Bachelor NationBachelor Nation

For sixteen years and thirty-five seasons, the Bachelor franchise has been a mainstay in the lives of American television viewers. Since it premiered in 2002, the show's popularity and relevance have only grown. Bestselling writers and famous actors live-tweet about it. Die-hard fans -- dubbed 'Bachelor Nation' -- participate in fantasy leagues and viewing parties. And more than eight million viewers tuned in to see the conclusion of 2017's season. Los Angeles Times journalist Amy Kaufman is a proud member of Bachelor Nation and has a long history with the franchise. ABC even banned her from attending show events after her coverage of the program got a little too real for its liking. She has interviewed dozens of producers, contestants, and celebrity fans to give readers never-before-told details of the show's inner workings: what it's like to be trapped in the mansion 'bubble'; dark tales of producer manipulation; and revelations about the alcohol-fueled debauchery that occurs long before the Fantasy Suite. Kaufman also explores what our fascination means, culturally: what the show says about the way we view so-called ideal suitors; why we have a subconscious yearning for fairy-tale romance; and how this enduring television show has shaped society's feelings about love, marriage, and feminism by appealing to a marriage plot that's as old as the best of Jane Austen.