Jun 15, 2017PimaLib_NormS rated this title 3.5 out of 5 stars
As someone who followed Dave Letterman’s career since his time on “Late Night”, I was looking forward to reading, “Letterman: The Last Giant of Late Night” by Jason Zinoman. I liked it, but it wasn’t exactly pleasant to read. I’ll try to explain. I liked it because it was well-written and researched, and while the author did not try to hide his appreciation of Dave’s career and his place in TV history, the book did not come across as some fanboy, hero-worshipping, piece of fluff. Zinoman wrote at length about Dave’s foibles, neuroses, and downright bad behavior, as well as his being a transformative figure in American television. The book is an honest, balanced portrayal of a complex human being, which is what a biography should be. “Letterman” was a rather melancholy read, though. It seems that Dave was completely incapable of enjoying his success. As a fan, I felt kind of sad that he was so insecure and so full of self-loathing. I had imagined what a blast it would have been to work on “Late Night” and the “Late Show”. Like being part of a big, funny family, but apparently it wasn’t that way at all. That Dave and his crew were able to produce good, sometimes great television is rather amazing, considering all the difficulties they had to overcome, most of which were of Dave’s own making. I hope he has found peace away from the limelight, and with his family.
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Letterman