.
While it did make fun of the show, I really did enjoy the wit the author brings (I laughed out loud a few times!) and the critique, asking why things like gender and race were overlooked and addressed poorly in the show over the years.
While it did make fun of the show, I really did enjoy the wit the author brings (I laughed out loud a few times!) and the critique, asking why things like gender and race were overlooked and addressed poorly in the show over the years.
May 10, 2022
If you are not familiar with Survivor, this book is not for you. I had hoped that this book would be a behind the scenes look into reality television, which I love. However, it was a recap/play by play of some famous and infamous Survivor moments. There were a few new insights about the production and host, but most of the book was the author replaying the hits. Thankfully, I love Survivor, so I found joy in this read.
December 4, 2021
Any self respecting Survivor fan should have a good time reading this, I know I sure did. Brings back a lot of fun memories, a walk down memory lane.
January 5, 2022
Some interesting info about the show, but the author couldn't help but constantly make her presence known. The best authors are invisible to the reader.
April 23, 2022
Reread, really enjoy a great pop culture study.
December 4, 2021
Sort of like a clip show hosted by an academic. It was fun. I learned a few surprising things.
June 3, 2025
This was good when it was talking about great survivor plays and far less interesting when they were talking about generic ideas of perception and deception
October 25, 2023
I am a huge Survivor fan and I was excited to read this book. Unfortunately, it offered nothing new or interesting. It was just the author's random thoughts about Survivor, somewhat randomly grouped by topic. There was some outright incorrect information, like claiming that All Stars had two winners (Ethan and Jenna) though there were actually three (Tina!) and calling Natalie Anderson Indian. I'm really confused about the whole purpose of this book. It seems to me that the author actually really hates Survivor, and not in a love-to-hate-it way.
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