The West Wing Script Book (Paperback)

~ (Editor) "The well-dressed and powerful are having after-dinner drinks in the crowded hotel lounge..." (more)
Key Phrases: White House, Secret Service, New Hampshire (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

First-time publication of 6 full scripts from the hit NBC show—winner of 9 Emmy® Awards, including Best Drama writing—selected and introduced by the acclaimed show creator and screenwriter of The American President and A Few Good Men. Here is the first collection of scripts from the show's first two seasons, including the Emmy® Award-winning episode "In Excelsis Deo." The NBC show, named "TV Show of the Year" by Entertainment Weekly, stars Rob Lowe, Dule Hill, Allison Janney, Janel Moloney, John Spencer, Richard Schiff, Bradley Whitford, and Martin Sheen. Reviewers and fans of The West Wing agree that one of the very best aspects of this series is its writing, which blends an unstoppable sense of urgency with strong character development against the background of the day-to-day activities of the highest office in the country. In this book, readers can revisit their favorite episodes, following the fictional American President Bartlet and his key White House staff, his family, and the press as they deal with the urgencies of the moment. As compelling to read as they are to watch, these scripts represent the most complete source for the writers' and creators' visions.

About the Author

Aaron Sorkin serves as creator, writer, and executive producer on The West Wing. He previously created and executive-produced the ABC series Sports Night, and wrote the feature films The American President and A Few Good Men.

Product Details

• Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: Newmarket Press; 1st edition (June 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1557044996
• ISBN-13: 978-1557044990
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #289,607 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in this category: (What's this?)

  #46 in

  Books > Entertainment > Television > Screenwriting

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

30 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Like Watching the Episode Without Turning on the TV!, August 16, 2003

By	Lisa Verson (Dayton, OH) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Amazon Verified Purchase

I was so happy when the script book finally came out. Even though it only contains six scripts of Aaron Sorkin's incredible writing, it's much better than nothing at all. I found this to be just like watching the episode in my head. I guess the only thing I wish is that there were more scripts in it! Other than that, it is great. If you love "The West Wing" or Aaron Sorkin's writing, buy this. You will not be disappointed!

24 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Reruns at Your Own Pace, December 27, 2002

By	Janefpl (West Orange, New Jersey United States) - See all my reviews

The episodes presented in "The West Wing Script Book" were obviously chosen because they have two strong points in common. First, these are the scripts which introduce each main character in "The West Wing" and which tell the stories of how each came to travel the road that brought them to work together in Washington. Second, the scripts contain the most powerful scenes that reveal the personalities of the characters. The book includes those pivotal events such as the President's flashbacks about his relationship with his father, Toby's moral dilemma in finding out about the President's MS, Josh and Donna's reasons why each depends on the other, Sam's accidental tryst with a call girl and C.J.'s damage control with the press, Ainsley's anti-ERA speech, and Charlie's initial job interview to name only a few.

If you're a "West Wing" fan, you can now fully digest the subtlety and cleverness of the writing you may have missed during the rapid-fire pace of the show. If you are not a fan, this book is a good introduction to the dynamics of the cast and the premise of the show. These are the episodes that not only "let Bartlett be Bartlett," they are the ones that show the entire cast at its best.

27 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars As vibrant as the finished TV show, June 25, 2002

By	William Gallagher "william_gallagher" (England) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Two very important things first: this has six scripts, not the eight it was planned to and it doesn't include the episode In Excelsis Deo; also, people who have claimed that the scripts are available online are mistaken. It appears that a version of the pilot is, but the rest are transcripts. That's like comparing a symphonic score to the instructions to key music into your mobile phone. These published scripts come complete not just with deft scene-setting but also errors that give you a sense of a working document and, reproduced here as they were given to the cast, their inate sense of pacing and rhythm is kept. It's difficult not to hear the cast's voices as you read but that's a measure of how distinctive each character is and the scripts work quite marvellously on their own. Then, too, Sorkin's introduction and later short notes probably contain more information than we've had on The West Wing DVD extras here in England and if there's anything you'd wish for in the book, it would just be for a Volume 2.