Reality as entertainment? Maybe not so much in books.

Tune in to network TV or even basic cable these days and you're bound to see at least one "Reality TV" show. Granted, most of the popular shows take the form of competitions, be it singing, dancing, designing or cooking, but a healthy number also claim to explore some slices of real life. We get glimpses into the lives of not only celebrities and faux celebrities (like the real housewives of fill-in-the-blank) but also survivalists, fishermen, loggers and ice road truckers. With all that "rea...