For her detailed, well-written history of Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David's seminal television show, Armstrong (Mary and Lou and Rhoda and Ted: And All the Brilliant Minds Who Made The Mary Tyler Moore Show a Classic) interviews the actors (included those who were on the show and those who auditioned but didn't get parts), writers, directors, and people who were the real-life models for characters such as the soup Nazi, Elaine's father, and Kramer. She discusses the impact the series had and still has on American culture. Christina Delaine does an excellent job of narrating, masterfully mimicking the characters' voices and idiosyncratic speech patterns. VERDICT Highly recommended for all public libraries, because of the huge number of Seinfeld fans, and for patrons who are interested in the process of bringing an idea for a sitcom to fruition. ["The research involved makes this a boon to television scholars, but Seinfeld enthusiasts will also enjoy this funny, highly readable book": LJ 4/1/16 review of the S. & S. hc.]-Ilka Gordon, Beachwood, OH © Copyright 2016. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

*Starred Review* Entertainment journalist Armstrong offers up a lively and illuminating examination of NBC's groundbreaking 1990s sitcom Seinfeld, from its inception as a vehicle for stand-up comedian Jerry Seinfeld to its continued influence almost two decades after the final episode aired. The 1989 brainchild of Seinfeld and fellow New York comic Larry David, the original pilot featured Seinfeld and two of his friends Kramer (Michael Richards), inspired by David's eccentric neighbor, and neurotic George Costanza (Jason Alexander), based on David himself. When the show became a series in 1990, a fourth member of the group was added: Elaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus), an ex of Jerry's who shared the same caustic sensibilities as the male characters. Armstrong shines the spotlight on the network executives who fought for the show and the revolving staff of writers who lent their personal experiences as fodder for the characters' adventures. Seinfeld himself pulled the plug on the show in 1998 after nine wildly successful seasons, but Armstrong illustrates how its fans have kept it alive and relevant in syndication and on the Internet. A wildly entertaining must-read not only for Seinfeld fans but for anyone who wants a better understanding of how television series are made.--Huntley, Kristine Copyright 2016 Booklist

Welcome to an upfront seat at one of TV's most popular sitcoms. How does a TV studio replace the loss on Thursdays of Cheers, one of the greatest sitcoms of all time? With one that may be even better. Former Entertainment Weekly staffer Armstrong (Mary and Lou and Rhoda and Ted: And all the Brilliant Minds Who Made the Mary Tyler Show a Classic, 2013, etc.) believes that Seinfeld was special. Its "trademark bouillabaisse of cultural references and inside jokes" created "portals between its fictional world and reality," its actors had rich characters to inhabit, and its talented writers, including star Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David, wrote smart scripts. Armstrong unfolds the show's history chapter by chapter. Here are Jerry and David, two hardworking stand-up comedians, talking in a late-night diner, coming up with an idea for a TV show based, essentially, on them, a metashow in which little happens. At first it was The Seinfeld Chronicles. Jerry wanted it changed, and NBC president Brandon Tartikoff agreed. Armstrong then covers the "players," how four characters were created by four talented actors, followed by the "network," the "production," the "writers," and the "bizarros" (the show's many odd ducks, including the Soup Nazi and J. Peterman). It all came together to create a masterpiece. The show's tickets were always free, and tapings could last three hours. Even the show's relatively minor characters became national sensations. America Online's numbers plunged when Seinfeld was on. Just before the eighth season, David decided it was time to go. Jerry was worn out too. NBC offered him $5 million per show; he was already making $1 million. He passed, and the ninth season would be Seinfeld's last. Armstrong's intimate, breezy history is full of gossipy details, show trivia, and insights into how famous episodes came to be. How nothing could become something or how a national TV audience learned to live in a Beckett-ian world. Perfect for Seinfeldians and newcomers alike. Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Armstrong provides an in-depth and delightful cultural history of the '90s TV show Seinfeld, exploring its initial conception by Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld, the pivotal episodes, seasonal developments, important writers, and, of course, its impact on American culture overall. Voice actor Delanie narrates with great energy and projection, capturing the author's enthusiasm for all the fascinating elements of Seinfeld unearthed in this production. In particular, she knows the right amount of emphasis and timing to describe the numerous anecdotes found within the book. She plays it conservatively when quoting the main players, focusing on the cadence of their deliveries (and deepening her voice for the men), but she avoids trying to emulate them entirely. The result has enough familiarity within it for readers to make the connection to the actual actor or character. A Simon & Schuster hardcover. (July) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.