Woke Up This Morning

September 13, 2021
“There isn’t a dramatic series anywhere... that doesn’t owe something to The Sopranos,” write actors Imperioli and Schirripa in this spectacular tell-all about the making of the Emmy-winning hit television series. As The Sopranos stars confess in their intro, “after more than twenty years, we figured, what the fuck? Let’s just let it all out.” This entertaining guide delivers on that promise with interviews that get up close and personal with the cast (Lorraine Bracco, Edie Falco, Jamie-Lynn Sigler), series creator David Chase, various directors, and a slew of others who worked on The Sopranos during its six-season run. They hash out shooting the show’s stunts (“It was two fat, sweaty, out-of-shape guys fighting. That’s why it looked real,” says Schirripa); the “cunnilingus and psychiatry” story line (inspired by an “ex-mob guy” working in the writers’ room); and the series’ controversial finale (more than 20 years later, it’s still a thorn in the side for Chase). What makes this sing is the passion and energy brought by Imperioli and Schirripa and its indelible tribute to the late James Gandolfini. As Aida Turturro (Janice Soprano) recalls, “He was there for you no matter what.” This is the ultimate book on The Sopranos, made by the people who lived it. Agent: Michael Harriot, Folio Literary.

October 1, 2021
A multivocal history of one of the greatest TV shows ever made. Imperioli and Schirripa, who played Christopher Moltisanti and Bobby Baccalieri on The Sopranos, took the occasion of the pandemic to watch every episode (86) of the series and then dissect it with the help of cast and crew. This book draws on the resulting podcast, with 44 cast members and 20 crew members, including creator David Chase, in tow. There's plenty of news here--e.g., that Michael Rispoli, who played Jackie Aprile, and Steven Van Zandt, who played Silvio Dante, were both in the running for the role of Tony Soprano. James Gandolfini eventually won that role, and it's hard to imagine anyone else in it. On that note, as the authors write, "Can you imagine The Sopranos with Lorraine Bracco as Carmela, instead of Edie Falco? Turns out that very easily could have happened." Bracco, though, opted to play Jennifer Melfi, the psychiatrist, by virtue of the fact that she represented an intelligent Italian woman, altogether too rare in film and TV portrayals. The authors locate the origin of the series in a 1996 indie movie directed by Steve Buscemi called Trees Lounge, a film in which not much happens but in which many of the cast members of The Sopranos made appearances three years before the series launched. Devotees will revel in the stroll into series minutiae, from the accompanying music to how characters were slated to die (said Tony Sirico, aka Paulie Walnuts, to a writer, "You ever write a script where I die, first I die, then you die"). In many sections, the conversation goes deep: Who would have noticed that when Tony and Dr. Melfi appear together, their clothing colors "either match or clash"? Of course, there's plenty of discussion about the last scene of the final episode, with Schirripa opining, "I feel Tony Soprano is alive and well and living in New Jersey." Essential for fans, with a revelation on every page.

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November 5, 2021

In this surprising, humorous, and heartfelt trip down memory lane, HBO's groundbreaking series The Sopranos is fondly remembered by those most involved in its creation and phenomenal success. With coauthor Philip Lerman (Dadditude), Sopranos actors Imperioli and Steve Schirripa draw from their podcast Talking Sopranos as they break down each season with behind-the-scenes stories and forthright conversations with series creator David Chase, other actors, and crew members--including the sound engineer and stunt coordinator--among others. Imperioli and Schirripa attribute the show's success to Chase's impeccable attention to detail, his avoidance of Italian American stereotypes (particularly in his depiction of complicated, strong Italian American women), and his insistence on a large budget for music. They weigh in on the best lines from the series and the most effective uses of songs, and delve into technical challenges, like hiding microphones and making fights appear realistic. The presence of the late, great James Gandolfini's presence looms large throughout this oral history; coworkers both praise his generosity and admit that working with the sometimes-prickly leading man could be tense. VERDICT This nostalgia-inducing, funny, and thought-provoking tribute rises to the top of works about The Sopranos.--Lisa Henry, Kirkwood P.L., MO

Copyright 2021 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from October 15, 2021
Ever wished you could hang out with the cast and crew of The Sopranos and just listen to them trade stories? Well, now you can. Coauthors Imperioli (he played Christopher Moltisanti) and Schirripa (Bobby Bacalieri) started a podcast a while back in which they share memories with castmates and behind-the-scenes people, and this book features many of those conversations. There are plenty of tantalizing bits of trivia--Tony was Tommy Soprano in the pilot script; producers wanted Lorraine Bracco to play Tony's wife, but she said she would only consider playing Melfi, the psychiatrist--but this isn't just a trivia collection. Mostly it's about friends and colleagues getting together to pay tribute to one another and to a series that rewrote many of the rules of television. Love and respect for the show's star, the late James Gandolfino, permeates the book, as does admiration for the show's creator, David Chase, who started with a vague idea about a crook and his mother and built it into something that's almost Shakespearean in its thematic scope. For Sopranos fans looking for something a little less overwhelming and more personal than The Soprano Sessions (2019), this one is an absolute must-read.

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