cover image The Disaster Artist: My Life Inside 'The Room,' the Greatest Bad Movie Ever Made

The Disaster Artist: My Life Inside 'The Room,' the Greatest Bad Movie Ever Made

Greg Sestero and Tom Bissell, read by Greg Sestero. Tantor Audio, 10 CDs, 11.5 hrs., $39.99 ISBN 978-1-4945-0152-5

Actor Sestero's rich memoir recounts the making of The Room, a film starring the authors that is widely considered one of the worst ever made. The actor describes how he became involved with the film and Tommy Wiseau, its eccentric producer, writer, and director. This behind-the-scenes chronicle makes a great paratext to go along with the film and helps explain how it came to acquire cult classic status. Sestero provides animated and enthusiastic narration. His voice often denotes a bemusing smile as he shares anecdotes about Wiseau. It sounds as if he is smiling throughout the production. He projects strongly and deliberately, making sure every word is properly enunciated. Sestero's imitation of Wiseau's voice can feel odd; the writer/director's accent comes across as a mixture of Russian and French, but Sestero perfectly captures the tone and style of Wiseau's eccentric personality. A Simon & Schuster hardcover. (May)