The Simpsons: A Complete Guide to Our Favorite Family (Paperback)

by Matt Groening (Editor) "If "The Simpsons" is a show that rewards you for paying attention (as I've blathered in countless interviews), then this book is for that exalted..." (more)
Key Phrases: Principal Skinner, Sideshow Bob, Movie Moment (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review
Nearly a decade into their run, it's clear that The Simpsons is one of the best-loved and most influential television shows to come down the pike in a long while. If the show's attitude was a little less pervasive, this encyclopedic book would be aimed solely at Simpsons addicts. But that's not entirely true--Matt Groening and Ray Richmond have created a book that is essential for anyone interested in where TV is today. That's not to suggest that the book is serious, though--it's not. The Simpsons: A Complete Guide to Our Favorite Family (that's debatable, but who cares?) is a collection of everything related to the show, from all the "couch gags" during the end of the opening credits, to the complete words to the theme song from The Itchy and Scratchy Show. There are broadcast dates, credits, and hidden jokes for every episode. You'll even find a list of things that make Homer go "Mmm..."

If you're a fan of the show, you'll be hard-pressed to find fault with Ray Richmond's collection. The only glaring one is that the stills often look a little blurry. Oh, and couldn't they have come up with a funnier title? But that's nitpicking. Simpsons fans, you know what to do.

Product Description
It's hard to believe that the Simpsons have been around for a whole decade. When America was first introduced to this nuclear family, they were only featured in 30-second shorts on The Tracey Ullman Show. From these modest origins, they've skyrocketed in popularity, shooting up the charts to become the No.1 FOX show for kids under 17 and No. 4 for adults 18 to 34. Today, The Simpsons is the longest-running animated series of all time (dethroning The Flintstones in February 1997), and an intrinsic part of American pop culture.

The Simpsons is a celebration of this family's phenomenal decade. Arranged by season, the book covers each episode of the television show, with the special episodes (the annual Halloween show, "Who Shot Mr. Burns?" and "Krusty Gets Kancelled") receiving eyeball-busting two-page spreads. In addition, special sidebars are sprinkled throughout, showing:

• Simpsons firsts

• Bart's chalkboard lines

• Top Homerisms

• An Itchy & Scratchy filmography

• A Springfield timeline

• Things the audience may have missed

Highlighting the best of every show, The Simpsons is the ultimate celebration of the cartoon family that has kept America in stitches. It is the ultimate must-have for all Simpsons aficionados.

 

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Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Harper Paperbacks; 1 edition (October 4, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060952520
• ISBN-13: 978-0060952525
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 8 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (213 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #68,296 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars FINALLY - HIGH QUALITY SIMPSONS MERCHANDISE, December 26, 1999

By	Stefano Buatti (Melbourne, Australia) - See all my reviews

If you're a die-hard fan like me and want to know every little hidden secret in each episode, then this book is for you. I wouldn't recommend it for the person that catches an episode of Simpsons whenever they can. This book is so full of trivia tid-bits that you can rest assured that many Simpson newsgroups popped up after the release of this book. Each episode has one or two pages dedicated to it and on these pages you will find, the episode's technical details, a synopsis of the episode, memorable quotes from memorable characters, chunks of "must-memorise" dialogue, film/literary/historical references, and "What You Might Have Missed" - a section of little hidden jokes. Apart from the episode guide there is a list of Homer's "Mmmms", a list of Homer's "Doh's", all the couch gags, all of Bart's blackboard writings, a list of the cast and what voices they do, a list of the signs seen in Springfield, a list of Krusty merchandise, an episode guide for the 42 Simpson shorts seen on the Tracey Ullman show, and an episode guide for The Itchy and Scratch Show. This is NOT one of those 15 page black and white books printed on recycled newspaper with illegible writing and blurry images. This is a high-quality publication from Matt Groening himself.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars For all Simpsons Fans, June 15, 2003

By	The No Evil Killer "Know No Evil" (Everywhere, Anywhere, Nowhere) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

I always wanted to get this book since it came out but just never got around to it until now. Well, I got it dirt cheap but I'm still pleased to have it.

In order, every episode from 1989 to the 1998 season is covered in this book. Each show is given a plot synopsis, funniest lines in quotations, trivia notes and in-joke references along with pictures and cast details. Every page margin has a special section for one-off or returning cameo characters such as Gil or Handsome Pete. The trivia comes in sections called 'Stuff you may have missed' but most of it is easy to spot first time you watch the episodes. The real subtle humor is mostly left out and I can't imagine why this is.

Once each individual season is cover a double page spread is devoted to such whacky stuff as 'The Signs of Springfield'. Anyone who watches the show will know that there is some pretty weird stuff written over the town such as 'Costingtons-Over 200 years without a slogan' or 'Don't eat beef...eat deer'.

Matt Groening designed this book himself and he's done a cool job. It's easy to read and quickly accessible as a reference guide. There are two more books so far in this series that cover the seasons since 1998. I'll get round to buying them someday coz if they are exactly like this then they are definitely worth it.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must have!, January 13, 2002

By	J. N. Mohlman (Barrington, RI USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

"The Simpsons: A Complete Guide to Our Favorite Family" is a must have for any fan of The Simpsons. It is loaded with episode information, inside jokes, quick gags you might have missed and abundance of quotes. It is great to have handy while watching the show, but it is equally fun to just thumb through; surprisingly, the Simpson family is almost as funny in synopsis format as it is on TV.

Furthermore, this isn't just some cheap volume thrown together to make a quick buck. It is printed on high quality paper, in full color, and the stills from the episodes are beautifully rendered (not like the grainy images you frequently see in TV and movie tie-ins). Also, while it may not seem significant, each episode is described using standardized "blocks" (synopsis, Stuff You May Have Missed, etc.) so it is very east to quickly find information about a specific episode. Finally, now that each season is being released on DVD, this book becomes even more useful as it acts as a companion piece to the discs.

This book is great fun, high quality, and a must have for any Simpsons-a-holic.

Enjoy!