The Wire: Truth Be Told [Hardcover]

Rafael Alvarez (Author)

Product Details

• Hardcover
• Publisher: Pocket Books (1980)
• ASIN: B000N78VMO
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #7,963,634 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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38 of 40 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars First Timers Only, December 29, 2007

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LVT06 - See all my reviews

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This review is from: The Wire: Truth Be Told (Hardcover)

As with the earlier review, because this book is mostly episode summaries of the TV series, it doesn't give die-hard fans any real production or factual background. There are some interesting sidebar sections about the writers, cast and the city that will appeal to fan interest. But if you've followed all the seasons and own the DVDs, this book won't add much to your appreciation.

88 of 104 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Gritty Sociology and Political Economy of Urban Crime, November 5, 2004

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Ernest Yanarella "Ernie Yanarella" (Lexington, KY) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Wire: Truth Be Told (Hardcover)

Anyone interested in seeing what a group of creative and compassionate writers bound by little network interference can do with a subject matter and a place caught in the throes of globalization, deindustrialization, and mounting despair and hopelessness for a large segment of the population need go no further than this book. More penetrating and revealing than dry scholarly tomes on these subjects, the writers of this book divulge the often painful tensions of producing, writing, and filming "The Wire," arguably the best dramatic series on television. Precisely because it grows out of the knowledge and life experiences of the producers, writers, and actors who have lived in this city, the series has a ring of authenticity and pathos that past commercial crime series for the most part lacked. Building upon the critical acclaim of "Homicide," the producers and writers led by David Simon and the late Bob Colesberry take "The Wire" to a new level of quality, realism, and art. The discerning watcher is rewarded with complex character sketches, twisting and demanding plots, and stunning filming that almost literally keep the viewer glued to the screen. In addition, the series puts a spotlight on both the irrationalities of the contemporary drug war and the humanity and moral complexity of even the most hardened criminal or drug kingpin. Humor, tragedy, callousness, and irony. Love, sex, drugs, and rock'n roll. Compassion, despair, hope, and avarice. All these ingredients combine into an extended annual series that peels open a layer of the city of Baltimore through stories that tell us much of the hellish possibilities and tender and healing moments of urban America slouching into the first decade of the new Millennium. This is a book with chapters by many of the series' principal contributors. It is a work that deepens one's appreciation for the series' creativity and genius, as well as its profound tragic sense of life and unrelieved tensions. Covering the first two seasons of the program, the book enhances the true fan's knowledge of the series with delightful vignettes, juicy tidbits and nuggets, and honest portraits of the characters who populate the series and the actors who inhabit those characters. Once started, the avid viewer will not be able to put it down. Guaranteed!

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars One for the fans, October 28, 2007

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Juha K. (Helsinki, Finland) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: The Wire: Truth Be Told (Hardcover)

This book will be the most rewarding if you're already familiar with The Wire as well as David Simon's earlier work (Homicide; The Corner).

I thoroughly enjoyed the interviews (such as the one with a real-life drugs kingpin), background stories (like the tale of the "real Bubbles") and trivia (cameo roles, music picks etc.) They brought a lot more depth to the show and made me love it even more.

Episode capsules from the first two seasons take up quite a bit of the book, but there's still plenty to discover for devoted fans. Those unfamiliar with the show should probably start with the DVD sets before picking up this book.