Over the years, fans of the longggggg- (and I mean lonnnnnnnggggg) running animated show The Simpsons have
seen plenty of books written about it. Some tackle the
philosophy, some the satire, and some the humor found in the show. Mike Reiss, a
long-time writer for the series, writes an entertaining autobiography/fan
guide combo for a show that’s marking its 30th season on air starting in the Fall of
2018.
Reiss’s book splits evenly
between a discussion of his life/early career and his time on The Simpsons. He wrote for
other “hits” in the past, such as The Critic, Sledge Hammer!, and It’s
Garry Shandling’s Show. If anything, he demonstrates that you can make a neat career
through perseverance and hitting a couple of home runs along the way. His puns, one-liners, and satire are also found throughout the book. Yes, you will chuckle and perhaps laugh quite a bit. Beyond his
life, Reiss brings a fair bit of insight into how an episode of The Simpsons
is put together from start to finish, from Los Angeles to South Korea and back.
He also talks about the show itself, albeit not to a huge extent, devoting some
space to his colleagues and the voices that make up the beloved series.
As one who has watched most of The
Simpsons episodes, the process behind how each one is put together is interesting and I appreciate reading that. Beyond that, the book reads
quickly and provides several funny moments (I learned the children’s book business
is kinda sleazy!). I also picked up some Kardashian jokes along the
way. It’s not going to make for the most intelligent, thought-provoking read, but you will laugh and learn a little more about the longest-running primetime
television series in history.
MY RATING - 3.5
