The National Enquirer: Thirty Years of Unforgettable Images

O.J. Tonya Harding. Jim and Tammy Faye. Monica. The lurid images of our collective unconscious return in this paperback edition of 2001's lush coffee table photo gallery from America's most prestigious celebrity scandal sheet. Included is former Talk editor Jonathan Mahler's short history of the Enquirer, from its early days as a mob-funded purveyor of pulp to its current status as a pillar of the ever-more-tabloidized mainstream, as well as an intro from American Media editorial director Steve Coz. Really, though, it's all about the pictures. The emphasis is on the profanation of the sacred through the display of movie stars, uber-models and rock deities in all their aging, haggard, strung-out, stubbly humanity. Few come off looking good aside from those-like JonBenet Ramsey-who are bathed in the glamour of imminent martyrdom. The editors even reprint mug shots and high school yearbook photos. Lengthy captions give all the juicy details, but the wittiest commentary is the thematic arrangement of facing-page photos: father-daughter relationships are exemplified by a hugging Aaron and Tori Spelling and a smooching Woody and Soon-Yi, while another pointed match-up pairs a photo of a mummified ghoul with one of Michael Jackson. You should put it down, but you just can't.