Woke Up This Morning: The Definitive Oral History of The Sopranos

“There isn’t a dramatic series anywhere... that doesn’t owe something to The Sopranos,” write actors Imperioli and Schirripa in this spectacular tell-all about the making of the Emmy-winning hit television series. As The Sopranos stars confess in their intro, “after more than twenty years, we figured, what the fuck? Let’s just let it all out.” This entertaining guide delivers on that promise with interviews that get up close and personal with the cast (Lorraine Bracco, Edie Falco, Jamie-Lynn Sigler), series creator David Chase, various directors, and a slew of others who worked on The Sopranos during its six-season run. They hash out shooting the show’s stunts (“It was two fat, sweaty, out-of-shape guys fighting. That’s why it looked real,” says Schirripa); the “cunnilingus and psychiatry” story line (inspired by an “ex-mob guy” working in the writers’ room); and the series’ controversial finale (more than 20 years later, it’s still a thorn in the side for Chase). What makes this sing is the passion and energy brought by Imperioli and Schirripa and its indelible tribute to the late James Gandolfini. As Aida Turturro (Janice Soprano) recalls, “He was there for you no matter what.” This is the ultimate book on The Sopranos, made by the people who lived it. Agent: Michael Harriot, Folio Literary. (Nov.)