Who He. Illustrated

Who He? by Alfred Bester is a sharp, psychologically driven novel that departs from his more famous science fiction works to explore the dark underbelly of 1950s American television culture. Published in 1953, this noir-flavored thriller unfolds in the chaotic and cutthroat world of live broadcast TV—a setting Bester knew intimately from his own career as a screenwriter.

The story follows Jake Broderick, a successful television scriptwriter, who wakes up in a hotel room with no memory of the past 36 hours and a growing suspicion that his life is unraveling. As Jake investigates what happened during his blackout, he becomes entangled in a paranoid spiral involving blackmail, betrayal, and a hidden enemy bent on his destruction. The narrative pulses with psychological tension as Jake races against time—and his own fraying mind—to uncover the truth.

Far from a conventional mystery, Who He? is a biting satire of television's glossy facade and the people who inhabit it. Bester crafts a world of egos, scripts, and secrets, blending fast-paced storytelling with psychological depth and social critique.

With its vivid prose, clipped dialogue, and noir sensibility, Who He? stands out as a bold experiment from a writer who never repeated himself. It is a forgotten gem—less well known than The Demolished Man or The Stars My Destination, but equally compelling in its exploration of identity and media-driven madness.