Jerry Seinfeld, the Entire Domain: The Entire Domain (Hardcover)

by Kathleen Tracy (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist
"Not that there's anything wrong with it"; "I'm still master of my domain." The list of lines from the TV show Seinfeld that entered into society's conversational repertoire goes on and on. This comedy show, during its nine-year run, reconfigured the sitcom; it ended, not because of low ratings, but because creator Jerry Seinfeld knew to end on a high note, following the old show-biz admonition to leave your audience wanting more. Entertainment journalist and biographer Tracy combines a biography of Seinfeld with a history of Seinfeld. She chronicles his career as a stand-up comedian prior to his stardom as a television personality ("Hearing . . . people laugh was like a drug"). Painting a picture of a man with "extreme self-awareness and confidence," she effectively separates the real Jerry from the television Jerry. The show's three other stars, Jason Alexander, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and Michael Richards, are well featured here. The many Seinfeld fans will learn from and enjoy this book, so expect demand. An episode guide is appended. Brad Hooper

Product Description
Covering his life, from childhood to Hollywood humor mogul, this book offers an intriguing look into Jerry Seinfeld's public persona and private personality, his drives and ambitions, and his complicated love life. in color.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: Birch Lane Press; 1St Edition edition (September 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1559724749
• ISBN-13: 978-1559724746
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #794,317 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars One of the better books about Seinfeld, December 3, 1998

By A Customer

Jerry Seinfeld: the Entire Domain (1998 Birch Lane Press, written by Kathleen Tracy) Perhaps the best biography to date, if in part because it's the most recent and even covers some post-TV show stuff. More oriented towards Jerry's professional life than his personal history, it almost seems at times to be a biography of the career, not the person. But there is plenty of info on Jerry's private life, his loves, his ambitions, etc. But the TV show is the reason to read this book. Tracy takes us through the entire 9 year run from conception to Finale, with lots of FAQworthy tidbits and includes an episode guide at the end. There's also a 12-page color photo section included as an added bonus.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The book that finally explains it!, August 28, 2001

By	Joel L. Gandelman (San Diego, CA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Books about the show Seinfeld and Jerry Seinfeld have become something of a major industry in the United States since the show leap-frogged from it's cult status into a bigtime ratings hit. A lot of these books recounted episodes, offered bios of the actors and had lots of information about Seinfeld's private life. What was MISSING? A book that had a lot of this information but also put it into a comedic context -- into the context of who Jerry Seinfeld was, who he is and how and why his series had such innovative humor...humor that would define a generation. This book truly explains it. It's clear that Seinfeld and his collaborator Larry David had a concept for the anti-sitcom sitcom. They were willing for it never to be aired, rather than compromise on it. They did add cast members if the network wanted...but there was no "hugging" and topics were unusual and even the comic payoffs were different than on other shows. They weren't trying to be cutting edge, they were trying to execute their creative idea with integrity. They truly didn't compromise and that's why the series remains so unusual and consistently funny to this day. Stylistically, this is a good sized book but a very quick read due to the easy writing style. Quotes are used very skillully throughout. Of all the books I've read on Jerry Seinfeld and the show, this is the best...because it explains why this show is among television comedy's best.

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A must buy for a devoted Seinfeld Fan like myself, October 26, 1999

By A Customer

David Wild did an excelent job on this book. He gives a review of every single episode of Seinfeld up to Feb. 26, the episode where elaine thinks she is dating an African man, making it an interacial relationship. The book also has alot of trivia on the cast of characters. The book is covered with hillarious pictures of the episodes. It also has quotes from other comedians on Seinfeld like Dr. Katz and Jeff Foxworth. Excelent, excelent book.