Peepshow: Media and Politics in an Age of Scandal

My daughter read this book to help her write a research paper in her government class. I got curious, so I read it too. Excellent information, with lots of concrete examples of media invading the private lives of public figures. Also gives great examples of public figures wanting to use their private lives as part of their campaigns (for public image-building), and then resenting the intrusion of the media. I look forward to an updated edition, since this was published in 2000.

I've been waiting for a book like this for a long time. It offers, at last, a clear-headed and incisive analysis of the whole scandal mess in today's media. It's short, to-the-point, delightful reading that I found tremendously entertaining. Anybody who listens to the daily diet of dirty laundry on the news will love this book.