Overview

In this revealing memoir, a fan favorite America's Next Top Model contestant pulls back the curtain on the iconic but deeply flawed reality competition show, exposing the manipulation and chaos behind the scenes. ""A delicious, hilariously relatable behind-the-scenes memoir. A page-turning lark turns into an internal (rather than external) makeover."" -Maria Bamford, New York Times bestselling author of Sure, I'll Join Your Cult In this revealing memoir, a fan favorite America's Next Top Model contestant pulls back the curtain on the iconic but deeply flawed reality competition show, exposing the manipulation and chaos behind the scenes. ""A delicious, hilariously relatable behind-the-scenes memoir. A page-turning lark turns into an internal (rather than external) makeover."" -Maria Bamford, New York Times bestselling author of Sure, I'll Join Your Cult Tyra Banks's America's Next Top Model was a cultural phenomenon with more than six million weekly viewers at its peak. Over its fifteen-year run, the show captured the glitz of the early aughts as well as its most toxic attitudes-from the glamorous but often questionable photo shoots to the cutting feedback from its highly respected if out-of-touch judges. But as its fans have grown up and as the next generation discovers ANTM, they've also begun to reckon with the enduring ways that the show has affected their body image and self-esteem. Sarah Hartshorne would have never guessed that her first foray into modeling would start with being blindfolded alongside three dozen other girls on a charter bus winding through Puerto Rico. In You Wanna Be On Top?, Cycle 9's only plus-size contestant takes us into the heart of the unforgiving auditions; the labyrinthian cruise ship the girls weren't allowed to enjoy; and, of course, the L.A. ""model house"" teeming with hidden cameras and elaborately constructed tensions. As the season unfolds and the producers' interview questions about her weight and her opinions of the other girls become increasingly pointed, Hartshorne uncovers the destabilizing methods employed to film ""reality."" Drawing on her experience as well as interviews with other contestants and production crew, Hartshorne answers the questions you always wanted to ask- Why didn't the house have a microwave or a dishwasher? Why did girls regularly faint during eliminations? Which judge was the meanest off camera? Why is it that the girls had their most meaningful conversations in closets? (Answer- It was the one place camera crews couldn't fit.) With tender honesty and sharp wit, Hartshorne dissects the iconic show with an unflinching gaze that refuses to smize.

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Reviews

“A delicious, hilariously relatable behind-the-scenes memoir. A page-turning lark turns into an internal (rather than external) makeover.”—Maria Bamford, New York Times bestselling author of Sure, I'll Join Your Cult “Juicy, nostalgic, entertaining, and disturbing, You Wanna Be on Top? is the America's Next Top Model exposé I didn't know I needed. For any adolescent of the mid-aughts, this book is required reading.”—Amanda Montell, New York Times bestselling author of The Age of Magical Overthinking, Cultish, and Wordslut “You Wanna Be on Top? takes a frank and philosophical look at the chaos undergirding the production of America’s Next Top Model. Hartshorne is refreshingly candid about the poisonous dysfunction of the reality show world, but she never takes the easy way out by making her fellow competitors into caricatures or the crew members into villains. In her funny, thoughtful telling, the show comes alive in a whole new way.”—Rax King, author of Tacky “Reading You Wanna Be on Top? is like listening to your most talented and humorous friend reveal an extraordinary secret about their lives. Hartshorne’s memoir is funny yet stealthily powerful and imparts a deep compassion for those who have to exist in a world that feels like it was not built for them.”—Youngmi Mayer, author of I’m Laughing Because I’m Crying

Author Information

Sarah Hartshorne is a writer, comedian, and content creator. She was the plus-size contestant on Cycle 9 of America's Next Top Model. After the show, she modeled all over the world for clients like Glamour, Vogue, Skechers, and more. She's written about her experiences with plus-size modeling, travel, and body image for The Guardian, Gawker, and Teen Vogue. She lives in New York City with her husband and daughter.

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