Joss Whedon

The Biography

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by Amy Pascale

Type: Biographies
Subject: Director > Joss Whedon
Keywords: Joss Whedon
Publishing date: 2014
Publisher: Chicago Review Press
Language: English

Relative size

Physical desc.

Hardcover • 448 pages
6 x 9 inches (15 x 23 cm)

ISBN

978-1-61374-104-7

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Book Presentation:
From the cult favorite Buffy the Vampire Slayer, which netted four million viewers per episode, to the summer blockbuster The Avengers, which amassed a box office of $1.5 billion, Joss Whedon has made a name for himself in Hollywood for his penchant for telling meaningful, personal tales about love, death, and redemption even against the most dramatic and larger-than-life backdrops. This biography follows his development from a creative child and teenager who spent years away from his family at an elite English public school, through his early successes—which often turned into frustrating heartbreak in both television (Roseanne) and film (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)—to his breakout turn as the creator, writer, and director of the Buffy television series. Extensive, original interviews with Whedon’s family, friends, collaborators, and stars—and with the man himself—offer candid, behind-the-scenes accounts of the making of groundbreaking series such as Buffy, Angel, Firefly, and Dollhouse, as well as new stories about his work with Pixar writers and animators during the creation of Toy Story. Most importantly, however, these conversations present an intimate and revealing portrait of a man whose creativity and storytelling ability have manifested themselves in comics, online media, television, and film.

About the Author:
Amy Pascale is a director at MTV, where she has worked in on-air and online media for more than 14 years. She is the cofounder and editor of the Web magazine PopGurls.com and was an early member of The Bronze, an online community through which the Buffy the Vampire Slayer staff interacted with the show’s fans. She lives in Highland Mills, New York. Nathan Fillion is an actor best-known for his portrayal of Captain Malcolm Reynolds in the Joss Whedon–produced television series Firefly and its film continuation Serenity, which was directed by Whedon. He also appeared in the Joss Whedon vehicles Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog and Much Ado About Nothing. He plays Richard Castle on the ABC series Castle. He lives in Los Angeles.

Press Reviews:
"Amy Pascale delves deep behind the scenes of Joss Whedon's myriad film and television projects, covering Avengers, vampire slayers, and everything in between. This thorough and engaging biography is a must-read for everyone who loves Whedon's work, from the casual fan to the most hardcore Browncoat." —Tim Hanley, author of Wonder Woman Unbound: The Curious History of the World’s Most Famous Heroine "The material is jam-packed with all sorts of behind the scenes trivia. Perhaps that means an update will be needed after Avengers: Age of Ultron. Amy Pascale has written an interesting, well-written take on the life and art of Joss Whedon; any true fan should take a look." —CliqueClaque "Pascale collects enough fascinating details and candid anecdotes to surprise even the most devoted of Whedonites." —Maclean's Magazine

"If you think you know everything about Joss, you haven’t read this thoroughly entertaining and well-researched treasure trove." —Josh Horowitz, MTV News

"Now that I’ve read this and feel like I know Joss as a person rather than merely a hit-making, critically adored peer, my schadenfreude has been reduced to completely manageable levels." —Rob Thomas, creator of Veronica Mars

"When art hits us, it’s fun and possibly necessary to look behind the scenes and see what drove it. Amy Pascale gives great insight into Whedon’s work that will interest and surprise even seasoned fans." —Alan Kistler, author of The Unofficial Game of Thrones Cookbook and Doctor Who: A History

"Like a series of great tales told during a boozy night of friends reminiscing, Pascale’s biography of Joss Whedon does what the great artistic biographies do — it makes you want to go back and re-experience his work." —Patton Oswalt

"Though Whedon’s many fans are fairly familiar with the ups and downs of his career, the many frank quotes from Whedon, his friends, family, and coworkers make Pascale’s absorbing bio a must-read." —Booklist

"An informative and readable book." —Kirkus

"For the story behind one of the hottest writer/directors of the moment, fans will want to pick up this biography." —SheKnows.com

"Through unprecedented insight, Pascale allows readers to relive the journey… almost as if they were experiencing it with Whedon himself. Readers will gain a true understanding into the creative and inspirational mind and passion of Joss Whedon." —Geekscholars

Pascale has done a tremendous amount of research; the sheer number of interviewees and sources

is impressive. The book is at its most compulsively readable when the author is writing about the

period when Whedon was running three different shows at once. It’s comprehensive, entertaining

and thoughtful and, perhaps most importantly, it will send you running to your box-sets to relive his

work." —SciFi Now