After closing out 2021 with my 6 month first ever watch-through of The Sopranos, I frontloaded the front of my reading in 2022 with a few books about the show. This was the first, and what a KICKER of a book it was. Alan Sepinwall and Matt Seitz are two journalists who covered The Sopranos when it was airing 20 years ago, and this book mashes together several different sections, all of terrific interest.
The first section comprises short form pieces analyzing every single episode of the show - this was exactly the "quick run through" I needed after finishing everything. Right after I finished The Sopranos I went back and watched the pilot to see again where everything started from, and while I had no time or interest in re-watching more than that, these recaps and discussions were the perfect "take two" to refresh my memory of a lot of early season stuff. They were also chock full of great analysis of themes, motifs, and elements that only a thoughtful writer could elaborate on after multiple viewings of each episode, as Sepinwall and Seitz have obviously done.
Section Two is a series of interview S&S had with David Chase, the creative force behind the Sopranos for its entire run, and here again we bounce around a number of great topics and questions for Chase to answer. This is followed with a few other shorter sections - excerpts from other conversations with key players the authors had, some snippets from other writers' newspaper articles and reviews during the Sopranos' run, and even some memorial pieces for James Gandolfini.
This is a great, great book for anyone who is a fan of the Sopranos. Without that, you'd be lost, but if you enjoyed the show, this book is a must read.
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