The Sopranos: A Family History

Rating:
Summary: It'll be a "hit" on your coffee table
Review: This rather odd book would be a great gift for any Sopranos-phile. Instead of just being a glorified fanzine, it is put together in a style that makes it both compelling and enlightening for even the most ardent fan. The book is written as if the author has put together a real life FBI dossier on New Jersey's leading crime family. Included are artifacts and ancedotes that supposedly provide insight to the agents who are trying to bring down Tony and the boys. It is a clever and amusing way to provide fans of the series with detailed background and insight into the show's myriad of characters. But not to fear, it also provides an episode by episode recap of every show from the first two seasons (hence its one drawback, it covers ONLY the first two seasons). Oddities abound, such as a nursing home report on Livia and a discarded credit card bill showing a month's worth of Meadow's purchases. In fact, were it the real thing, the author's obsession with both of Tony's "families" would be downright creepy. This is the kind of stuff you would expect a stalker to have in his possession. Overall, a worthwhile book for fans, but not the sort of thing you would give to someone who hasn't already been initiated.

Rating:
Summary: It'll be a "hit" on your coffee table
Review: This rather odd book would be a great gift for any Sopranos-phile. Instead of just being a glorified fanzine, it is put together in a style that makes it both compelling and enlightening for even the most ardent fan. The book is written as if the author has put together a real life FBI dossier on New Jersey's leading crime family. Included are artifacts and ancedotes that supposedly provide insight to the agents who are trying to bring down Tony and the boys. It is a clever and amusing way to provide fans of the series with detailed background and insight into the show's myriad of characters. But not to fear, it also provides an episode by episode recap of every show from the first two seasons (hence its one drawback, it covers ONLY the first two seasons). Oddities abound, such as a nursing home report on Livia and a discarded credit card bill showing a month's worth of Meadow's purchases. In fact, were it the real thing, the author's obsession with both of Tony's "families" would be downright creepy. This is the kind of stuff you would expect a stalker to have in his possession. Overall, a worthwhile book for fans, but not the sort of thing you would give to someone who hasn't already been initiated.