REALITY MATTERS: What You Owe Yourself

by Richard Hatch

299 pages, Paperback

Published July 31, 2026

About the author

Richard Hatch won the original Survivor in 2000, outlasting fifteen castaways on a Malaysian island in front of 52 million viewers — and then spent the next twenty-five years in a legal battle that began when he contacted the IRS for help determining what, if any, U.S. tax he owed on the prize. That fight, which included federal prison time, remains before the First Circuit Court of Appeals today.
He holds degrees in Applied Behavioral Sciences and Education and Counseling, attended West Point, and is a PADI-certified scuba instructor. A lifelong atheist, he has been asking the same question since he was seven years old: but is this actually true?
Reality Matters: What You Owe Yourself (Deeper Press, 2026) explores the gap between what we believe and what is actually so. Rich writes about his time on the island, in our justice system, and a lifetime spent choosing what is real over what is comfortable. He writes weekly at DeeperWithHatch on Substack and lives in Newport, Rhode Island.

Reviews

[Kristin Hatch]

I really enjoyed this book because it was an easy and engaging read. It left me thinking about my own life and the world around me. The book gives us a look into Richard’s life while also offering a perspective on the world we live in today. Even after I finished reading, I found myself continuing to think about the ideas and perspectives it presented.

[Chris]

The cover makes so much sense when he tells the story about his grandma!

[Steve Garrett]

Great read!
Points out the hypocrisy of everyday life and how we can get around it, if you’re willing to.