About the Book:

If television programming is normally considered a wasteland, then The Sopranos may be thought of as a jungle: richly coloured, teeming with life, dark with mystery.

The Sopranos on the Couch is a must for all who are already caught up in the excitement, as well as for viewers who are coming to the show for the first time. Maurice Yacowar helps you understand exactly why we can't get enough of Tony Soprano and that colourful Mafia family that we hate to love and often love to hate! This pop-culture sensation was not only the most controversial series on television, but also the most provocative, thoughtful, and complex. Its language and themes have stretched the norms of commercial television, many characters and phrases having entered our everyday life. The Sopranos on the Couch is the first book to provide a compact, lively, and authoritative examination of each episode in seasons 1 thru 4 — the themes, inside jokes, and allusions — thereby putting the series into a broader cultural context.

What people say:

"The Sopranos on the Couch is a must-buy for every reader interested in contemporary American popular culture. Maurice Yacowar proves that a sharp mind and a critical eye can produce engaging, thought-provoking critical analysis without the dead weight of academic jargon." — Pet Bondanella, author of Italian Cinema

"Maurice Yacowar deals with all the questions and complaints and, like Dr. Melfi, gives us plenty to think about ... Give this to those who want some substance." — Booklist

"Maurice Yacowar is a respectful guide." — The New York Times

"Maurice Yacowar has written an excellent overview of the series, as much an episode guide as serious study." — Globe and Mail

About the Author:

Maurice Yacowar helped establish Canada's first film and popular culture degree progams at Brock University. He is a retired professor of English and Film Studies at the University of Calgary. His earlier books include pioneering studies of Woody Allen, Mel Brooks, and Paul Morrissey. Yacowar lives in Calgary, Alberta.