The Image. The Guide to Pseudo-events in America

The Image: A Guide to Pseudo-Events in America is a provocative book that introduced the concept of "pseudo-events"—events such as press conferences or presidential debates, fabricated solely to be reported by the media—and the modern definition of a celebrity as "a person who is known for his well-knownness." But it is also a prophetic book for our digital age, where fake news allows fictions to displace facts, and illusions replace ideals. First published in 1962, Daniel Boorstin's book has been repeatedly reprinted, taught in universities, and cited in sociological studies.

"Boorstin's book tells us how to look and listen—and what to think about what we see and hear."

— George Will, Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist (1977)

"A book everyone in America should read once every few years."

— Jennifer Egan, Pulitzer Prize-winning author (2011)

"The book that best explains Trump's rise may have been published in 1962."

— The Atlantic