The Sopranos: A Family History (Paperback)

by Allen Rucker (Author), David Chase (Creator) "The Soprano family provides a unique chapter in the annals of American crime-and American life-and I am pleased to open my files to this query..." (more)
Key Phrases: made guy, Tony Soprano, New York, Johnny Boy (more...)

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: NAL Trade; Updated edition (September 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0451202465
• ISBN-13: 978-0451202468
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 8.7 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,074,803 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars FORGETTABOUTIT! THIS BOOK ROCKS!, November 13, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The Sopranos: A Family History (Hardcover)

I was expecting to see some cheesy rehash of everything we already knew about the Sopranos -- but man, was I wrong! I was simply blown away by this companion book. The chapters not only introduce each character for newbies who aren't familiar with the series, but provides tons of little tidbits about everyone's history that almost reads like a novel! There are great items like newspaper clips, FBI intercepted e-mails, profiles, and clever design elements that give the whole story behind the story. there's even some complaint sheets from Livia's stay at the old folks home that are hilarious. The pictures are awesome -- the book overall is very beautiful and worth every cent. Even better, there are interviews with the cast and a longer one with series creator David Chase. This truly is a collector's item, and should be on the top of any Sopranos fan Christmas list!

30 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wernick's introduction sets the tone, March 8, 2001

By	James P. Finnegan (Chappaqua, NY USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Sopranos: A Family History (Hardcover)

As a huge (pronounced "yooge") fan of "The Sopranos," I approached this book with some trepidation (pronounced "trepidation"). I've seen every episode at least three times and I've been known to start reciting lines from the show at business meetings and in Church. I worried that the book would be written by some doozybotts who didn't know nothing about the show. I was very surprised to find that, not only does Mr. Rucker know everything there is to know about "The Sopranos," he knows even more about the Sopranos. In other words -- if I've lost you -- he tells us stuff about the family that we haven't learned from the show. The book reads like a Mario Puzo novel in places and not at all like some trashy TV companion book. (I once read "Where the The Real Car 54 Is," allegedly written by Gunther Tooty, and it wasn't worth the paper it was written on.) My only complaint is that the introduction, by crime reporter extraordinaire Jeffrey Wernick, was not longer. That man has some insight! Buy the book today!

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars It'll be a "hit" on your coffee table, June 15, 2001

By	Brian D. Rubendall (Oakton, VA) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: The Sopranos: A Family History (Hardcover)

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.