The Simpsons: An Uncensored, Unauthorized History by John Ortved
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(Hardcover)
- Pub. Date: October 2009
- 352pp
- Sales Rank: 9,157
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Product Details
- Pub. Date: October 2009
- Publisher: Faber and Faber
- Format: Hardcover, 352pp
- Sales Rank: 9,157
- ISBN-13: 9780865479883
- ISBN: 0865479887
Synopsis
John Ortved's oral history is the first-ever look behind the scenes at the creation and day-to-day running of the television phenomenon known as The Simpsons as told by many of the people who make it.
The Washington Post - Louis Bayard
How did such a curious artifact become "the most powerful, lasting, and resonant entertainment force television has ever seen"? That is the task taken up by Ortved's "uncensored, unauthorized" history, which is as tasty as a pink-glazed donut with sprinkles, as refreshing as a Duff beer and as piquant as a curry slushy from Kwik-E Mart. And doubly delightful because, for once, the heroes are writers.
More Reviews and RecommendationsBiography
John Ortved's writing has appeared in Vanity Fair, Interview, The New York Observer, and Vice. He lives in New York City.
Customer Reviews
Interesting Read for Simpsons Fanaticsby JohnBrooks
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January 05, 2010: This unauthorized look at the creation and behind-the-scenes workings of the Fox television staple "The Simpsons" is an interesting look at how the creative and business sides of television production work and will likely appeal most to serious fans of the show.
It's mostly a tsunami of interviews strung together with minimal narrative by the author. The book covers the origin of the show and focuses largely on the early years where the show really developed its character and shines a light on some of the key figures in the evolution of the program.I enjoyed being taken behind the scenes to see how important clout is in the business and just how many creative minds it takes to get a show like this off the ground. There is plenty of focus on the large egos needed to create the show and plenty of drama to keep the reader moving forward.There were times that the book seemed to be spinning its wheels in place a bit - I think it would have benefitted from more aggressive editing. The sheer amount of interviews and quotes was impressive but could have been cut back while still getting its point across.Being an unauthorized history, the author did not land direct interviews with key figures in the book, relying on previously published quotes from Matt Groening and others. Since the book raises issues involving Groening, as well as James Brooks and Sam Simon, it would have been great to have their reactions to some of the opinions given about them and their actions.The author also is fairly clear in his opinion about recent seasons and the quality of other related programs in the book. His opinions do not really take away from core stories related.I found this book interesting and would recommend it for anyone who would like a glance into the back rooms of a TV program. Simpsons fans should certainly consider reading this.
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