Customer Reviews

The Andy Griffith Show Book: From Miracle Salve to Kerosene Cucumbers : The Complete Guide to One of Television's Best-Loved Shows

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Everything you ever wanted to know about Mayberry, but didn't know whom to ask. Until now. Painstakingly assembled by two self-proclaimed "Goobers" who have likely forgotten more TAGS tidbits than you or I will ever know, this exhaustive guide is very well-organized and easy on the eye. The first time I read it, during a memorably relaxing trip to the north Georgia mountains, I devoured it in one luxurious sitting, and I still refer to it often. It's that entertaining, addictive and authoritative.

It's important to note, the authors present facts about Mayberry and its denizens as if they were real (and don't try to tell me they aren't!), leaving the task of analyzing the program itself to other scholars. (Such as Richard Michael Kelly, whose own TAGS book is top-shelf.)

The rampant commercialization of all things Mayberry in recent years is more than a little disconcerting. The loving care that went into the making of this book, however, is not in question. For my money, it is the only indispensable reference for those with Mayberry in their blood.

Ken Beck and Jim Clark no doubt eat, drink, and breath the Andy Griffith Show as they must have watched every episode several times with pen and paper in hand to create this book filled with almost every bit of trivia you'd want to know about the show, not to mention their many other books on TAGS. This book is not about the actors, writers, behind-the-scenes activities, or the philosophy of the show, it is a book on the characters, places, and happenings in Mayberry. The episodes of the television show is the only source for this book.

Some reviewers do not think a book recapping the events of the television show is valuable, but it is for trivia buffs and for fan fiction writers. Fans who like to write Mayberry-related stories can find all sorts of helpful tidbits in this book. There is even an episode guide in the back with brief synopses. It is very useful for those who have not seen all the episodes or cannot remember certain details about the characters, places, etc. I have referred to this book several times in writing just one fan fiction story. It is very well-organized and usually offers that little detail I'm looking for. I was very surprised how much information is offered in this book.

Every character is profiled (almost all with photos) from the main ones to those who were only on a short time or intermittently like Ellie Walker, the Darlings, Clara Edwards Johnson, Emmett Clark, Sam Jones, and that adorable Warren Ferguson (with a nice photo I have not seen before). For trivia buffs, there are chapters on "Cops and Robbers," "Codes and Cases," "Mayberry Media" (local newspapers, radio stations, tv stations, tv programs enjoyed by Mayberry residents), "Music of Mayberry," "Contradictions," and more. There is also a helpful map of Mayberry with all the important spots like Myer's Lake, the Duck Pond, the Darling's cabin, and Ernest T. Bass' cave, a town directory and yellow pages for both Mayberry and Mt. Pilot. It also has a quiz. There are scores of b&w photos throughout the book. My only complaint is that the episode guide is not divided up into seasons. Recommended for anyone interested in the characters of TAGS.

I ordered this book, sight unseen, as a gift for my father, a longtime Andy Griffith show fan. Having received it, and having perused it, I am actually not certain I want to send it to Dad--it is that disappointing. Those looking for behind the scenes accounts, biographical information, or any real description of how the show was made should avoid this book completely. What you will find here is simple recitations of the characters on the show, and whatever information one can obtain on each one based on careful viewings of every episode. If you don't know who the actors are, you will gain almost nothing from this--for example, I was very interested in who played the musical Darlings, but the identity of the band was revealed only in a very brief and very trivial factoid. Overall, I am really not sure who would want to read this--if you've seen enough of the Andy Griffith show, you already know most of what is here, and what you don't know is trivial at best. Try another book for real information on the show and its making.

For those of us who view ourselves as all-knowing about Andy Griffith Show trivia, this book will make you better. It has most, if not all, of the trivia you will ever look for. Any question about the show, the characters, Mayberry or the episodes is answered here. How many middle names did Barney have & what were they? Which door was the mail slot in? How many episodes was Ernest T Bass in? What was the name of Andy's fishing pole? It's all in this book. I gave my brother (another Andy Griffith trivia buff) one of these & had to buy one for myself. A great reference book.

This is the second book I have read about The Andy Griffith Show. (The first one was Barney Fife and Other Characters I Have Known, written by Don Knotts with Robert Metz)
This book has very descriptive information about all the favorite characters from the show, based on what is known about them from the episodes of the show. There is NO information about the actors that played these roles, JUST the characters. These facts are put together in an easy-to-read style that will make for pleasant browsing or looking up trivia facts. There are also many nice photos in the book, some in color (fortieth anniversary edition) and there are quizzes, lists, and an episode guide with very brief summaries of the shows.
It is a really nice book and can be enjoyed by fans of the show in any age group, from youth to grownup.
And even though there is no actual show production stories or actor interviews in this book, it does do a good job of profiling the characters and showing their individual personalities in the context of the world they exist in, that of their beloved Mayberry.

This is the ultimate book about the Andy Griffith Show. It's a wonderful collection of photos, memories and trivia.

Some others who have reviewed this book complained that there is nothing written in it of the actors and their lives. That's because THIS BOOK IS ABOUT THE SHOW, NOT THE ACTORS!!! Therefore that assessment is not really applicable here. There is another excellent book out there which does cover the lives of the actors, but The Andy Griffith Show Book was written specifically to showcase the country quirkyness of the town of Mayberry and the wit and wisdom of its residents. And, it does so in excellent fashion.

Anyone who loves the show will love this book.

this is book is wonderful! it is by far the best andy griffith book that is out there.

Wonderful, just what I anticipated. Thank you for distributing this excellent review of the show, and list of all episodes.

If you are a TAGS lover, this book is for you. Its so much fun!

Was looking for a comprehensive book on The Andy Griffith Show that had very detailed synopsis of each of the 249 episodes. This book is NOT that. There are synopsis of each show in the back, but they are brief and don't even have the DATE the show was on, etc. I was looking for something that devoted a whole page or half a page to each episode and told you interesting facts behind the filming of that show. This book is primarily a chapter by chapter review of each individual character in the show. I don't care to read chapters about each character like Clara Edwards and Howard Sprague. You can get info about these actors at IMDB. Sorry, but this book was of no use to me. Wish I hadn't bought it.