Lost Ate My Life: The Inside Story of a Fandom Like No Other [Paperback]

Jon Lachonis (Author), Amy Johnston (Author), Javier Grillo-Marxuach (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1, 2008

By catering directly to an increasingly rabid fan base, Lost bloggers have effectively removed all barriers between the artist and the viewer by hosting one of the largest officially-sponsored independent discussion forums in history. Becoming celebrities in their own right—even controlling the ebb and flow of fan sentiment—the most revered bloggers even affect plot and storyline decisions. Told by two members of the fan community who witnessed the spread and impact of such fervent fandom from the inside, this guide addresses the greatest questions fans have been asking for four seasons: Why does Lost speak so well to our collective unconscious, and why do we consciously endure such mammoth leaps of suspension of disbelief? By examining this unparalleled blogger phenomonen on near-academic levels, the authors successfully break down Lost’s archetypal themes and trace its evolution from the commercial cash-in it was intended to be to the high-concept mixture of philosophy, drama, redemption, science, and faith it became.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"The best book about Lost I have ever read, mostly because it’s not so much about the show but about us, the fans. . . . I've read many a Lost book about theories, episode recaps, and the possible meaning of the mythology, but this book, all about the fans, climbed to the top of my list before I had even finished the first chapter."  —About.com

"Well documented and researched, almost lovingly so."  —Sacramento Book Review

About the Author

Jon Lachonis is best known for his work analyzing the nebulous world of ABC's Lost. His writing has been featured on TheTailsection.com, BuddyTV.com, UGO.com, The California Chronicle online, and the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. He lives in Maine. Amy Johnston is a writer and part-time webmistress who runs a number of fandom-oriented blogs, including The Evil Puppet Masters, and an official fansite for Lost executive producer Bryan Burk. Javier Grillo-Marxuach is an award-winning writer and producer of television, movies, comic books, and interactive media. He is a former writer and supervising producer for Lost, whose writing and production credits for television include Charmed, The Chronicle, Jake 2.0, Medium, The Pretender, and Seaquest. He lives in Los Angeles.

Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: ECW Press (November 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1550228471
• ISBN-13: 978-1550228472
• Product Dimensions: 9.7 x 6.8 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,156,297 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Fangasm For Lost Geeks, December 12, 2008

By 

J. Klyza - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Lost Ate My Life: The Inside Story of a Fandom Like No Other (Paperback)

Lost Ate My Life covers the true staying power behind the TV series - the fanbase. By weaving tales of the show with those of internet fandom, a truly compelling tapestry is created. What is a fan, what are their responsibilities, and what are they owed? Just how did interaction between creator and viewer occur on the level it has with Lost? The story of how it all went down is a unique one. Highly enjoyed.

14 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An informative and interesting look at the Lost fan community, October 26, 2008

By 

Robert Averell (Pittsburgh, PA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Lost Ate My Life: The Inside Story of a Fandom Like No Other (Paperback)

Do you need to be a member of the online Lost fandom to enjoy this book? No. Do you need to be a fan of Lost to enjoy this book? Not necessarily. You just need to be a fan. It doesn't matter what the subject is - if you discover the stranger standing next to you on bus is also fan, spend the rest of the trip discussing knitting... or the Boston Red Sox... or your favorite TV show, you'll understand and enjoy this book. While there is some discussion of Lost and how it came to be, this is mostly a book about fans. It's about how the fans came together, how they interact with each other and the creators of Lost. So, what makes the Lost fandom unique? Read the book.

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The whole truth, November 19, 2008

By 

M. Hegli "Myha" - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Lost Ate My Life: The Inside Story of a Fandom Like No Other (Paperback)

If you have ever set foot online to search for information about Lost, lurked on a message board, or you simply enjoy the show and you want to know what other fans of the show are like you need to read this book. It gives an extremely entertaining and good image of what Lost fandom is like from the inside.
The book tells you what life as an online fan might bring. It tells about how much this show really has meant to some of its fans. Most of all though, the book talks about the people making lost and how much the fans means to them.
"Lost ate my life" is a book for anyone who loves Lost, and for people interested in the amazing phenomenon a fandom is.